Here Kitty Kitty

My neighbor was puzzled. Here's why:

Found: a neat row of kibble stacked between the sheets in her linen closet.

Found: a pile of kibble sitting on the top of a dresser.

My neighbor doesn't own a dog, but is dog-sitter extraordinaire for Miss Mocha.

I was puzzled. Here's why:

Found: Thistle seed in the basement...neatly deposited in 2-inch drifts on two storage shelves packed with supplies.

Found: A few bits of kibble underneath a drip pan on my stove.

Found: This on the floor in my storage closet:

Found: This under the cushion of my comfy chair:

Found: This under the cushion of Mocha's comfy chair:

When one links these puzzling events together, one could surmise that Mocha is a gifted pack rat who has learned to open doors and lift cushions OR the field mice, who often frequent the neighbor's house and mine, feared their normal food supply was about to cease and began frantically stashing away a ready resource of tasty, crunchy food.

Since I've begun putting Mocha's food bowl away at night, the appearance of kibble in unexpected places has ceased. All this time, I thought she was enjoying a midnight snack while I slumbered blissfully in the next room. Little did I know the Cheatham County Kibble Caper was being carried out under my very nose. I should save a bundle on dog food now that the gravy train has jumped the track!