Scatter, Squirrel...Scatter

While sitting in the office this morning, I heard quite a raucous on the back (front) entry deck.  I took a quick, few steps and looked out the sidelight window.  I saw all three cats (Cricket, Onnie and Missy) acting very energized and anxiously looking up at the wall next to the door. 

 

Since I could not see a thing from my vantage point, I opened the door to take a gander…immediately a small, grey squirrel jumped over my head, over the cats and into the yard.  Within a split second, the cats were off.  The squirrel got as far as the young dogwood only feet away.

 

The cats circled the base of the tree as the squirrel scurried from limb, to branch, to twig. 

 

Cricket at bottom, squirrel directly above

Cricket decided to be a major player in the hunt and followed into the dogwood.  The small squirrel swiftly moved to the adjacent crepe myrtle. 

 

 

Suddenly, a mockingbird was on scene dive-bombing the squirrel. (Note: I think the mockingbird thought the squirrel was stealing his red dogwood berries - see November 5, 2012 blog.)

 

What excitement!

 

 

 

Finally, after many minutes, the squirrel realized a break in attention from bird and cats to hastily flee the scene.

 

I think the squirrel escaped unscathed…I have not yet heard  a cat screeching  nor seen a headless cadaver with bushy  lying next to the door - thank goodness!