Bud has been hovering over a newly discovered mouse hold all morning. Some mouse is about to have a bad experience; perhaps it’s the last. I can’t say I have evolved to feel bad for the mice; they can be a plague on and in a farmhouse. Still, they are cute and mean no harm. Being on a farm does bring out a fatalism in me.

Barn cats and mice have a glorious, if one-way, history.

Nature designated mice as food for a lot of animals, from owls to hawks to coyotes, cats, crows, and even bears. For all of his curiosity and affection, Zip is a serious barn cat. He does his job, just like I do.

Zip has been hovering over two different mouse holes for hours. He doesn’t quit.