Playtime at our house includes a fast round of soccer mouse. Our most active time is in the middle of the human's sleeptime (we are nocturnal, after all). The day before, our human Dad fishes out a dozen or so multicolored, fuzzy toy mice from under the kitchen stove, behind the refrigerator, and out from any of several of our favorite hall closets. He lines them up in a row in our cat tree, or sometimes places them around the living room like so many miniature Easter eggs. After midnight is when the game begins in earnest. Azalea bats the mice down from the tree, one by one, landing them with a satisfying smack on the hardwood floor. Then we chase them around, batting them left, then right, then left, until.....score!! The mouse slides into, under, or behind the door or appliance of choice and hits the wall with a thud. By breakfast time, all the mice are safely tucked away out of sight, ready for tomorrow's game.
