A guest at our house

For the past 3 days we've had someone visiting us. An unwelcome visitor who snuck into the house. The furry kind but not a mouse or rat. We have a chipmunk at our house! The cats have been unusually interested in the kitchen area (it was in the living room before, apparently) and I take it, this little fellow has been sharing dog food with Mr. Nelson. This Chippie is wandering my floors (at night, I'm guessing with an occasional appearance during the day), looking for a way out of the house. At least, that's what I hope! I still can't believe it's in the house somewhere.

I first saw it on Sunday before we went up to the in-laws. It made a mad dash under the furniture by Odie's (our pet bird) cage. I screamed louder than I have in some time. I was surprised by my reaction...and when it darted out again, I screamed again. I love small animals...heck, most animals. This was an uncommon feeling I was having towards what I usually think as cute. I guess the cute line is drawn fairly thickly with the animal being outside and not inside the house...free to wander about and jump on you or near you when you least expect it. The cats are having a ball...

I think it may have gotten upstairs at one point as there was utter chaos (we left the Chippie to the cats on Sunday) and strange happenings (clothes all over and wall hangings pulled down). I can only imagine that the little fellow was trying to flee for it's life. It's settled into the kitchen, which I guess is safer (mostly dog territory).

We're trying to borrow a live animal trap. I'm hoping between the time we get this guy in a trap and having it roam free range, it's not a pregnant gal chippie. That would just be scary and kind-of, sort-of cute.