TIFU by taking care of a mouse problem

Not today, but several years ago.

One morning I was making an omelet, and just as I plated it a little mouse startled me. Now, living in a country house I was no stranger to mice. I gave it the old short step and verbal report, shaking my fist for good measure. To my shock, this mouse was completely unfazed by this primal display of dominance. Committed to my intention, I brought out the other arm, hulking up my shoulders in order to appear even larger. This seems to have worked, and the previously complacent rodent recognized the authenticity of my threat and yeeted itself coherent to my vector. I chased it into the bathroom, bounding after it with ridiculously animated steps. As soon as it crossed the threshold, I pulled the door shut and contemplated my next steps while my pulse returned to normal. Remembering that cats eat mice, I found my trusty feline and cracked open the door just enough to add her to the situation. Now with my ears as the only tool to monitor, I stood outside and listened. After what felt like an eternity, there was a scuffle, a chase, silence, a few crunches, and there I stood outside the door satisfied that I had taken care of the problem and could now go enjoy my omelet.

A day later another fearless mouse appeared, and though I won’t bore you with the details I took care of this problem in much the same way. I had a plan, a method, it was easy.

Another day later, sitting at the table. Housemate enters the dining room, who had just returned from a several day trip.

”Where are my gerbils??”

Sharp breath in through clenched teeth as I instantly made the connection to the friendly mice.

Another housemate had been tasked to feed his gerbils, had forgotten, and the poor animals escaped out of necessity to meet a very unwelcoming housemate and murderous cat.

I had never seen or known of the gerbils until they met their fate, and very regretfully had to inform the housemate of what had happened.

TL;DR I didn’t know my housemate had gerbils, they escaped, and I fed them to my cat thinking they were mice.