(with humble and sincere apologies to Clement C Moore and his classic "The Night Before Christmas")
Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse
…..(except for the one with fake fur and little shaky beads inside that Ritzy is using as the object of a rousing game of linoleum hockey)
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care
But Ritz tore them down ‘cause they felt like mouse hair
The humans were nestled all snug in their beds,
While hoping of sleep with no cats on their heads
And mamma in her kerchief and I in my cap,
Even Ritz settled in for a brief midnight nap
When down in the hall there arose such a clatter
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter….
With my toes….now new cat toys…almost victims of a slash
Wielded by a playful cat, now away in a flash.
The moon on the breast of a tuxedo’ed face
And the luster of gold in her eyes was in place,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a rampaging cat running wild down the stair
There were miniature mice, not quite like reindeer
Strewn all o’er the house, minus tails, here and there
That black and white cat was so lively and glitzy
I knew in a moment it must be Ms Ritzy.
More rapid and frantic, her sprints through the house
As she chattered half meows, like she’d seen a REAL mouse
”On mom cat, on dad cat, get up out of that bed!
There’s a cat in the house and she needs to be fed!”
Then down by the tree, lit with holiday glow
Tween the brightly wrapped presents, her white paw pads did go
And then, in a heartbeat, noises on the kitchen floor
Rumbling, thundering run, then slid with a THUD into the door
Her back arched in fright, and she jumped and she flailed
Then POOF, went her fur, three times big was her tail!
Then, quick, like a flash, up the stairway she flew
With tail still all fuzzy, all curled up like a Q
Turned the corner and POUNCE, on the quilt in the night
Under which was my tummy, I awake with a fright!
Ritzy’s patience is spent, time to wake up the house
Merry Christmas to all, now where’s my toy mouse!?
HAVE A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!
