My Cats Snooped and Found Their Christmas Presents...Again!!

In the past, I've shared stories of my cats destroying our Christmas tree each year. Would you believe this is the first year they haven't tried to climb in our tree or knock off any of the ornaments? It's a miracle. We bought a new "slimmer" tree and put it downstairs next to the fireplace. Maybe it's the slimmer design which deterred them. Not sure, but I'm happy about it.

However, they have snooped and found their Christmas presents.  *sigh*  I remember the first year we had them we purchased fuzzy red catnip toys for their stockings. On Christmas Eve, I placed the toys and some treats in each one. On Christmas day, we came downstairs to find they had pulled the toys and treats from their stockings!! They'd unwrapped the toys and were playing with them. None of the other stockings were touched. Little devils. *grin*

Every year since then, they've snooped and scoped out their presents before Christmas. I've hidden them in some pretty good spots, but they always seem to find them anyway. This year I've been so busy that I haven't even been shopping yet. However, on a trip to the store to purchase cat food, I picked out three catnip toys with feathers for our babies. I tied them, still attached to the cardboard, inside a plastic bag, and put it inside another plastic bag with my mother's present and tied that closed. I placed it in a corner of my office, planning to hide the toys later.

About an hour later, groceries unpacked and put away, I sat down to watch the end of a movie I'd taped. I heard some noises, very strange noises, and then a banging noise. I knew that sound. The cats love to bat their fuzzy mouses against the walls in the hallway while they chase them. So I settled back down...until...I saw Wilbur running into the family room with Templeton close behind. Wilbur raced between the sofa and staircase then backed up and began shaking his head back and forth like a dog. What had he gotten into?

Yep, their Christmas presents. He had one of the toys, still attached to cardboard!  I snatched it away, then found another on in the hallway and grabbed it, while racing to my office. They had literally torn a hole through two plastic bags to get their toys. **sigh** I chased them away, with much nasty meowing following, and shut the door to hide the toys until Christmas Eve. Now they are stashed in a file cabinet drawer, inside my office closet. 

Please don't tell my cats.

Have a happy day full of smiles.