The Smuggled Lizard

While I was having my coffee this morning, I heard growling coming from the kitchen. Our cat Jilly has toy mice she carries in her mouth and growls the whole time. It’s just too cute. So I looked under the kitchen table, thinking I was going to see my sweet Jilly playing with her mice. Nope. To my shock, I saw a bald, skinny-ass rat facing down both of our cats. My mind raced. Has my home been contaminated with rat disease, possibly a plague?

The “rat” ran out from under the table into the light, and I had just enough time to realize it was actually a big ol' lizard before my cat Rip pounced on it. I grabbed Rip and held on tight while he thrashed, trying to get free and finish off his prey. About that time, our Great Dane decided to join in.

Now I’m standing there hollering for my daughter Kay to help, gripping Rip, who is still fighting me, trying to hold back Jilly and the dog, and stomping my feet every time the lizard tried to run off and hide. Every time I stomped, the lizard stopped for a moment and looked around. Somehow, in the middle of all that, I managed to call Kay’s cell for help. Kay's in the shower, radio turned up, jamming. When she read my text, she ran in to help.

We finally got the cats in the basement, and Kay got her lizard back in the tank.

That’s right, KAY’S LIZARD!

Last week, she was begging us to get a new one. That's all we heard for days! My husband and I said no. So, she went ahead and got one anyway. Kay's best friend's mom raises reptiles, rabbits, and chickens. The mom told Kayla that if a home wasn't found for the lizard, she was feeding it to the chickens. So, to save the poor thing, she rolled it up in her jacket and smuggled it into the house. We didn’t even know it was here... until this morning.