The Great Squirrel Mystery

Mr. Squirrel has been coming to visit our balcony rather regularly. I couldn’t figure out why. He’d already decided he didn’t like my plants (by taking ample taste samples of each one, the turkey). I finally had to guess he was coming because he liked to tease the cats, especially ACfH. Now this doesn’t speak well of the local squirrel gene pool, but then there’s a reason squirrels never developed the theory of relativity I suppose.

Then, a few weeks back, the day Clueless Wonder came home from the hospital, all was explained. I left these pictures at highest resolution because the glass door of the balcony clouded a few of them, so if you aren’t on DSL or cable these may load a bit slowly for you when you click on the thumbnails. If it’s too slow, let me know in a comment and I’ll resize the pictures for better load time.

	Mr. Squirrel sizes up the joint. Simultaneously cautious and cocky, he’s got a practiced air of “who, me?” about him. This, of course, verifies he’s up to something.
	Adolescent Cat from Hell isn’t missing a trick. Mr. Squirrel is apparently about to make his move, and ACfH knows it’s all about her. She’s looking forward to whatever game is in store.
	Clueless Wonder watched from the top of the sofa. He’d only been home from his hospital stay for a few hours, and simply didn’t feel up to any high-jinks. I suspect he was glad Mr. Squirrel was taking ACfH off his paws for a while.
	Feeling confident that the coast is clear, Mr. Squirrel moves in a tad closer. The moment is at hand. What moment is at hand I have no idea, but it is clear he has an objective in mind.
	Yup, this is definitely working out the way he planned.
	At this point, the Warrior Princess deigns to take note of Mr. Squirrel. She has better things to do than be teased by a squirrel, so she isn’t going to agree to interact with him. She will keep an eye open though, in case the door miraculously opens and she has a chance at an extra meal.
	Mr. Squirrel, sure that every thing is secure, moves into position. The objective is nearly at hand.
	*THIS* is what the squirrel has been raiding my balcony for? Years ago, when visiting the desert in Arizona on vacation, I came across the partial skeleton of a steer. The bones were bleached white and absolutely clean. I wanted the skull, but with no way to transport it home, I settled for a nice femur. It’s been on display in my home ever since. And this is what Mr. Squirrel has been returning time and again to the balcony for.
	ACfH is crushed. All this time, she thought he’d been coming to see her. And it turns out all he wants is some extra calcium. I suspect she has a bone to pick with him.
	In the wild, the bones and antlers of the dead seldom last long. There are not very many good calcium sources in nature, and rodents in particular need a good supply of calcium to keep their teeth fit. Rodent’s teeth never stop growing their entire lives, so it’s important to find a source of calcium to keep those teeth happy. So much for my really neat cow femur.