My cats love to watch out windows. Molly thinks the bathroom window is her own private bird-viewing platform, and she wants it open in all weather. (You can probably guess that winter is her least favorite season, because that window stays CLOSED most of the time, lol.) B.C. likes windows, but doesn't want to be outside. If he DOES get out (and a door closes behind him), he cries until he gets back into the house. I think Sophia would be happy to be outside, but she doesn't try to get out. When the weather is nice I let them out on the tiny back deck and stairs, and I sit with them so they don't wander. I'm sure if any mouse was foolish enough to get into the house, it wouldn't last long. We don't have a problem with many critters, but I've thought that a dog might help with the woodchuck issue we've had in the past. Our neighbor's outdoor cat occasionally leaves us a mole as a gift. Sophia, the grand dame of the house. B.C. (Bad Cat) and Sophia, in their favorite bird-viewing spot - the feeders are outside that window. B.C. is almost 13, and Sophia is 11. My favorite picture of Molly, and our son Ian. Molly is the baby, not yet 2. Sophia thinks she's a pain in the behind; we jokingly call Molly "Nermal," to go with Sophia's "Garfield," and B.C. does a very good "Odie." Laurel

They are super cute and pretty funny. They will lay in the shade of the pots on my porch and sprawl out on their stomach, all limbs sticking out. Hilarious. I have read that they can be pretty bad pests but our yard isn't really a yard, it is a prairie and we live in a townhome so we have like, a few random trees and some flowers next to the porch and that's it. My only annoyance is they like to kick up the mulch everywhere.

you are so blessed!

First image is a sesiid moth (includes clearwings and wasp mimics), I am still researching the species. -------------- I think this is the common Squash Vine Borer, Melittia cucurbitae, showing the antennae, abdomen, and the furry-spiky hindlegs, the clear wings are not visible in this stop-action image. https://bugguide.net/node/view/378140/bgimage