Traditionally Halloween is a one-day observance. Not at our house. Trick or treat is an every day routine. All who share their home with a cat or two will understand. Without daily cat treats there will be tricks — tricks that in the middle of the night border on the paranormal.

What is normal for cats, at least, is the occasional nocturnal disturbance. Most are easily explained. Things that go bump in the night, in other words, generally have four legs and a tail.

In our house I’m the designated “ghost buster,” or should I say, “cat buster” — the one elected to investigate those bumps, yowls, and screeches that interrupt a good night’s sleep.

Is it paranormal?

Yes and no.

We call it  “purr-anormal.”

“YE-OO-W!”

An ear-splitting yowl echoed through the night.

The dial of the clock radio gleamed ominously in the dark. The numbers, glaring blood red, seeped into my still-slumbering brain and finally registered.

It was midnight — the witching hour.

What was that noise coming from the end of the hall — and why was the light on?

Where were the cats, I wondered, as I headed for the den.

Den was an appropriate description, I noted, as four pairs of eyes reflected an eerie glow from the TV turned in my direction.

But wait . . . I didn’t leave the television on! Or did I?  Was there a remote chance the cats had turned it on?

Earlier in the evening we had tuned into to a new channel — DOG TV. While the dogs enjoyed the show, the cats were obviously taking notes on tonight’s feature: “Howl-oween.”

“YE-OO-W,” another howl filled the room.

Was paranormal activity at work?

More likely, it was “purr-anormal.” Cats are experts of the unexplained phenomena — things not seen, but definitely felt.

“Oh, yuk — what’s that under the quilt?” I called to my spouse who was coming in the door.

Gingerly I pulled back the covers on my side of the bed to find a wet dishrag.

“It’s your cat,” my husband nodded toward Lily who was depositing half a dog biscuit beside the dishrag.

Lily likes to store her treasures on my side of the bed. A smoky gray cat, Lily continues to live up to her nickname, Gray Ghost.

She especially enjoys surprising guests who fail to note her presence before closing the bathroom door. Guests usually emerge from the bathroom looking like they’ve seen a ghost. As indeed they have.

But is it paranormal? Not so much as “purr-anormal.”

Luna, with her all-white attire, is a natural for paranormal pranks — like hiding things inside my piano.

“Wow,” the piano tuner exclaimed recently as he lifted the lid.

“Who did this,” he asked as he removed assorted paper clips, a clothespin, two pencils and a tube of lip balm from the piano.

“Her name is Luna,” I replied.

“Ah,” the tuner said, obviously envisioning a hip but musical lady. “A real cool cat!”

“If only you knew,” I nodded.

I didn’t want to alarm the man, but it was an obvious case of the “purr-anormal.”

Harmonious or not, cats don’t need to vocalize to impart an important bit of advice for upcoming Halloween festivities — “don’t forget the cat treats!”

It’s true that Halloween can be a haunting experience, but be forewarned.

Halloween doesn’t hold a whisker to “purr-anormal” activity.

MARGE SWAYNE is lifestyles editor for The Farmville Herald. Her email address is marge.swayne@farmvilleherald.com.