Cats and mice

secretsam

Can any of you cat-owning and cat-loving lot out there help us?

Our lovely little cat has recently discovered a source of mice somewhere, and keeps bringing the blessed things into the house.

This is annoying when she follows her current evening ritual (3 nights out of the last 5) of bringing in a live mouse to play with (we catch it and release it in the woods a couple of miles away.

But she's also got into the habit of leaving a little present for the kids when they get up (they're the first up) of a mouse minus some bits - this morning it was sans head

Anyone got any tips on how we can stop this? She's generally very well behaved, well fed and well loved. I know it's probably instinct, but there are 8,000 red kites in our area who are more than capable of dealing with mice, our cat's efforts are not needed.

shortcuts

Shoot it?

TommyEss

shortcuts wrote:

Shoot it?

60% of the time, it works every time.

arran77

I think it's just what cats do, be thankful it's only mice by the way, we've had all sorts including magpies and slow worms brought in

charliegirl74

Glad I'm not the only one!!

My cat is driving me mad... I think he's found a mouse vending machine somewhere.

Its either dead ones or live ones. Has now got to the point we are shutting him out at night, all well and good however one night we shut him out and the mouse in!!! :shock:

Just waiting for one to appear in my cycling shoes and think that will finish me off.

It really is a game of cat and mouse in my house!!

CiB

Came down this morning to find female cat staring intently at the bookcase in the hall; moved it and there it is, a scared mouse, the third in a week or so. Bloke Cat isn't bothered with catching mice or anything else not even lady cats but we were told that neutering him would him 'a bit less butch', and it has, he's as camp as Larry Grayson. Maybe that's the answer if you've got a tom cat that hasn't been done.

I'd get told off if I shot the mouse catcher cat. Short of shooting him, any tips? Smear mustard round her chops maybe? :twisted:

Extralight

S/he will hate you for it, but try giving your cat a collar with a bell - that might hamper the effectiveness of the hunt...

Mr Will

Think yourself lucky, with one of mine it was full sized rabbits! Or worse, half a full sized rabbit!

big_p

Just wait until the little sheite brings a live frog into the house and it's making a screaming noise, we have 3 cats and there all hunters, but it's just what cat's do, no way to stop it.

jawooga

My cats have always got shouted at, and they know immediately now when they bring one in and they see me, that they have to turn around and take it back outside.

As they have got a bit older and lazier (still only 5/6 yrs old) they have been far less prolific though. That said I don't trust them, and when we built a kitchen extension, a utility room / cat's bedroom was a must.

David6708

Cat flap? Lock it, then let cat in/out so you can police it's activities. As soon as ours finds the first mouse of the year (they come closer to house to find warmth) then it goes back to limited comings/goings.

mudsucker

I imagine vermin bringing vermin into the house can get annoying :-)

shortcuts

^^ Hehehehehe

capt_slog

I used to 'beat' for a shoot years ago, as often happened i was given a brace of pheasants to bring home. I was knackered when I arrived home, and as dinner was ready I just put the birds on the kitchen doormat and forgot about them.

I suddenly remembered them on the Sunday morning when I woke up, and went downstairs expecting to find feathers and gore everywhere because they couldn't have missed he attentions of the family cat I though. But no, the birds where still there exactly where i'd left them, however, they were now joined by a dead sparrow lined up next to them.

mr_goo

We've got an ex farm cat, who uses us for board and logging. In the spring/summer we have at least two or three headless fledglings outside the kitchen door every week. He also brings us lots of shrews. Whilst it is upsetting if you have young children, this is what cats do.

secretsam

So there's nothing I can do

@charliegirl74: I think ours has found the same mouse vending machine, and it's on "free vend". Last night's offering was dead, but - sigh of relief - complete.

no frogs/rabbits/badgers/foxes/woolly mammoths yet, fortunately

secretsam

Things have taken a slightly more unpleasant turn. Another mouse this morning, to go with the one last night, dead again.

But then as an added bonus, she's just brought in a robin, still alive - just. Now as a Bristol City fan, the robin holds a special place in my heart ("The Robins" is our nickname). Anyway, I locked her out of the kitchen and took the bird out, where it softly died in my hands - at least it was a peaceful end, seeing the sun and the outdoors for one last time.

Now, I know it's not the cat's fault and that these are "gifts", but is there anything that we can do to discourage this? I'm really quite upset now.

desweller

Have you tried giving the cat a hard time about it? Or perhaps, and I gather this is not 'the done thing', not letting the little mite out of the house?

MattC59

Extralight wrote:

S/he will hate you for it, but try giving your cat a collar with a bell - that might hamper the effectiveness of the hunt...

Don't bother with a bell, it just makes them more effective hunters. They learn, very quickly to move without jingling the bell, then as soon as they remove the bell (and they will) they'll be bringing in sheep and small children !!

capt_slog

SecretSam wrote:

So there's nothing I can do

@charliegirl74: I think ours has found the same mouse vending machine, and it's on "free vend". Last night's offering was dead, but - sigh of relief - complete.

no frogs/rabbits/badgers/foxes/woolly mammoths yet, fortunately

I'm careful what our's sees on the TV, let her start watching lions in the Serangeti and before you know it there's a wildebeest being dragged through the cat-flap.

southdownswolf

Have you informed the cat about the health and safety implications of bringing "presents" into the house?
Surely once it has filled out a risk assessment, it would realise the dangers and stop?

desweller

Put some valium in its food. It'll be too stoned to catch anything.

AndyPkr

How about try not letting it out in the first place. The average life of a cat consists of decimating the local bird & wildlife population, doing its buisiness in all of your neighbours gardens, avoiding been shot or poisened by said neighbours and finally causing a road traffic acident. One of my neighbours was on her fourth cat in two years before she decided it might be a good idea to keep it in on a night. The first two were run over, one causing a serious crash, third one was suspected of been poisoned.

shortcuts

AndyPkr wrote:

How about try not letting it out in the first place. The average life of a cat consists of decimating the local bird & wildlife population, doing its buisiness in all of your neighbours gardens, avoiding been shot or poisened by said neighbours and finally causing a road traffic acident. One of my neighbours was on her fourth cat in two years before she decided it might be a good idea to keep it in on a night. The first two were run over, one causing a serious crash, third one was suspected of been poisoned.

If only

southdownswolf

my neighbour is emigrating to Australia and taking their cats with them. best place for them. (cats not neighbours)

Mikey23

Grrrrr... It's not their fault it's what they do... Don't get me going

Let your kids see what your sweet little pussy cat gets up to, it may be an education for them and perhaps encourage them not to keep one for themselves when they are old enough. Shame your sensibilities have been upset, I really feel for you

I'm personally quite sick of other peoples cats crapping on my garden and killing local wildlife

pinno

Keep it in at night.
Make sure the moggy is wormed. If it is full of worms (and they will get worms from vermin) it will be constantly hungry and want to catch things to eat.
Place your bird table in a location that does not provide cover for the cat to pounce.
Get is neutered/sterilised. They are often less prone to hunting and a bit more stay ay home after the snip.

Mice are essential for owls - particularly Barn owls and the Giant Oak is susceptible to a leaf infection that the Door-mouse eats thereby perpetuating a long symbiosis between the large oak and the mini mouse !

PS What you need to do Simonhead is get on yer hands and knees and go out hunting with the cat - it obviously wants to teach you how and your its kitten.

shortcuts

A cat cull. It's the future

ballysmate

Cats are not the easiest creatures to train.
What people on here fail to grasp, is the dedication and patience that goes into training your cat to crap next door and not in your own garden.
Not easy, but hopefully I have managed it.

secretsam

Mikey23 wrote:

Let your kids see what your sweet little pussy cat gets up to, it may be an education for them and perhaps encourage them not to keep one for themselves when they are old enough

Well, they come down first in the morning so usually see whatever the cat's been up to. Disemboweled birds, headless mice - doesn't seem to put them off their cornflakes - sorry to disappoint you, they love our cat. What can you do?

Mikey23 wrote:

Shame your sensibilities have been upset, I really feel for you

You're so kind, thank you. Remember me in your prayers also, would you?

Mikey23 wrote:

I'm personally quite sick of other peoples cats crapping on my garden and killing local wildlife

Solution: get a cat. Then you'll know exactly who to blame for the dead stuff, and no cat will defecate in your garden 'cos yours will defend it. Result!!!

Tiltzey Boy

Mr Goo wrote:

We've got an ex farm cat, who uses us for board and logging. In the spring/summer we have at least two or three headless fledglings outside the kitchen door every week. He also brings us lots of shrews. Whilst it is upsetting if you have young children, this is what cats do.

A cat that does "logging", surely there's some cash to be made out of that?!?!?!?!?!?!