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Original poster

cat bringing mice into house

73 replies

Gonnagetgoing · 08/12/2021 14:28

So I have a lovely cat. Who it would appear (not using the cat flaps for obvious reasons, e.g. other cats etc, just using french windows to let her in and out) has been letting mice into the house.

It's not just been me in the house recently, various other visitors including workmen, family visiting, friends (including one staying see other post!), and I can't be sure that cat has rushed in really quickly and due to tiredness, dim lighting etc has had a mouse in her mouth and I've not seen it!

So: 1. How do I stop the cat bringing in live mice? If I give her a filthy look re the mice she looks at me like Hmm eg confused/innocent cat!

Have so far (with help of DB visiting) set some traps in my bedroom where mouse is lodging.

  1. Do you feel sorry if the traps (one was humane but it's taken the cheese from the trap and not been caught) kill the mouse? Mixture of snap and humane. It's either that or cat gets mouse but don't want snap traps to injure cat.

I know it's the fecking cat bringing in mice because I did have mice downstairs and upstairs but blocked all their holes with help of pest controller and no way on earth they could get in now unless they have industrial strength tools.

OP posts:
EmmaStone · 08/12/2021 14:55

Ah, welcome to my world. My cat is a prolific hunter (averaging 1 kill a day), but sometimes seems to want to bring some in for company, or longer term torture, maybe thinks we need feeding up, who knows?

If I can, I catch it with an ice cream tub and some card, and release back into the garden (and given the cat's catch rate, this happens a lot, and my DD is also now pretty proficient too), but if there's one that's clearly taken up residence, the snap traps come out. A smear of peanut butter usually does the trick quite quickly (within 5 mins the other night). So then if the mouse is lucky, I'll catch and release, or if unlucky, either the cat will hunt it down, or the snap trap gets it. The cat's never had any issues with the snap traps (these are the ones I've got: mouse trap)

ButtonSister · 08/12/2021 14:59

The cat is simply rehoming mice out of the cold and wet into the warm inside, and you want to put them in the cold again?

Original poster
Gonnagetgoing · 08/12/2021 15:29

@ButtonSister

The cat is simply rehoming mice out of the cold and wet into the warm inside, and you want to put them in the cold again?
@ButtonSister - The cat isn't being kind in that way towards the mice! I did play with her with Da Bird...maybe that encouraged her excellent hunting skills!

She gets bored, loves hunting when she can. Prefers to sit inside in the warm.

PS - top tip - if looking for a hunter cat - get a cat which is half tabby and white. She is a superb hunter and also had a sister so I think they both honed their skills together. Grin

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Cats
Original poster
Gonnagetgoing · 08/12/2021 15:32

@EmmaStone

Ah, welcome to my world. My cat is a prolific hunter (averaging 1 kill a day), but sometimes seems to want to bring some in for company, or longer term torture, maybe thinks we need feeding up, who knows?

If I can, I catch it with an ice cream tub and some card, and release back into the garden (and given the cat's catch rate, this happens a lot, and my DD is also now pretty proficient too), but if there's one that's clearly taken up residence, the snap traps come out. A smear of peanut butter usually does the trick quite quickly (within 5 mins the other night). So then if the mouse is lucky, I'll catch and release, or if unlucky, either the cat will hunt it down, or the snap trap gets it. The cat's never had any issues with the snap traps (these are the ones I've got: ]])

@EmmaStone - thanks for the tips re traps. I have nightmares about her paw getting injured in the traps and then her going to the vet. Have put peanut butter and cheese in the traps. Mouse loved the cheese (Cathedral City light) but poor little thing must be starving as it's been in the room for approx 2-3 weeks at a guess?

I'm sure it's not company as in a pet - it's a plaything! She loves playing and would play all day with me unless asleep.

I just get standard snap traps which Sainsburys sells. They caught mice very well last time they were downstairs.

OP posts:
TheLightSideOfTheMoon · 08/12/2021 15:32

Cats bring you mice, etc because they think your hunting skills are lacking.

Mine do it when their food dishes are empty for more than a couple of hours.

Dancingfairydreams · 08/12/2021 15:35

My girl brought one in last week, I spent an hour looking for it, trying to catch it etc. I've just accepted that this is part of my role as cat slave tbh...sorry

CurlsLDN · 08/12/2021 15:41

My cat regularly brings in mice. If they're alive I shut them in a room, and when I can get anywhere near throw a bath towel over them. I find this much easier to do than getting close and precise enough to trap them under a tub or whatever, and no risk of squashing them. The towel stops them in their tracks long enough for you to gently scoop them up, in the towel, and take them back outside

Original poster
Gonnagetgoing · 08/12/2021 17:43

@TheLightSideOfTheMoon

Cats bring you mice, etc because they think your hunting skills are lacking.

Mine do it when their food dishes are empty for more than a couple of hours.

@TheLightSideOfTheMoon - are you sure she thinks my hunting skills are lacking?! Cheek of the cat!

If anything she’s spoiled rotten as was technically abandoned by her owners so I decided to rehome her, she has tons of different food plus treats!

I honestly think she’s bored as she loves to play (was jumping around the garden in freezing cold yesterday) and brings the mice in to play with them.

I’m relieved I haven’t opened the cat flaps now as I think I’d be inundated with vermin otherwise.

OP posts:
EBearhug · 08/12/2021 17:45

You can't expect her to play with them outside in the cold!

Userengage · 08/12/2021 17:49

I would say don’t bother with a bell collar. My cat waited until the age of 7 to start bringing mice in so I stuck a bell collar on him and then he started to bring in small birds as well as the mice. I think he found some nests and it was easy pickings because he has stopped now.

modgepodge · 08/12/2021 19:08

Arghh it’s a nightmare isn’t it. There was a weird smell near our front door for a while…after a month of searching I found a dead mouse decaying in one of my rarely worn shoes 😭 had to throw the shoes away it smelt so bad.

The other night the car brought one in during the night. I woke up to cat squeaking and running around. Hunting a mouse down in a dark bedroom was not on my list of favourite activities 😡

Original poster
Gonnagetgoing · 08/12/2021 19:14

@modgepodge

Arghh it’s a nightmare isn’t it. There was a weird smell near our front door for a while…after a month of searching I found a dead mouse decaying in one of my rarely worn shoes 😭 had to throw the shoes away it smelt so bad.

The other night the car brought one in during the night. I woke up to cat squeaking and running around. Hunting a mouse down in a dark bedroom was not on my list of favourite activities 😡

@modgepodge - yuck re dead mouse.

I can rip that, not my cat. But friend’s cat. It brought in a dead rat to the back inside of her flat, she was wandering around with no slippers on and her foot brushed against something soft and furry, not her or her boyfriend’s slippers either! I’d have screamed blue murder and throttled the cat for good measure.

OP posts:
Original poster
Gonnagetgoing · 08/12/2021 19:16

And yes hunting a dead rodent at any time but especially early morning or late night isn’t on anyone’s list of favourite activities! I will say seeing cats with mice in the morning coming into the house does wake one up somewhat.

OP posts:
Original poster
Gonnagetgoing · 08/12/2021 19:18

@Userengage

I would say don’t bother with a bell collar. My cat waited until the age of 7 to start bringing mice in so I stuck a bell collar on him and then he started to bring in small birds as well as the mice. I think he found some nests and it was easy pickings because he has stopped now.
@Userengage - no bell collar. Most cats I’ve had I try to put bell collars on which works until presumably cats realise it impedes their hunting prowess/process and they try any way of getting them off!
OP posts:
Clymene · 08/12/2021 19:19

Yuck. They're so gross. I've put two dead ones into my food recycling bin this week. I have no tips.

PatriotCanes · 08/12/2021 19:20

@EBearhug

You can't expect her to play with them outside in the cold!
Exactly.

We have a security camera fixed above the cat flap so we can count the mice in. Knowledge is power and all that. I'd rather know to go looking for one than accidently find one in my slippers. Or find a bit of one.

twilightcafe · 08/12/2021 19:20

Feed your cat cooked chicken thighs or drumsticks. The protein fills them up, and they like gnawing on the bone.

Original poster
Gonnagetgoing · 08/12/2021 19:22

@EBearhug

You can't expect her to play with them outside in the cold!
@EBearhug - fair point but

a) cat has a fur coat and playing keeps her warm.

b) I know it’s a time immemorial question but why the F does she want he to have it, or why can’t she keep her present inside. On my wish list of gifts is a Cartier watch, sipsmiths gin, Liberty advent calendar etc - not a scrappy furry rodent running in my house thanks very much ta Tilly! (Cat’s name) Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
Gonnagetgoing · 08/12/2021 19:25

@twilightcafe

Feed your cat cooked chicken thighs or drumsticks. The protein fills them up, and they like gnawing on the bone.
@twilightcafe - I thought animals weren’t allowed chicken bones due to splintering in their throats?

She’ll be lucky if she gets any treats from me any time soon let alone chicken thighs and drumsticks. Wish I could get into her —thick— intelligent skull that i do not care for rodents etc ever!

OP posts:
Original poster
Gonnagetgoing · 08/12/2021 19:27

@PatriotCanes - not a bad idea and considering that!

Knowledge is power!

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BertieBotts · 08/12/2021 19:29

Well if you weren't so rubbish at mouse hunting she wouldn't have to do it for you :o be thankful for the gifts! Goodness knows how you'd feed yourself without her!

But erm, yeah, sorry, no idea how you stop it. Some cats hunt, some are too lazy. We used to make little mouse tunnels with VHS boxes from the TV where they would hide to the door, with the cat shut away. They would eventually realise it was quiet and come running out to freedom!

Keep cat in from dusk until dawn - that's when they tend to do their hunting.

You might need to do some play with them that simulates hunting though as it is a drive/instinct.

RunAwayNow · 08/12/2021 20:03

High protein cat food is the only thing that we've found to take the edge off it.

In the last week my cat hasn't just brought home assorted mice and voles, but also 2 fully grown rats, a rabbit and a massive wood pigeon. And this is a good week Sad

PinkBallPit · 08/12/2021 20:10

Mine does a weird sort of yowl/meow when he's brought something home so I know to be careful letting him in.

For a cat missing an eye and a leg he can still hunt remarkably well!

Curtainpoleofdoom · 08/12/2021 20:14

OMG. We don’t have cats but someone else’s cat has started to do this to us! He sits on my DD windowsill with a dead mouse in his mouth yowling. I assumed he ate them but have started to find the bodies lined up outside her window. He used to have a collar but he’s lost it and I don’t know which house he belongs to.

TheWeeDonkey · 08/12/2021 20:22

Aw this makes me miss my dearly departed puss, she used to like sparrows too.

Its a sign of love and a gift

Other than that I have no advice. I know this was no help at all sorry.