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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

"I DON'T WANT ANYMORE PRESENTS"!!!

26 replies

therenter · 27/05/2015 20:28

We moved into a new place in the country side in November, having previously lived in the same town for 12 years. In all that time I barely had gifts. A pigeon once and possibly a couple of birds. But really nothing at all.
My 3 cats are clearly loving the country wildlife and have turned into expert hunters. Not only am I getting things in daily but several times a day. This morning I woke up to find a bird and a shrew as my offerings.
We have had rabbits, mice, birds alsorts and not always dead either.

We have had mice up the curtains, behind the tv, in the fireplace (one even ran out in front of some guests a couple of weeks back). We have had at least two live rabbits in. The children are getting quite expert at hunting down the things and setting them free in our back field.
None of my cats wear collars due to an accident that my first ever cat had which put me off. So bells aren't really an option. Is there anything else I can do or is this just how it's going to be from now on? Checking the beds and the sofas everyday for animals dead or alive. Seriously I think I may have two mice at large in the house already. It doesn't help that my almost 9 year old has some sort of Dr Dolittle complex and wants to keep every live thing she finds!

OP posts:
Fatmomma99 · 27/05/2015 20:36

from your title I was going to post "I'll take 'em".

Having read your thread, perhaps not. Grin

Sorry, can't help - I prefer dogs.

Good luck!

Justusemyname · 27/05/2015 20:37

I was given two decapitated mice this morning. Lovely.

Staywithme · 27/05/2015 20:38

You can buy good quality collars that snap if they catch on something. I always snap and close them a number of times to loosen them.

honeyroar · 27/05/2015 20:39

I feel your pain. One of mine catches loads, three or four field mice a day. We find you can't leave any downstairs windows open, then at least they don't make it inside the house.

We don't use collars either. I don't think that it would help much, my cat sits on fence posts and observes from above, then pounces/leaps.

Horrible. I wish they'd kill them quickly too.

thetroubleis · 27/05/2015 20:39

Can you give them a squirt with a non toxic smell so that the mice and whatever smell them first and run off? A natural thing because they will probably lick it.

SumThucker · 27/05/2015 20:42

Why can't you use a bell? I give cats a blast with a pump action water gun or a well thrown spud on the head if I catch the sneaky fuckers stalking an animal. Probably doesn't help you, though. [Shrug]

SueGeneris · 27/05/2015 20:43

Can you close off the room that the cats come into from outside at night? We used to close the kitchen door at night so cat could come and go but not bring unwanted gifts upstairs! We had a folded blanket on one of the chairs for her to sleep on.

Feminine · 27/05/2015 20:43

My elderly (wobbles when he jumps) manages to bring me all kinds...
One day he skinned a rabbit and removed it's innards in the living room.
The smell! Oh my word.... I thought it was the end of me...

Feminine · 27/05/2015 20:45

Oh, and we put four bells on his collar.
Blooming waste of time.
Almost improved his hunt! Wink

LocalEditorEssex · 27/05/2015 20:46

Over the weekend boy cat dragged in through the window a rabbit and a very very young bird which had probably fallen out of a nest, but it was huge so might have been a kestrel/hawk baby.
I love living where we do but the amount of dead widlife is annoying.
I also have the skin of three rabbits on my front garden from one girl cat.

WhispersOfWickedness · 27/05/2015 20:47

I was once coming down the stairs and thought 'eh, I don't recognise that soft toy...' before realising it was a dead mole! Shock
No advice, sorry, just sympathy Grin

LocalEditorEssex · 27/05/2015 20:47

Oh and all three of mine have collars with bells Hmm

HerRoyalNotness · 27/05/2015 20:49

sorry but Grin at the dead mole soft toy!

Harrietsferrets · 27/05/2015 20:50

We had a bat as an offering. A live bat!

How my stupid cat caught it I have no idea. His normal prey of choice is Lego.

Mums cat brought home a hare, he has a chip activated cat flap and is almost too big for the cat flap. Not a fun morning when you have a live, angry hare in the kitchen which is fighting his corner in front of the back door that you want to open to let him out.

Aermingers · 27/05/2015 20:53

It's a pain, but you might miss it if they didn't do the job. My in laws live in the country and fed the local ferals. There was a bad bout of cat flu and they all died. The place was over run with rats and mice after that until they got 4 tame moggies who did the job again.

therenter · 27/05/2015 20:56

Yes I had heard that bells don't always work. Shutting the doors could be an option. But mini Dolittle would have her nose pushed out a bit as she regularly takes my boy cat to bed with her and tucks him under the covers. He bloomin stays there too! I have photo evidence both of that and him squashed underneath my little boys pillow as he wouldn't move when I put my boy to bed so we just put the pillow on top of him (head poking out the end). I thought he would move when he felt the weight of my 6 year old's head but no...He was far too comfortable.
My husband is always last up at night and regularly forgets to switch the light off let alone close any doors.

OP posts:
EatDessertFirst · 27/05/2015 21:03

I got a disemboweled (sp?) baby starling from OldDessertCat today. He also wear a bell and tags but it doesn't help.

Isolating areas your mogs can reach with their 'catch' sounds like your best bet.

Sorry I can't be of more help. I feel your pain though.

MagentaVitus · 27/05/2015 21:04

From the title I thought this was going to be a toddler having the world's most backwards tantrum Grin

BeCool · 27/05/2015 21:18

the cats are just doing what cats do. its their nature, instinct, their thing.

if you dont like it perhaps you need to consider different pets?

honeyroar · 27/05/2015 21:29

Yes we know that Becool. Seriously though, do you enjoy watching them torture small animals, or bring them dead or half dead into the house, even if it is their nature? Nobody likes everything their pets do. I don't like how my dogs roll in fox poo or my horses need so much work, or my hens attack each other when settling in, but it doesn't mean I don't like them overall.

BeCool · 27/05/2015 21:50

no it's horrible - one of the reasons I don't have a cat these days

corgiology · 27/05/2015 23:51

www.protectapuss.co.uk/

PringleLicker · 27/05/2015 23:58

I have occasionally contemplated fitting a cow bell to our cat's collar Grin

Fatmomma99 · 28/05/2015 00:00

Suggest you all get a dog!

They're lovely. And mine's never caught anything, despite trying!

Go dogs! Down with horrid cats!

selsigfach · 28/05/2015 00:03

Photos required of cats tucked up in bed, please! Smile