To get a cat because we have a recurring rodent problem?

[gigi556]

We live in a Victorian terrace. We moved in 4 years ago. For the first 9 months we never saw a mouse BUT we had a much loved Yorkshire Terrier. Sadly, she passed away. Since then (so for the past 3 years!) we get mice coming into the house constantly. We've tried everything:
Snap traps
Glue traps
Humane traps
Electric traps
Poison (they don't eat it!)
Sealing holes
Those plug in things that make noise

We do manage to eventually trap them and then don't have an issue for a month or two and then they come back. We even had rats in the floor at one point. We don't think they ever came in the house but it was unnerving and we think (hope) they've gone now. We never did manage to trap the rats.

We try to have traps around all the time now and we are constantly on alert as to whether we have a current rodent problem.

I've been considering getting a cat for the last year as it's the only thing we haven't tried. Is this an insane reason to get a cat (or two)? I'm at my wits end. Am I trading one headache for another?

I've never had cats and I'm not even sure if I like them 😬 I was a bit traumatized by my elderly dog's final year and I've been put off the responsibility of having a pet. I'm really torn. I don't desperately want a pet. In fact, I think I'd prefer not... BUT I also really want to stop CONSTANTLY worrying about mice.

@Changi

From personal experience, at least a third of the mice I collected were still alive and in great pain.

In my experience over the last 12 years, it is about one in 100. Some years, it is zero.

Ok. I don’t disbelieve you have different experience. But my experience is similarly true and why I prefer cats to snap traps.

I've got a big Edwardian townhouse, we had a mouse problem. I got two cats, the only mice we see now is the odd mangled one that's been tortured by the cats.

We know if a mouse has got in because the cats go on mouse patrol and don't rest until they've caught it.

I love my cats, best thing I ever did was pop down to Celia Hammond and get the cats. I was always a dog person but they have made me a cat person 😻

Small terrier from working stock would be better as they’ll kill but won’t eat them. Better than a cat as they have to have their food withheld at least once a week for them to kill them and then they like to tease the fukkers and sometimes let them go in the house which is worse.

Just because you live in a VICTORIAN TERRACE it does not mean you cannot block the holes my sister lives in a Victorian terrace and when she had pest control in they blocked all the holes

Oh and I know someone who told a rescue the reason they wAnted a cat was for mice and they refused to give her a cat

Ok. I don’t disbelieve you have different experience. But my experience is similarly true and why I prefer cats to snap traps.

I have found that with snap traps you need to give them something to grab hold of. A hazel nut on the spike means that they have to give it a good pull to get it off. If the trap isn't set with a hair trigger, it won't go off if they just touch it, only when they get their teeth in the nut.

Cats are very effective, but they don't always go for a quick kill. Mind you, I think mice can smell or sense when there is a cat in the house and stay out.

Which is why our cat flap is set to out only. Re-entry is by request and subject to a strict no prey (alive or dead) policy.

My old cat used to be able to hook the door up with her claws and get in or out even if it was locked one way.

My old cat used to be able to hook the door up with her claws and get in or out even if it was locked one way

We fixed ours so he couldn't that. Instead, he used to climb up the front of the house and hammer on the bedroom window.

I read something a while ago where somebody had set up a system with a camera that only unlocked the cat flap if his cat's profile showed that she had nothing in her mouth.

My house started getting mice during a 4 year period after my previous cat died. I got a female rescue moggy, a rather plump and lazy creature who I bought for the company but I also hoped she'd be something of a deterrent. She's turned out to be a great mouser. I very rarely see a mouse now and when I do, I tend to find the corpse the next morning...

@Anotherlovelybitofsquirrel

Please don't use glue traps anyone ffs.

Agree. Glue traps are cruel and unnecessary

I read something a while ago where somebody had set up a system with a camera that only unlocked the cat flap if his cat's profile showed that she had nothing in her mouth
Wow! I'm not that technical.

I'm following this because DD has just moved to a barn conversion in the country. She hates mice but I know they're out there dying to get in.

Yes deffo get a car. The smell of ours keeps them away.

By that I mean she doesn't bring them in!

Have you anyone who will lend you a used litter tray. The scent may be enough to move the mice on

I read something a while ago where somebody had set up a system with a camera that only unlocked the cat flap if his cat's profile showed that she had nothing in her mouth

Found it...

geekologie.com/2019/07/man-builds-ai-powered-pet-door-that-prev.php

Dont get a pedigree. An old fashioned £40 moggy is what you need or failing that a siamese and they are terrific hunters. The cleverer the cat the better the hunter .

Please don't get a cat for that reason.

Sorry about your Yorkshire Terrier.

What would happen with your DM though if you get a cat? Does she never visit? I'm assuming she's still allergic.

Our previous cat was a great hunter. We didn't have any problems with rodents inside the house but she'd often leave us shrews on the back doorstep, all in one piece thankfully - looked like they'd been petrified by a Basilisk she also ate a baby squirrel once she had a farm cat for a mum so I think that's where she got her great hunting skills from.

We have two just now - our tiny female is a fab hunter but thankfully rarely leaves any presents for us. Our ginger tom is very lazy and scared of most things but I did see him scoff a small bird he'd caught in about 3 mouthfuls not that long ago 🤢

I really appreciate everyone's comments. Especially those who weren't certain but suffering the same problem and went with it no regrets.

I spoke to my SIL who use to work in pest control and she was very sympathetic. Said she'd never buy a Victorian terrace because of this exact problem It's very common and difficult to eradicate them unless all the neighbors get on board even if you fill all the holes outside your property. They travel between the houses.

We've decided to get a professional company in to look for more holes and also put poison down. My SIL said that what you get in the shops is not sufficient. You need something like a 5kg bucket of poison and you have to put it in all the right places

We will revisit in a few months and reconsider a pet. Probably a cat but may need to give some further thought to a small dog.

Thanks for all the great advice and success and failure stories!