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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

The joys of being a cat owner with a mouse phobia and a cat flap

32 replies

PhilSwagielka · 03/07/2021 10:26

Kind of a weird problem, but here goes.

I had a cat flap installed when I got my cat, as he's an outdoor cat, and it has a locking system where you can either lock it one way (so the cat can go out but not come in, and vice versa) or lock it completely. My cat really likes going out at night. He'll go out at about ten or so and pop back in now and then and come home in the wee hours of the morning. I don't mind letting him out if the weather is fine, but I do when it's raining. A lot of it is because I have a phobia of mice, and apparently when it rains, they're more likely to come out. When there's been one in the house, I've not been able to sleep, and the last time he brought one in I had the police called on me and a complaint made because I was screaming my head off and trying to kill the mouse by yeeting the bathroom scales at it. I was a nervous wreck for a few days after. It's that bad. I have a pest controller who I use from time to time as the building I live in is quite old and both I and the first floor flat tenants have had mice in the past, and he reckoned my cat was a deterrent and if I did have mice, it was because the cat had been bringing them in (and I know he has because he chased and played with one right in front of me, and I had to put the little bastard out of its misery. That was fun.) He put poison traps outside (don't worry, they're not harmful to cats, I did ask him) and sure enough, all the bait outside was gone.

Last night it rained and I locked the cat flap, so my cat could go out but not come in, and he came back at 2 - he was banging on the flap, so I had to let him in. I've been having trouble with insomnia recently so I was up then.

My question is this: if it's raining, should I keep my cat indoors?

OP posts:
BlueistheNewme · 03/07/2021 10:33

We got our first kitten in November, she has started with the mice/shrews/birds. I’ve put a quick release collar on her and bought a pack of bells from amazon. She’s got 2 on, so is like Santa’s sleigh. No more extras coming in with her now! I haven’t put in a cat flat yet, because of this, but am thinking that now she has stopped, I will be able to.

TheQueef · 03/07/2021 10:39

Sorry but I'm laughing here Grin
Someone called the cops on you for trying to get the mouse?!?

I feel your pain though, my old lady cat has started with the young rats already Shock she just brings them in and releases them Sad

PhilSwagielka · 03/07/2021 10:42

@TheQueef

Sorry but I'm laughing here Grin Someone called the cops on you for trying to get the mouse?!?

I feel your pain though, my old lady cat has started with the young rats already Shock she just brings them in and releases them Sad

I think someone thought I was being murdered! The fuzz were surprisingly nice about it, I think they were just relieved not to find a blood bath.

My cat does kill mice, a couple of times I've found mice corpses in my house.

OP posts:
TheQueef · 03/07/2021 10:50

Aw at least the police were nice, bonus being your neighbours obvs care enough Smile

I had to despatch a rat with the hammer (it was being used elsewhere, I don't have a dedicated killing hammer) I can't bring myself to touch it to finish it.
And I'm not especially against rodents!

I think not letting him come back in unsupervised is your only solution, does he yowl or just rattle the flap?

SometimesIFeedTheSparrows · 03/07/2021 10:51

I have a couple of efficient mousers and IME if anything the rain keeps the number of mice in the house down, as the cats won't spend the time outside in the rain required to catch them. Ditto when it's cold - they like mice, they love bringing them inside the house - but they aren't going to the effort to sit outside in the cold and/or rain to catch them.

The first person who can market a cat flap that doesn't let your cat through it if the cat has a mouthful of mouse, bird or rabbit would make an absolute fortune.

AnnaMagnani · 03/07/2021 10:55

Get your cat in for dinner then shut the cat flap. Ignore all complaints and eventually he will get the message.

It's safer for him and cuts down the killing sprees.

I have 2 outdoor cats (OK so Silkycat feigns death for most of the day and then just sits on the patio) but strictly daytime only. Desert cat is a would-be serial killer and this has massively cramped his style.

Neither go out if it is cold or raining - I get loud complaints to change the weather.

PeonyTime · 03/07/2021 11:00

Yep. Cat curfew is dusk. Stopped the mice almost instantly - although mine wouldnt go out in the rain, the mice gifts were prolific April/May time, which is when we started locking the catflap overnight. She's accepted it now.

MyAnacondaMight · 03/07/2021 11:04

Also waiting for the mouth-scanning cat flap to be invented!

Please don’t lock your cat out at night. There’s nothing wrong with locking him in overnight - if anything, it’s safer given the increased risk of them being run over at night. My cat goes on curfew before sundown (before the rodents come out at dusk), and then stays in until around 8am. He still manages a fair few kills, usually within minutes of being let out, but at least I get a good nights sleep without fear of him bringing a bird into my bedroom (bird phobia here!). He gets a reward for coming home (no cat flap currently), and is happy to chill out inside until morning. He was a stray and has adapted just fine to this routine.

You can even get cat flaps that will support such a routine via timer - so cat flap becomes inwards only from say 7pm, and then both ways from 8am.

coogee · 03/07/2021 11:09

Also waiting for the mouth-scanning cat flap to be invented!

It has been invented. Several people have done it. Unfortunately, nobody has made them commercially available. As far as I know.

Mrsorganmorgan · 03/07/2021 11:12

My cat has brought live mice into the house and then lets them go. I bought falconry bells to put on his collar. He doesn't mind at all and it gives the birds and the mice fair warning.

Beamur · 03/07/2021 11:14

If your cat likes mice they'll bring them in whatever the weather.
To reduce your cat hunting keep them in overnight. Put down a litter tray.
I know people used to put cats out overnight but personally I wouldn't be comfortable knowing my cat couldn't get back inside if there was danger.

GiantKitten · 03/07/2021 11:15

One of my cats worked out how to open the “inward-only” flap from the inside, with her claws, and now they can all do it Hmm

amylou8 · 03/07/2021 11:17

Some cats are brilliant, they'll catch the mouse, dispose of the evidence by way of a quick snack, and keep the entire neighborhood mouse free with alarming efficiency. I have one of these. The other three will bring the mouse home, release it live and well, and will sit staring half heatedly at the kitchen cupboards until the first cat comes in and finishes the job. Unless you're lucky enough to have the first type cat you're going to be getting mice. I can't say I've noticed that the weather makes any difference.

violetbunny · 03/07/2021 11:22

Our cats have a curfew, usually 7.30pm in winter and 8.30pm in summer, for their own safety.
Our cat flap has a curfew mode, so after 7.30pm they can get in but not out again. It lets them out from 6am onwards. It does help minimise the amount of stuff they bring in the flap, and is also safer for them as they are more likely to get into fights with other cats at night.

Toddlerteaplease · 03/07/2021 11:41

I'm also mouse phobic. One reason I delayed getting a cat. Then I got Persians. Absolutely no fear of any rodents being brought in!

Beamur · 03/07/2021 13:15

@GiantKitten

One of my cats worked out how to open the “inward-only” flap from the inside, with her claws, and now they can all do it Hmm
Ha. My previous cat worked out how to remove the whole cat flap off the door if we were foolish enough to lock it. Current cats are a bit less hench and just crossly bash at it!
MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 03/07/2021 14:17

IME cats who hint do it regardless of the weather. Sorry!

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 03/07/2021 14:17

**HUNT

Killahangilion · 03/07/2021 16:37

Our cats generally stay in at night, particularly in winter, although the neutered black male does enjoy his nightly excursions.

Sorry, it's causing you so much stress. Would you try some hypnosis for your mouse phobia? After all, the mice aren't going to rob you or shoot you so there's really no reason to be afraid of them.

I regularly catch live mice and other animals that the cats kindly bring in, and then I let them go in the nearby fields.

Either drop a tea towel over them and scoop them up or persuade them to run into a safe dark welly boot lying on its side.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 03/07/2021 18:16

Our female cat likes to chase /catch/eat snails in wet weather ( she has no ambition or any desire to put effort in obviously if a snail is her prey)

When they first arrived it was earthworms , so they're making their way up .

ItsJustTheOneSwanActually · 03/07/2021 18:23

Mine only go out in the day and in fine weather. I get a daily gift of a body. Always dead thank heavens

PhilSwagielka · 04/07/2021 09:46

I can't pick up live mice because I'm phobic. I know they're soft, helpless little creatures and they're not going to cut my throat, but phobias are irrational - my mum has a terrible one of frogs and they're also harmless. Like, she froze in fear and couldn't move on a walk because a tiny frog hopped in front of her. I did actually look into hypnosis but I'd have to go private. I don't think I can get it on the NHS.

OP posts:
IamMaz · 04/07/2021 09:59

Has you cat got a collar, OP?
Like a PP said, bells on collars will make it very difficult for your cat to catch any prey because they will hear it!!!

PhilSwagielka · 04/07/2021 10:11

I think the cat home gave me a collar but I've not put it on him. It hasn't got a bell. He's microchipped so that's his main form of ID.

OP posts:
GiantKitten · 04/07/2021 10:52

My killer has 3 bells, 2 of them huge, plus an ID disc - can hear him jingling all over the house, but he still catches things sometimes Sad (mostly young ones though).

He is chipped, but you can’t rely on other people checking for a chip on a collarless cat.

These collars are expensive but have good weight-adjustable quick-release buckles

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cat-Collar-Glow-In-Dark-With-Bell-ROGZ-GLOWCAT-Safety-Release-Breakaway-Collars-/232198618796?

And these are the giant bells

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Big-Loud-Noisy-Chrome-Metal-Cats-Kitten-Collar-Bells-Tag-Gift-Pack-of-3-Silver-/363258885639?