Get A Compass! The Excellent Cats embrace a new rallying cry

[TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne]

........... even though none of them understand what it means.

Or maybe like this, if he would wear a crown:

Oh yes.

The collective of excellent cat owners I need help in a critter problem!
We have a bird feeder and suddenly notice a large group of large mice (not rats) enjoying the spillage. Now I do not mind the odd tiny mice who live under the shed but these were a bit large (house mice) and a few too many (6).
So I changed the bird feeder so it would not spill with a base tray.
Little beggars climbed the pole- so we have greased the pole and now watch them slide down in a cartoon like fashion.
I also tried a human trap with a view to giving them a holiday in a nice local forest location but they are not interested.
Any ideas?
I cannot release Micia from her catio yet as she is scared of the microchip click- (she can go freely out through it into the catio with the batteries out) There are 2 tuxedos that I do not trust not to try to get in. Also I am sure she is a hunter having lived wild so want to wait for baby birds to fledge before she is free.
Please help
Will try to photograph mice sliding down pole

Hmm. The only thing I can think of is not to feed the birds! (But that's a shame).

Hopefully someone has a better suggestion.

Look forward to a photo of them sliding down the pole though! Did the mice in Bagpuss do that or am I imagining it!

@Pianoaholic That may have been the mouse organ!
I think those mice were a bit more enthusiastic about sliding down a pole.

Do not want to stop feeding until birds are fledged- will stop end of may, but we might have baby mouseys by then

Would the smell of a cat deter the mice? If so, would spreading some of her litter tray around help, or leaving one of her most-used blankets near the feeder?

Though the greased pole sounds both effective and hilarious!

@Pudmyboy Thanks but ironically they seem to live by where I dump Micia's soil/sand mix outdoor litter tray!

Ah, so much for that!
I did a quick search on Brave and, after the 'keep things tidy and remove food source' tips which won't be useful if you still want to feed, I got:
Use Natural Repellents: Mice have sensitive noses and dislike strong scents. Place cotton balls soaked in peppermint, lavender, tea tree, or eucalyptus oil near entry points and nesting areas. You can also spray a mixture of these essential oils with water around the garden perimeter.
Plant Deterrent Herbs and Flowers: Incorporate plants with strong aromatics that rodents avoid, such as rosemary, mint, lavender, daffodils, and alliums (onions/garlic). These can be planted along borders or near vulnerable crops.
Employ Traps and Predators: Use humane catch-and-release traps or snap traps baited with peanut butter, placing them every 5–10 feet in areas of activity.
It also suggested keeping a cat and spreading the litter about but I have deleted that bit after your post!

What's the betting your lot have no sense of smell?!?

I can't provide any useful advice on this I'm afraid, but the mental image of mice sliding down a greased pole is an absolute treat 🤣.

It sounds like a combination of Bagpuss & Trumpton.

Yes, I think all the old programmes I watched as a child have merged into one!

Have a quick Google for Squirrel proof baffles, if they can stop squirrels they can stop anything!

cannot post videos but here is the sliding mouse

we now have a lot of olive oil covered mice

I hate to say this - and I may be wrong - but that 'mouse' looks rather more ratty than mousey to me...

Is that a bird on the ground laughing at the sliding rodent?

@Grumpyoldpersonwithcats yes that is a bird on the ground, everyone is laughing at us
Why will the little mousey/ potentially ratty bastards not go in the humane trap.
It is now loaded with a fat ball, cheese, peanut butter and a piece of chocolate.
What do they want a sodding take away menu?

I agree with Grumpy, that is way too big for a house mouse 😬 Try an anti-squirrel feeder.

Edit - try chocolate raisins but not the cheap ones

Sadly if they have set up shop I do not think they will just move away. I do not want to starve the birds now they are used to a food source. I do not want to poison the animals. I do not know what to do

Breadcat I agree with grumpy a young rat we had the same problem pole greasing didn't work, domed squirrel baffles fitted over the pole stopped pole.dancing rats.

My friend bought this when he had some unwelcome visitors in his garage, baited with cadburys fruit & nut chocolate https://www.screwfix.com/p/pest-stop-plastic-metal-battery-powered-rat-killer/76836?tc=QT8&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=19823510113&gbraid=0AAAAAD8IdPyGinwz0FcRO5CzEHJ742Udu&gclid=CjwKCAjwzevPBhBaEiwAplAxvoNAqd7uxmwkqIdl2MHPm8_apxisGdN8VnKAPuMGniGjJ-4ZVMTq7xoChfMQAvD_BwE

only if you’re ok with killing them, safer for other wildlife than poison (and possibly a quicker end) - and the local corvids made off with the corpses!

Fred is being particularly cute tonight trying to kill the wax off my bottle of rum 🤣

What's he going to use the hacksaw for? 😲