Learn something new every day. (about cats)

Shorty2U · ‎03-09-2010

Well even at my age one still learns something new every day. We had a mice issue I typed about over the wk end. The exterminator was here and he told me house cats are mostly useless to get mice. Why? Common sense I should have thought of. We feed our pet cats of course so theyre not hungry, thus they don't get the mice. IF they do catch mouse its more to play with. There ya go. So if everyone thinks they have cats and wont get mice, not true.

Also unrelated to cats but mice. He found 3 areas we need to seal around our home. Even though the home is fairly new (built in late 1990s) there are 3 issues of spaces that needs to be filled in. Wont guarantee, but will help. And he told us to remove the cat food from the floor when cats are done eating (we always let dry food out 24/7 if they wanted a snack in between wet food) Well no more. Lastly- my husband feeds birds daily. He was told to either not feed birds seed OR move the feeders down near the field behind us instead of in the feeders by our house. (And Ive been telling my husband this before the mouse issue to no avail until now).

So I hope this all helps. I hired them to come regularly for now in case because we DO have a big corn field out back beyond our land which yes attracts mice.

And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make~ The Beatles

Buck-i-Nana · ‎09-28-2010

Not only are our house cats not hungry, most were not with their moms long enough or in the right environment for mom to teach them to mouse! According to the pet experts, mouse hunting and killing is a learned behavior, not instinct.

I feed all my cats on elevated surfaces. My house, I think, is built on one giant ant hill, so keeping the food elevated eliminates the ant problem and keeps the dogs out of it.

this is my nic · ‎03-30-2010

My cats are indoors only, so imagine my shock when I was reaching to pick up one of their toy mice and discovered it was the real thing - dead. I assume one of them got it either on the garage or on the screened porch. Guess it was supposed to be a gift! Haven't seen any others, thank goodness!

Buck-i-Nana · ‎09-28-2010

On 8/12/2014 di-mc said:
My cats are indoors only, so imagine my shock when I was reaching to pick up one of their toy mice and discovered it was the real thing - dead. I assume one of them got it either on the garage or on the screened porch. Guess it was supposed to be a gift! Haven't seen any others, thank goodness!

My two youngest cats were strays that I found (or found me). The youngest is a big time mouser/hunter. I keep him well stocked with those small "furiocious" kitty mice, and that little stinker hunts them, walks around with them in his mouth growling as he marches through the house, and then he drowns them in the community water bowl! Thankfully, no real mice have ventured inside, or I'd have dead mice floating in the bowl - YUCK!

Clover29 · ‎03-09-2010

I had rats (coming from the farm across the road) in the house many years ago. The rat-catcher said the best thing I could do to keep them away was to get a cat; rats have a good sense of smell and know when there's a cat around (even a lazy, useless one Smile )

I was briefly between cats at the time. I got a cat and the rat problem stopped.

The cat I got was a Maine Coon, and he made it his life's work to exterminate every rodent he could. He used to catch mice during the day when I was out, and leave them at the bottom of the stairs for me to get rid of when I came home. Always tidy, in the same place. He didn't play with them, he was an efficient mouse-killing machine. Blam, dead.

Rooney1 · ‎06-23-2010

It is my experience that some cats are mousers. Some are not. Have had cats that have never missed a meal and were lethal to mice and others just the opposite.

straykatz · ‎03-09-2010

Anything that moves in my house that gets the attention of our cats doesn't survive long...all three are indoor cats but they will stalk and catch bugs (usually a spider or fly)...and the occassional gecko that finds it's way in....so I seriously doubt a mouse would escape them.

MikafromTopeka · ‎03-10-2010

I'm not 100% convinced yet but I ordered a set of 6 Sonic Pest Repellers when they were the TS on HSN several months ago and knock on wood I haven't seen a mouse since and the cat hasn't acted like he's looking for any either.

I bought a set of 6. One didn't work, 1 is in the motorhome, 1 in basement and 2 on main floor plus I put the last one in a storage unit that I rented in an old barn for my mother's things. That old barn will be the real test.

straykatz · ‎03-09-2010

On 8/12/2014 kaybee said:
I'm not 100% convinced yet but I ordered a set of 6 Sonic Pest Repellers when they were the TS on HSN several months ago and knock on wood I haven't seen a mouse since and the cat hasn't acted like he's looking for any either.

I bought a set of 6. One didn't work, 1 is in the motorhome, 1 in basement and 2 on main floor plus I put the last one in a storage unit that I rented in an old barn for my mother's things. That old barn will be the real test.

kaybee...I caught part of that show but was skeptical....do keep us posted on whether they actually do what they claim.

Mama Mia · ‎03-10-2010

Shortly after we moved into our new house, I decided to take all the decorative pillows off the bed. I about died when a live mouse came bounding out if them all, and Sarah Elizabeth, one of our four indoor kiddies was sitting there with this knowing smile on her sweet face! She acted very proud. ${#emotions_dlg.wub}$

So DH had to catch and put it outside. I swear I think about it every time I go to bed. This

new subdivision was built on a former farmer's field so there were a few around. Our cats give us so much joy and we love them so much. Love your stories too.

mm

"Cats are like potato chips, you can never have just one".