topic Re: Learn something new every day. (about cats) in Community Chat

Learn something new every day. (about cats)

Shorty2U — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 21:10:34 GMT

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.

Re: Learn something new every day. (about cats)

Buck-i-Nana — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 21:18:08 GMT

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.

Re: Learn something new every day. (about cats)

this is my nic — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 21:36:21 GMT

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!

Re: Learn something new every day. (about cats)

Buck-i-Nana — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 21:43:44 GMT

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!

Re: Learn something new every day. (about cats)

Clover29 — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 22:02:27 GMT

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 )

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.

Re: Learn something new every day. (about cats)

Rooney1 — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 22:10:21 GMT

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.

Re: Learn something new every day. (about cats)

straykatz — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 22:17:16 GMT

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.

Re: Learn something new every day. (about cats)

MikafromTopeka — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 22:17:27 GMT

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.

Re: Learn something new every day. (about cats)

straykatz — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 22:21:29 GMT

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.

Re: Learn something new every day. (about cats)

Mama Mia — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 22:26:46 GMT

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.

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.

Re: Learn something new every day. (about cats)

MikafromTopeka — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 22:27:15 GMT

On 8/12/2014 straykatz said:
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.

I will. I just looked up my order history over on HSN and I've had them since March with no signs of mice.....yet. We live in an old farm house and usually get some activity in the spring and then when it rains or gets cold.....so far so good.

I know the reviews are never really good on them but a lot of people get them for ants and we don't have an ant problem but I have noticed that we haven't had any of those pesky little lady bug beetle things this year and they are usually all over the place.

Re: Learn something new every day. (about cats)

straykatz — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 22:42:16 GMT

On 8/12/2014 kaybee said:
On 8/12/2014 straykatz said:
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.

I will. I just looked up my order history over on HSN and I've had them since March with no signs of mice.....yet. We live in an old farm house and usually get some activity in the spring and then when it rains or gets cold.....so far so good.

I know the reviews are never really good on them but a lot of people get them for ants and we don't have an ant problem but I have noticed that we haven't had any of those pesky little lady bug beetle things this year and they are usually all over the place.

We've had ant problems more times than I can count....last time they founf their way in I used the icing sugar/boric acid mixture and sprinkled it in the two areas we saw the trial coming from...that was 4 or 5 months ago and I've not seen an ant since.

Re: Learn something new every day. (about cats)

MaggieToo — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 23:02:10 GMT

I bought the Riddex years ago and only occasionally do I ever see even a small spider in the house.

They work great here for me.

Re: Learn something new every day. (about cats)

hckynut — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 23:43:21 GMT

Me too.

Re: Learn something new every day. (about cats)

lulu2 — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 23:53:18 GMT

When we had cats we never had mice. The people I know with cats have no mouse problem

I think the exterminator is pulling your leg when he said cats do not catch mice because they are not hungry. I believe it is instinctive.

Re: Learn something new every day. (about cats)

carba — Wed, 13 Aug 2014 01:57:28 GMT

I have to agree with [lulu2], I unfortunately lived in a house infested with mice, I decided to get a cat, he was a kitten when I got him, so he didn't have his mother teach him to hunt. I always fed him, against my father's opinion, that cat's will not hunt mice, if not hungry, that cat would first catch them, play with them, until he got tired and then eat them, leaving the tail, for me to find. It is instinctive for cats to hunt anything that moves, even a roach or spider.

Re: Learn something new every day. (about cats)

Shorty2U — Wed, 13 Aug 2014 02:43:05 GMT

On 8/12/2014 Rooney1 said:
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.

Thanks for all the replies. And I kind of agree with this Rooney, because at one time we had 8 cats (now we have 3 the others have since passed away.) And when we had 8 there were no mice here in all the years since this house was built. So I think it depends on the cat. Our cats are getting old, chubby, and kind of lazy. Although 2 jump in the air and catch flies if one gets in here. lol.

I am just surprised that the one cat who has bit me and the vet already didn't get any mice. lol. We found this cat outside in the snow and she looked like she had been out there awhile and she had trouble getting along w our other cats at first. SO I thought she would be a hunter. lol.

Re: Learn something new every day. (about cats)

feline groovy — Wed, 13 Aug 2014 04:55:41 GMT

Thanks for the info., but some mice are naturally afraid - if they smell cat urine and pheromones.

Of course, some of those little guys could care less.

Re: Learn something new every day. (about cats)

feline groovy — Wed, 13 Aug 2014 04:59:34 GMT

On 8/12/2014 Buck-i-Nana said:
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!

Re: Learn something new every day. (about cats)

september — Wed, 13 Aug 2014 05:05:16 GMT

My indoor cat will go after anything that moves. Years ago, we didn't have everything as well sealed as we do now, and he took care of any mice that got in. Now? There are flies, spiders, and the teeny little lizards that can slip in under the doors. He handles all of it very well.