My eco solution to rat problems

[KimmyCustard]

Has anyone got much experience with cats?

 

We got Lilo Lil (dont ask about the name - OH's doing and too rude to explain it! ) about 2 and a half years ago, she was aged about 6 months then. She was abandoned and was in a right state, wandered into our garden and more or less moved in.

 

Since then, usually about twice a week, she will insist on bringing home 'presents'. These presents are mice, however they are still alive! She has a catflap and drags them in through that, then drops said mouse on the carpet. It promptly shoots off (shouting Hallelujah) and disappears in the million hiding places in our house. I then have to use mousetraps (which I hate using) otherwise we would be overrun with rodents.

 

Tonight she has bought in 2 live ones, which OH and I managed to grab in our hands and put in the garden.

 

So, the question is: How do I train a cat to either kill them and bring them in (if she HAS to) or not to bring them in at all?! I dont want to close the catflap as she goes in and out all night, espec in this weather but equally I dont want mouse poo all over the carpet!

 

Kimmy

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[alexgirl73]

TBH there isn't really much you can do. It is a cats instinct to hunt. You could try getting a spray water bottle and whenever she brings you a present (just showing her love ) give her a squirt with it. This should hopefully deter her from bringing them home in future.

[MadMitch]

Mine do that all the time. I use humane mouse traps and the let them back out as I don't like the original type.

 

http://www.beautifulbritain.co.uk/images/housemouse/trap-ease.jpg

[Janty]

I know it doesn't help but it's actually quite sweet that she does this. She is bringing you little thank yous for rescuing her.

 

However, I know from experience that it's not nice. I had a rescue cat and I introduced two kittens to the household. The original cat decided that she was going to teach the kittens how to hunt and she regularly brought mice in to help with her lessons. It isn't pleasant but there was nothing that we could do except catch them and put them out. Eventually she stopped of her own accord.

[Emma Tarpey]

you could Set up a mouse trap (maybe an live one) my mum uses seed chocolate spread and biscuits to lure them in

You can't stop a cat from using its natural instints yet you can get collars that warn wildlife that a cat is about

She is probably giving you a preasent saying thank you for taking her in

[keyhole kate]

Said incident is a regular feature in my house too

2 cats mostly dead but every now and again

 

Not much you can do exept all other advice posted

 

bth lilo Lil is my bestest friends email name for me

And I call her Balcony Bimbo all inocent honest

started from our yearly girly holidays about six years ago

[Olly]

There's no answer, I'm afraid! Invest in a humane mousetrap, I'm too squeamish to catch them with my hands. As cats get older they (allegedly) stop hunting, but I don't think there is any way to stop them - as has been posted above, they're doing it for you, not themselves!

 

Someone on here posted a while back about a 'bleeper' you can fit to a cat's collar which stops them catching birds, I'm not sure if it works on mice though. I do sympathise, I hate clearing up dead ones and hate getting live ones even more - but it is all part of owning a cat. Sounds as if Lilo Lill knew where she was going when she headed for your garden, though - well done for taking her in.

[KimmyCustard]

Thanks Ladies!

 

I think I will get a humane trap. However..... I sorted washing in our spare room last night and left a pile of whites on the carpet and took the darks downstairs to be washed. OH brings down the whites this morning and shouts: Kim, open the back door! (which translates to: Ive got a mouse in both hands and cant do it myself!) He puts the smallest mouse youve ever seen outside (Lil doesnt over tax herself) and says he found it in the whites pile!

 

So it seems Lil brings them in, now takes them upstairs and lets them go there as well. My house will be one big wildlife park with traps set all over the place. Shes such a sweetie tho so I'd forgive her anything. Its nice that she loves Mummy enough to bring presents in, I just wish it wasnt so frequent (3 in 8 hours last night) and that they were dead!

 

Kimmy

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[Omletina Kyckling]

That really made me smile, the bit where you asked how you can train a cat to do something! I gave up years ago.....

 

Lots of good advice from others here which I can't really add to, my cats bring all sorts in, dead and alive. I usually find if I have any escapees that I don't manage to catch that the boys hang around until they manage to catch them in the end.....

 

Good luck with Lil!!

[dancing cloud]

It may not be our idea of a good pressie, but both my cats bring me beasties (alive and dead) and I've yet to find any way to stop it.

 

Partly I think they do out of love, to show me how grateful they are for their home, contribute to the larder etc . Mostly I think they do it for the sheer fun of watching me make appreciative noises for some dead thing they've dragged in or, the best ever fun, watching me try to catch the not-dead thing and put it back out.

 

Let's take the human a mouse to chase, she's not very good at finding her own and the exercise'll do her good

[KimmyCustard]

Youre all right! She's so funny, (currently upside down with all 4 paws in the air) and we've had another 2 since my last post. One good thing about winter coming is that she doesnt find any to bring in so at least Christmas is peaceful! (oh Lordy, I said that 'c' word - its toooo sooooon!)

 

Kimmy

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