Cat just cornered a mouse in the kitchen

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Killing and eating prey isn't instinctive for cats. It's a learned behavior. Sometimes a cat will figure it out on their own, but it's rare.

This has not been my experience. Where did you get this information that it "isn't instinctive?" Who do you think is teaching the cat?

In my experience they have to be taught by a mousing cat. My older male is an excellent hunter, and he taught my younger female, but when I was growing up we got all our cats before they learned and so none knew how. A few were interested in the mice, but didn’t know what to do with them.

My cats will play with prey. They often kill it. They bring it to me as a gift. But they don’t eat it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Would you cancel an event in your house because you saw a mouse in the pantry the night before that you could not trap?

No. But I won’t allow them to party on, nor will I tolerate procrastination re: mitigation when I can hire it out and get it done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Killing and eating prey isn't instinctive for cats. It's a learned behavior. Sometimes a cat will figure it out on their own, but it's rare.

This has not been my experience. Where did you get this information that it "isn't instinctive?" Who do you think is teaching the cat?

In my experience they have to be taught by a mousing cat. My older male is an excellent hunter, and he taught my younger female, but when I was growing up we got all our cats before they learned and so none knew how. A few were interested in the mice, but didn’t know what to do with them.

they don't eat them because they aren't hungry. They have food. They don't need to learn how to eat them, they just need to be hungry enough to.

[Anonymous]

We are having a mouse issue and the exterminator is coming tomorrow. Must be the cold snap.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here - update. So we had the exterminator out to look. He would not go into the attic due to liability. What f-ing good is that??? Set a couple spring traps around the trap door entrance and sure enough, caught a mouse. So now we know they are in the attic. He also walked the house and there are a few vents that have been compromised. Husband says he can fix them. Is he? No. He's out on his bike (5+ days a week) and is going out with his brother tonight. Told him he has tomorrow to go to Lowes and get new vents and install them. If he does not get it done tomorrow, or at least put screening over the compromised areas until the vents come in if he has to order them, I will call a company to do it at great expense to him. I'm not tolerating his usual lax BS when it comes to vermin. He's one of those people that doesn't believe in home maintenance until there's a crisis and considers upkeep an unnecessary expense. We have another home up north that I make all the decisions on. Needless to say things are done quickly because there is no negotiation - I just do it.

Wow I can’t believe he left.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - update. So we had the exterminator out to look. He would not go into the attic due to liability. What f-ing good is that??? Set a couple spring traps around the trap door entrance and sure enough, caught a mouse. So now we know they are in the attic. He also walked the house and there are a few vents that have been compromised. Husband says he can fix them. Is he? No. He's out on his bike (5+ days a week) and is going out with his brother tonight. Told him he has tomorrow to go to Lowes and get new vents and install them. If he does not get it done tomorrow, or at least put screening over the compromised areas until the vents come in if he has to order them, I will call a company to do it at great expense to him. I'm not tolerating his usual lax BS when it comes to vermin. He's one of those people that doesn't believe in home maintenance until there's a crisis and considers upkeep an unnecessary expense. We have another home up north that I make all the decisions on. Needless to say things are done quickly because there is no negotiation - I just do it.

Wow I can’t believe he left.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m LOLing at the Lysol wipes.

But you probably "trust the science" right...

https://www.cdc.gov/rodents/cleaning/index.html


"First, clean up any urine and droppings
When you begin cleaning, it is important that you do not stir up dust by sweeping or vacuuming up droppings, urine, or nesting materials.

Wear rubber, latex, or vinyl gloves when cleaning urine and droppings.
Spray the urine and droppings with a disinfectant or a mixture of bleach and water and let soak 5 minutes. The recommended concentration of bleach solution is 1 part bleach to 10 parts water. When using a commercial disinfectant, following the manufacturer’s instructions on the label for dilution and disinfection time.
Use a paper towel to pick up the urine and droppings, and dispose of the waste in the garbage.
After the rodent droppings and urine have been removed, disinfect items that might have been contaminated by rodents or their urine and droppings."