My cat the mouse murderer-

[Nephythys]

So- my cat Tumbles has been deeply interested in the goings on in the kitchen- especially the cabinets. Once we did see a mouse in there but when it was not seen again we assumed they had moved on....well, at least moved to a new room. Recently I discovered they had eaten their way into my bag of flour

He has been interested lately again and spending alot of time in the kitchen-and I guess it paid off. Today my sons came home from school and found the freshly dead body of an adult mouse in the living room-

Augh!

I guess he is doing his job- my dear little cat-but I still feel for the little furry.

Turns out he killed a mommy mouse- because the next thing the boys found was a baby mouse hiding in the living room by the bookshelf-so they put in a container and gave it bread and water and tissue to hide in...and they are searching the house for more-

AUGH!!!

I can't just throw him out in the freezing cold- so he will be boarding with us for a while. Figure I will let him free in the spring- might have to pop for a small rodent home for him though.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

A BABY MOUSE??? We must have a picture. I might die of acute cuteness, though.

[Nephythys]

LOL- I will get one when I get home. I am kinda hoping there is only one of them- and not a litter by the time I get there!

[Ghoulish Delight]

We had to trap and release 4 before we were mouse-free at the old place.

[Nephythys]

we will have to trap, release- buy new doors, windows and weather striping...:)

[Not Afraid]

If there is one baby mousie, there are bound to be more.

Mousies are cute. Charles likes them too. ;)

[Disneyphile]

LOL- I will get one when I get home. I am kinda hoping there is only one of them- and not a litter by the time I get there!Definitely pictures, please!!! :snap:

I've kept mice as pets (although I've "rescued" them from reptile stores). They're cute little buggers. Only live for about a year though.

[Nephythys]

They can live 2-3 (if they are lucky)- but I don't think we want to try to make him a pet.

[lashbear]

are you going to call him Mickey ? :p

[bewitched]

We had the same thing happen. I kept them over the winter in those 5 gallon buckets you can get at Home Depot (with lids...mice can jump!).

Make sure if you find more babies that you separate the boys and the girls; they can mate at 5-6 weeks old! :eek:

[Disneyphile]

-but I don't think we want to try to make him a pet.
:(

You're no fun. :p

[MouseWife]

We used one of those plastic containers/cages but had to drill a hole in to it so that the water bottle spigot could fit.

They are cute. We actually had a few as pets. As well as some as unwelcome visitors.

We had a big problem with mice a couple of years back. I had heard it had something to do with either there not being enough snakes to eat them out in the canyons? Either too wet or too dry. I can't remember.

All I remember is how happy I was that the house was tented for termites and everything was killed. :evil:

Sorry if that offends anyone but I don't like critters in my house. Except the ones I can cuddle.

I will keep my eyes open for pictures. :D

[Betty]

No mice here. They really gross me out because they are in the building I work in. Rural area - connected to a factory/warehouse. To come in and find mouse poop all over the desk, in the drawers, ew ew and ick.

We used to have a wonderful shop cat, Max. He appeared one day and we adopted him at work. Best little mouser. Never would eat them but sure liked to play with them. I'd have Max into my office in the morning letting him lounge and explore. Hoping the mice would recognize the cat smell and vacate. Whatever the cause - the mice didn't come back until sadly, Max died.

Poor Max. He went crazy one day and we think he ate something poisoned.

[Mousey Girl]

Ok, here are pics. This is Cupie Doll and Sweetie's tail (it is already curled over her back from the wheel)

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n292/mousey345/P1160011.jpg


Here is Cupie on Boy's shoulder. That is Sweetie next to her.

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n292/mousey345/P1160010.jpg


ok...so not mouse pics, but still cute critters.

[bewitched]

Ok, here are pics. This is Cupie Doll and Sweetie's tail (it is already curled over her back from the wheel)



Love me some ratties!!! (one of ours has a "tilted head", he has an inner ear infection).

[Nephythys]

okies- here are baby mousie pictures-

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v244/Nephythys/Comet014.jpg

[Nephythys]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v244/Nephythys/Comet013.jpg

[Nephythys]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v244/Nephythys/Comet015.jpg

[Nephythys]

We bought a critter carrier- a plastic home to live in. We got some mouse food (seeds etc) and his food and water are in little lids- he is too small for a water bottle yet. Then we gave him a cloth to snuggle in- right now he is all cuddled up inside his new home.

We'll see what the future brings- I fear we may never be able to release him because he will become dependent on us for food and water and warmth-so putting him outside may be cruel once it gets warm enough.

No more have been found-if there are any they are on their own.

[Mousey Girl]

Nephy, listen for tiny squeakies when the house settles down for the night. If there are more they are most likely together.

[€uroMeinke]

I believe your avatar invoked the moussey - expect a toad in the near future

[Disneyphile]

If you end up not wanting him, bring him to us when you come in March. (You should be able to carry him on the plane without a problem.) Ken and I wouldn't mind taking him in. :)

[RStar]

No mice in the house, but we had a big problem with tree rats in the back yard. I could co-habitate for a while, but one year I could not eat a single tomato from all my plants, and they got to all of the oranges as well. I went out one night and there were at least 30 little creatures running about. One was an opposum.

It was war. The following year I got to enjoy 90% of my crops, and after two years, not a rat to be seen. And no, flames and gasoline were not part of the solution. I saved that for the bees......

[Nephythys]

well- where there is one- there are more.

Last night- after consigning the dead mouse to the garage, the baby mouse to the cage- we heard uproar in the house. R came out and saw a mouse run into our recliner- the cats (both of them) hard on it's heels.

We shut the cats up and searched the chair for the mouse- found him and tried to catch him- no go- after several attempts we flushed him out of the back of the chair- he landed on MY NOSE and bolted-

Next stop- the entertainment cabinet- we blocked the exits and tried to drive him out. But he vanished again! We lifted the whole thing- no mouse.

He was next seen between the couch and a large potted ivy. Once again we thought we had him- but this time he vanished into thin air.

So we put all the furniture back (after tearing up the whole room)- put out two live traps- let the cats out and went to bed- it was after 1am.

The mouse has been dubbed Houdini-little stinker. When a tiny mouse outwits 4 grown people (me, R and the boys) it is time to quit-

Baby mouse is doing well- eating his food and staying warm.

[MouseWife]

Oh my. That sounds like some of the nights at our house when we had mice!!!

This isn't a very new house and upon further inspection {like after 'Where the heck are they getting in???} we did find some areas where we needed to patch and be more careful.

We did buy the big plastic container for the dog food {giant dog needs 50lbs at a time....} and even one for the cat food.

Someone told me that if you find a spot you can't patch or one you need to Mickey Mouse it, steel wool will work as they can't chew through it. Like, around cable cords?

I hope you all slept in today?

[Nephythys]

R had to be at work around 8am- so he was up around 7.

Me and the kids slept til around 9am-then got up to take Rose to a cheerleading camp.

I'm watching the baby mouse eat, my son and dog sleep, and have been doing taxes. wheeee-it's chilly in here, no more mice have been spotted though- so far.

[Nephythys]

...and then there were two.

I am sitting here working on bills and I see the cat walk in- with something in his mouth. I realized quickly it was small, brown and still moving!

We grabbed the cat and managed to catch the little guy- another small one like the first. Dazed and might have a hurt foot, going to watch that.....make sure he is ok.

(great Ian just dropped one-recatching now-phew-recaught)

I am more convinced than ever that they need to be freed- soon. The boys are interested in getting rodent pets now- but I think rats would be better choices than mice.

[RStar]

after several attempts we flushed him out of the back of the chair- he landed on MY NOSE and bolted-And I'm sure you did this :eek: !!

Good luck with the fun in your house!!

[tracilicious]

Mice in the house freak me out. I've had all sorts of rodents as pets, but mice breed like crazy. I don't like it, but any mice spotted means a trip to buy some snap traps. We've only had a mice problem at one house. We tried the traps that are supposed to catch them, then we were going to release, but they didn't work. I really want a snake.

[Nephythys]

We use live traps-I can't bear to kill them.

Though my dog likes the traps- he chewed one apart! Just to get to the peanut butter inside.

Plastic pieces all over- darnit!

[Nephythys]

The first baby mouse we found passed away today- unknown causes.

The other one is not looking so good- shaking and quivering.

:( darnit

[Disneyphile]

Oh no!!! :(

[bewitched]

The first baby mouse we found passed away today- unknown causes.

The other one is not looking so good- shaking and quivering.

:( darnit

What are you feeding them?

[Nephythys]

Mouse food- pet store bought.

Fresh water-

[bewitched]

I know baby rabbits sometimes need extra protein. You might try giving them either some kind of meat baby food or hard boiled egg yolks.

I have absolutely no idea if that will help but good luck.

[Nephythys]

Hard boiled eggs is a pain tonight- and I have no meat babyfood- so I gave him some peanut butter.

The one remaining is the one with the messed up leg-so if he makes it we will likely keep him due to the fact that I think he would not make it in the "wild'

[bewitched]

Hard boiled eggs is a pain tonight- and I have no meat babyfood- so I gave him some peanut butter.

The one remaining is the one with the messed up leg-so if he makes it we will likely keep him due to the fact that I think he would not make it in the "wild'


You are a wonderful mousy caretaker. :)

[Nephythys]

I'm trying-:)

He seems to be doing better, no shaking and he was eating.

I am wondering though- I noticed my dog and one of my cats has a bit of a runny nose- no cough, no sneezing, seem to be fine- just a little drippy nose. It could be because of the weather changes out here- but of course I worry about other animals making them sick? Like the mice made their noses run- is that crazy?

[bewitched]

Like the mice made their noses run- is that crazy?


Likely. ;)


I wouldn't worry about it as long as they aren't having other symptoms.

And I'm glad to hear little mousy seems better.