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I never had more mice then when I had cats. The catfood attracts them, and is essentially an antidote to mouse poison the exterminator put down.
Also older generation traps have been figured out by mice. When I put them down, I found them in the morning untriggered, but with the peanut butter missing. So I wasn't so much trapping the mice as feeding them. This includes the old style Victor spring traps, with the wooden base, mouse sized glue traps, and also some newer designs, like the original Tomcat.
I've found two types of traps that do work. One is rat sized gel glue traps. They supposed to be self baiting, but I put some peanut butter in the very middle. They're big enough that if the mouse tries to get to the bait, they have to get stuck. This doesn't work with the mouse sized traps.
Glue traps are incredibly inhumane. People may not realize this.
I don't know one person with cats AND mice. After a while they just do not come around.
I suppose there could be different temperaments.
I never had more mice then when I had cats. The catfood attracts them, and is essentially an antidote to mouse poison the exterminator put down.
Also older generation traps have been figured out by mice. When I put them down, I found them in the morning untriggered, but with the peanut butter missing. So I wasn't so much trapping the mice as feeding them. This includes the old style Victor spring traps, with the wooden base, mouse sized glue traps, and also some newer designs, like the original Tomcat.
I've found two types of traps that do work. One is rat sized gel glue traps. They supposed to be self baiting, but I put some peanut butter in the very middle. They're big enough that if the mouse tries to get to the bait, they have to get stuck. This doesn't work with the mouse sized traps.
The other thing that works the are white plastic new styles snap traps that used to be sold under the Ortho brand. I think subsequently the Tomcat people bought them. What makes them better than the old Tomcat traps is that their trigger is much more sensitive.
That's very strange as I've never known any cat owners to have rodent problems. Cats were pretty much domesticated for this very reason - they are very efficient at killing and keeping away small vermin. So efficient that cats have almost become a problem for local small wildlife in suburban/rural areas. I don't know, maybe your cat was just lazy but in most cases mice seem to avoid apartments with cats. If mice do make that wrong choice, most cats instincts will kick in and they will take care of the problem for you (and leave you the dead "present" as evidence of their skill).
That's very strange as I've never known any cat owners to have rodent problems. Cats were pretty much domesticated for this very reason - they are very efficient at killing and keeping away small vermin. So efficient that cats have almost become a problem for local small wildlife in suburban/rural areas. I don't know, maybe your cat was just lazy but in most cases mice seem to avoid apartments with cats. If mice do make that wrong choice, most cats instincts will kick in and they will take care of the problem for you (and leave you the dead "present" as evidence of their skill).
Well you wouldn't "see" mice in an apartment or whatever with a cat or cats would you? If rodents are present smarter ones would know to keep clear, that however does not mean total absence.
Years ago a former co-worker moved into a lovely pre-war one bedroom apartment in Fort Greene. There was one problem. The place was infested with mice. She would hear them all hours of day and night running through the plaster walls. She also saw them on numerous occasions scampering through her apartment. They were so bold and bad that would chew through/pull out steel wool placed around pipes and or into holes for sealing.
Her then BF finally got her a cat and though the sightings by her decreased, she would hear the thing chasing mice as she slept (or tried to).
If cats totally solved mice problems in urban or other dwelling settings then there wouldn't be a need for exterminators. Everyone would just get cat and the population would dwindle to being almost none existent. Obviously that isn't the case.
Much will depend upon what sort of infestation we are talking about. If it is just the one or two lone mice, a cat *may* work. However if you are speaking of a dwelling or any size that has an established rodent population one or even two cats isn't going to do it. Just as with roaches and other pests the things simply will move to another area and or learn to keep clear.
In many cases having cats and or dogs indirectly encourages the mouse population to grow. This is true when people leave out food and water 24/7 for their pets and or store large bags of food.
I never had more mice then when I had cats. The catfood attracts them, and is essentially an antidote to mouse poison the exterminator put down.
Also older generation traps have been figured out by mice. When I put them down, I found them in the morning untriggered, but with the peanut butter missing. So I wasn't so much trapping the mice as feeding them. This includes the old style Victor spring traps, with the wooden base, mouse sized glue traps, and also some newer designs, like the original Tomcat.
I've found two types of traps that do work. One is rat sized gel glue traps. They supposed to be self baiting, but I put some peanut butter in the very middle. They're big enough that if the mouse tries to get to the bait, they have to get stuck. This doesn't work with the mouse sized traps.
The other thing that works the are white plastic new styles snap traps that used to be sold under the Ortho brand. I think subsequently the Tomcat people bought them. What makes them better than the old Tomcat traps is that their trigger is much more sensitive.
Working under the theory mice do not have great eyesight and aren't that "bright" properly placed snap and other traps supposedly work because the mice "run into them" and are caught. That and or they attempt to take the bait.
Our exterminator told us years ago he does not bother with nor recommends baiting traps. Mostly because people end up putting so much stuff on mice easily can get a meal without trigging the trap. At best you should just wipe the bait section with a trace of something like peanut butter as you only just want the scent.
Glue traps are incredibly inhumane. People may not realize this.
I don't know one person with cats AND mice. After a while they just do not come around.
I suppose there could be different temperaments.
Agree!! I would never ever use a Glue Trap. Horrible, cruel and inhumane - causing slow deaths. I've had to pry mice off using oil when I volunteered with wildlife rescue. Please don't use them. I wish they were illegal.
Last edited by IlonaG; 01-14-2016 at 11:48 AM..
Reason: grammar
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