Cats are the second most popular house pet among US families. They are adorable, cuddly, cute, and independent, which is why many pet lovers love to keep one feline cat in their home. But some cat owners also adopt them for another significant reason: chasing mice around the house!
It is a common belief that cats prevent mice in your home. Cats are natural predators; despite having a sharp sense of hearing and smell, it is not always true that keeping them will make mice stay away. If you rely on your cat to catch mice, then take note that many cats don’t always reach mice nests!
So, before heading out to adopt a cat for this issue, you first need to read this article. We have gathered information to help you know whether keeping a cat is a good option to prevent rodents or not. Let’s begin!
Do Cats Keep Mice Away?
Cats undoubtedly do a wonderful job at keeping the mice away from the main areas of your home. But this doesn’t mean that mice are gone permanently. Remember that they are experts in hiding! They are typically hidden in areas where you and your cats don’t have access to, such as attics, the basement, or inside the walls. Once they see your cat or hear the tapping paws, they will remain hidden in those areas and travel through inside the walls instead.
Now let’s move to why you can’t rely on your feline friend to prevent mice in your home!
● Some Cats Are Not Natural Hunters
Different cat breeds have different personalities. Some are active, while others are lazy. Some love the outdoors, while others like to spend their entire time at home. Similarly, some cats don’t hunt at all, and it could also be your cat among those. Many cats don’t even bat their eyes if they see a mouse; some are even afraid of it. Yes, many cats don’t have the ability to hunt, and they get scared when they see rodents. It sounds strange, but, indeed, keeping a cat won’t always do the job of the mouse control method. Even if you know that your cat loves to hunt, it is hard to tell whether she is a good hunter or not.
● Cats Can Create Problems
Your cat can rarely make the mouse problem worse. If you have an outdoor cat who likes to play and spend most time outside, she is more likely to bring her prey at home as a trophy or play like a toy. If you live in an area with mice, prepare yourself for disaster. Your cat can bring mouse infestation to your home, which is harmful to your health. Most cats hunt at night and rest all day; if the same case goes with your cat, then this hunting infestation is more likely to happen when you sleep.
● Mice Reproduce Quickly
Even if your cat is pro at catching mice every so often, it is impossible for her to catch them all. Not only do mice hide inside the wall and basement, but they also reproduce very quickly. Female mice can produce up to 4-10 mice within 3 weeks, and their babies can mate just six weeks after they are born. This is why it is crucial to eliminate the infestation immediately.
● Cats Can’t Cover Your Home
If your cat is pro in hunting and has caught a few mice, your problem hasn’t been solved to the root yet. Mice don’t leave easily; they probably come back from the small cracks, gaps of your home’s pipes, or the space under your front door. They are small enough to come from any possible way! It would be best to seal your home thoroughly to stop them from returning. Your cat can’t do this job, so let’s be prepared!
● Cats Don’t Have Access to Nest Areas
Your cat can work well to prevent mice from coming out of the hidden areas, but still, this tactic will not make mice leave your home. Cats don’t have access to their nest areas, which gives mice an advantage by remaining hidden in the basement or inside the wall until your cat goes away. Mice know how to trap cats, and they quickly learn how to travel inside the walls, knowing that the enemy is outside waiting to hunt them.
Moreover, due to those mice’s hidden areas inaccessible to your cat, many mice die inside the walls, creating terrible smells throughout your house, which is difficult to get rid of. You might not see any mice, but you will end up dealing with the smell of their rotting carcasses.
How Cats Hunt to Deter Mice From Your Home
● Mice Know the Smell of Cats
If you have a cat, mice within your home are more likely to smell her presence. Cats naturally emit a chemical that deters mice from home, and this chemical is found in the cat’s saliva.
● Cats Think of It As a Game
Many cat toys are available in the market that resembles mice. From your cat’s early age, she adopted this habit of playing with that toy mouse, and when she sees an actual one, she starts playing the game of hunting to kill it.
● Cats Defend Their Home
Many cats don’t like other feline animals in their home territory; how come they even allow mice? Your fur baby will not share her home with mice, regardless of whether she is a natural hunter, and she is more likely to chase after them to make them leave.
Wrapping Up
In conclusion, allowing your cat to catch mice is not a permanent and most effective solution to prevent a rodent infestation. You will also need to try some other tactics for mouse problems.
