My cat has brought a live rodent into the house

[skygazer]

This has happened before but usually I'm able to corral it and get it out before (1) it's killed and eaten or (2) it escapes and moves in. ~sigh~ Not this time.

Hubby is laid up with painful gout in his ankle - Oops meowed at the door, sounding not at all like a cat with his mouth full, and so hubby reached from the sofa and opened it. In came Oops with a mouthful of rodent which he promptly dropped on the floor.

I came running at hubby's cry but rodent had already fled down the stairs - unfortunately both bedroom doors down there were open (usually they're not and I can often corner the poor buggers on the landing). The rodent has fled into one of the rooms which are used for storage and is hiding amongst the ten tons of rubble that are in there.

Poor little thing. I don't want Oops to get it but I also don't want it living in my house - I get enough of the little beasts living out in the woods as I do. Perhaps I'll borrow the neighbor's havahart trap and see if I can lure it in tonight.

Yet another ~sigh~

[Coventina]

1. Not to sound flippant but.....

OOPS!!!!

[ulysses]

2. it might already be wounded.

Oops (great name, btw) is just doing what cats do.

Well, what most cats do. Mine doesn't bother with rodents, preferring gamier human prey. But that's another thread.

[skygazer]

3. Oh, yes, he is a mighty hunter

It moved very briskly but you're right - even a wounded rodent can move pretty fast when pursued by a large feline.

Oops earned his name as a kitten when he managed to fall off our (quite high) deck. Twice. Oops.

[ulysses]

6. yup - they haul ass when necessary.

[NV Whino]

4. Bait the trap with peanut butter

a sure fire mouse lure.

[Kurovski]

5. I hear they love peanut butter

the way Dick Cheney loves a goblet of virgin's blood.

[KT2000]

7. It's a present for you!

I think when they bring them home alive - it is meant to be a gift for you to play with or eat - your choice.
OOPS is just reciprocating for all the kindness.

I try to say thank you - good kitty (they really are proud of themselves) while I freak out and spend the next few hours getting it out of the house. Actually the commotion further confirms for the cat that you really are having a lot of fun!!

Everybody wins - except the mouse of course.

[skygazer]

9. Actually the presents seem to be the dead ones

He leaves them lovingly disemboweled on the welcome mat - I tend to step on them when I leave the house at 3:30 in the morning - lovely way to wake up.

Ah, they're probably all presents to him - he brought one in one evening when the door wasn't latched. He let himself in and we just caught a glimpse of the rodent before it dashed under the living room throw rug! Hubby held the cat while I carefully pulled back the rug to find a tiny little baby rodent cowering under there, trying to keep very, very still. It was quite adorable. I simply picked it up and brought it outside to let go.

Oops was outraged, of course, but he weighs 16 pounds and I felt it was just ridiculous for him to be tormenting such a little one.

[Democrats_win]

8. Clearly a second cat is needed. Teamwork! Synergy!

[skygazer]

10. Well, that would cut down on the rodent issue

Since Oops is NOT a sociable cat and would spend all his time trying to murder his companion!

[Green Mountain Dem]

11. It could be worse...

I fell for the same trick this morning...and in comes Patches with a not yet dead bird (chickadee), and we have been trying to catch it all day long!! Patches is now sound asleep and could care less, meanwhile bird is shitting all over the walls and carpet as I am trying not to hurt it anymore. Have opened all doors and windows but little chickadee prefers to fly into walls and he/she has 5 bedrooms and four baths plus entire groud floor to fly around! 3 other cats seem to be enjoying the show.

[skygazer]

12. Trick for catching birds

If it's dark there, turn off all the lights in the house and turn on an outside light. Open the door and the bird will fly toward the light.

The only other thing is to try to arrange it so it goes under something like a shelf or table - birds will fly up if startled and if they're under something, they're kind of trapped and easier to catch.

Yeah, you're right - that's worse.

PS - where in Vermont? I'm from Windham county now living in California. :hi:

[Green Mountain Dem]

14. At the base of....

Mt Mansfield in Chittenden County in a town named Underhill.

[sharman]

13. My live critter SOP

Put kitty in the garage for the night. Open the doors wide. Go to sleep. Cross fingers.


Has worked for me thus far. Good luck