First the mice started pooping in the pots and pans cupboard, then the dishes one, then

[GreenPartyVoter]

the silverware one (first time this has ever happened.) NOW I am finding poop on the kitchen table!!

Darned kittehs are almost 15 years old and are more useless than a Republican voting on Obama's stimulus bill. x(

Hubby has threatened to get the old-fashioned traps. I hate to go that route not only for the sake of the mice but I hear these things can break a cat's paw if they set it off, and my useless kittehs do still climb into the cupboards even if they don
t bring anything back out with them. I don't think I will win the no traps argument, not now that they are even using the kitchen table as a bathroom. Hubby's too freaked about it. So how can I at least protect my kittehs if not the mice? :(

[pokerfan]

1. Live catch trap

I have one I bought years ago.

http://www.organic-gardening-shop.com/Agorganics/Product_Details.aspx?ProductID=176&Mode=Buy&AttributeStatus=Y

Mine is different, but it does work. If it doesn't work, then you always build a structure with tiny mouse sized holes to hold a standard trap, while keeping the cats out.

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. Thanks for the tip!

[Jamastiene]

3. Buy a ten gallon aquarium.

Add a layer of substrate. Place an empty toilet paper roll on top of that. Place a miniature water dish and food dish in the opposite corner. Set the entire setup near your kitchen cabinets.

Place a small handful of sunflower seeds in the aquarium in the little food dish.

Make a lid for the aquarium with one heavy end.

Set the heavy end up like a trap.

Tie a string to the food dish and one end to the heavy end of the aquarium lid or stand there and wait.

When the mouse goes for the sunflower seeds, and it will, close the lid and tell the cats they can't have any cuz they didn't help catch it.

Or,
you could call a friend who has a pet ball python and ask to trade pets for a couple weeks. The cats will be safe away from the python, but the mice will actually have something to fear.

[GreenPartyVoter]

5. That could work. I was joking with my kids about snakes the other day, but

maybe we should see if the local college wants to loan one out. LOL

[carlyhippy]

4. do you know anyone you can borrow a couple of young kittehs for the weekend?

It will inspire the old kittehs and the young ones will have a blast.....
I feel your pain, I HATE mice in the house, I can't sleep, I stray freaked out all the time...thank goodness I haven't had one in years, knocking on wood.

[GreenPartyVoter]

6. I threatened to get new kittens but the house isn't safe for them. Too many

holes that need patching up first. And a trailer might be a bit crowded for 3 or 4 indoor kittehs. But I might make the case to hubby if we don't find another solution.

[meow2u3]

7. Adopt a younger cat

Young cats, especially females who have had a litter and then were spayed, are some of the best mousers in the business. Your best bet is to bring in a 1- or 2-year-old cat to do the mousing duties.

Your 15-year-old kitties deserve a happy retirement. They probably can no longer see well enough to catch the mice.

[GreenPartyVoter]

8. Yes, they do seem to be enjoying retirement although it was always our boy

kitteh who did the mousing. His sister would just pick up the carcasses and bring them to mommy for all the praise! :rofl:

[jobycom]

9. Litterbox train the mice.

No real advice. We had a mouse problem once, and managed to patch enough holes until the little guy finally stopped getting in. Or yo could throw mothballs in the back of your cupboard--I've heard they hate them.

I had a mouse in my office at work once. He used to pop out from under my desk now and then. Scared the heck out of me a couple of times, but he was the cutest little thing ever, and he got to wear he wouldn't run away from me when he saw me. He kept stealing my pistachios. They'd disappear a couple at a time. I thought it was cute. One day my boss called me about the copier not working, and I opened it up and found--my pistachios, of course. No idea how he got in the copier, either, but when I stole his stash, he stopped using the copier. A few weeks after that my boss put poison everywhere, and the poor little thing died in the middle of my office floor, while I watched him.

[GreenPartyVoter]

10. Poor little mouse!

[Critters2]

11. These solved the problem for me...

http://www.victorpest.com/advice/all-about/victor-repellents/types-of-repellents

The electronic repellents will keep them from coming out in the open--like your kitchen table. But they may still be in your walls. What I did was to put an electronic repellent in each room where I thought they had been. I had a pretty good idea how they were getting into the kitchen from the walls. There was this built in cabinet that had this odd space between the cabinet and the wall, that allowed them to come from the walls into the kitchen (old houses!). I filled that space with steel wool. Later, my trustees closed up that space, so that problem is solved. But filling holes with steel wool will keep them from getting in. Steel wool and the electronic repellents are available at any hardware or farm supply store. The repellents don't bother cats. Mine will sit right in front of them, without seeming to notice them. They did hear them at first, but they don't mind them at all.

Also, store food in metal boxes or tins. I discovered the mice had chewed a hole in the plastic storage bin I was keeping dog food in. Now, I keep foods like that in metal containers, like those big popcorn tins. I also have two deep drawers with metal liners and lids. I wasn't closing the lids regularly, and the mice were getting in there. Now, I'm meticulous about closing the metal drawer liner before I close the drawer itself. Once there's no food source, they're not likely to stick around.

All of this, plus a couple of run-ins with my cats, have made my home rodent-free. It's nice to NOT hear those little feet in the walls in the evening!

Good luck!

[CharmCity]

17. Steel wool and those electric repellents worked for me, too.

I found a huge hole under the electric box outside -- closing that seems have helped. Spray on caulk and steel wool! No poop this winter!

[sakabatou]

12. I don't think a younger cat would work

I have a 2 year-old and she let a mouse walk right past herself.

[JVS]

13. You need to bring in a new young cat

[hunter]

14. Caulk and "Great Stuff" foam every last opening in your house.

Stuff larger mouse size gaps with aluminum foil and chili powder first.

You'll save energy too.

We had a terrible problem with mice because we have pet birds, rats, and dogs. Whenever she can our parrot kills mice that go into her cage, but our dogs ignore them, probably because they see rodents as pets, just like the rats. They ignore wild rats outside too, and a couple of time I've seen the dogs and wild rats giving "hello" nods to one another.

Anyways once I got our house entirely sealed up the mouse problem went away.

[Lorien]

20. You can also put mice repellant packages in the holes

before sealing them up, then they won't be tempted to come back and chew on the fixed areas.

Traps never help much if the home isn't sealed, that's for sure!

[Kali]

15. cupboards? with doors? How are they getting in there?

if they have doors just close them and use the traps - that should keep the cats safe

I use the light colored plastic traps that look like a big clothes pin in the kitchen near the cat food. They aren't near as strong as the old fashioned wood ones or the new black plastic and steel ones, although they sometimes let the little bastards get away.

My cats have never shown any interest - I use peanut butter for bait.

I have also set rat traps under plastic milk crates in the barn. the handle holes are big enough for rats but the cats can't get under there.

[GreenPartyVoter]

16. The cupboards are all open to each other and the sink, which is open where the

pipes come up. Used to have steel wool stuffed in there but I swear they just pulled it out. LOL

[Kali]

19. yeah I haven't had very good luck with the steel wool trick

I think the mice around here use it for nesting material:rofl:

[Skittles]

18. you want I should kick some kitteh ass, GPV?

I'll make 'em eat mice, I will.