What is the best mousetrap?
Have you ever wondered why there is always a cat in the picture of an old farmhouse? I thought that the cat just looked good. Living in an old farm house however, made me realize that a cat is a necessity or should I say, they have a job to do!
Although we thought our house was tight, mice were determined to share it with us- particularly in the deep winter months. There are ways to deal with the problem and make the house “for humans only”. Go to the supermarket and check out what other people buy to achieve the same goal.
First we tried traps. If everything is working perfectly, they are unpleasant, but okay. But usually they are not perfect and I do not want to deal with them. Then there is poison. It works, but then you have the smell later. To be honest, poison does not feel right. Glue traps were even more off putting.
Have you ever wondered why there is always a cat in the picture of an old farmhouse? I thought that the cat just looked good. Living in an old farm house however, made me realize that a cat is a necessity or should I say, they have a job to do!
Although we thought our house was tight, mice were determined to share it with us- particularly in the deep winter months. There are ways to deal with the problem and make the house “for humans only”. Go to the supermarket and check out what other people buy to achieve the same goal.
First we tried traps. If everything is working perfectly, they are unpleasant, but okay. But usually they are not perfect and I do not want to deal with them. Then there is poison. It works, but then you have the smell later. To be honest, poison does not feel right. Glue traps were even more off putting.
But there is a natural solution: A cat.
We are basically dog people and committing to a cat, was a big step. Thirty years later. I cannot imagine a life in the country without at least one house tiger. So far we've had three and have found out that they have very different personalities. One of them was divine. She was the perfect companion. She was without a fault. Her loving and affectionate nature belied her deadly mousing skills.
And then there was Fyre. He got his name not from the reddish fur, but from his temperament. He was very vocal and opinionated. There was nothing he did not comment on. In addition to his constant vocalizations and well presented meows, he also acted more like a dog. We took him for long walks in the woods and he followed without a leash, running up trees and scouting ahead, providing us with a continuous running commentary as he explored.
Fyre looking out his "house".
All our cats were indoor/outdoor cats (as all farm cats are). So this requires regular annual veterinarian visits to safeguard their health from things like fleas or worms or occasional injuries. We frequently in the beginning had to leave them alone outside during the week for days at a time. So we constructed raised, insulated cat houses for each of them with bedding, food and a place to sleep, away from the winter storms in cozy comfort. Today heat mats and 7 day feeders are commonly available.
Despite each being adopted as kittens from a city shelter, all of them solved our problem with mice. They took care of them, as they are natural hunters. They also provided wonderful companionship and support for my aging mother. Our Siberian Husky slept next to her bed, but the kitties always vied to snuggle close to her even when it wasn’t cold.
Despite each being adopted as kittens from a city shelter, all of them solved our problem with mice. They took care of them, as they are natural hunters. They also provided wonderful companionship and support for my aging mother. Our Siberian Husky slept next to her bed, but the kitties always vied to snuggle close to her even when it wasn’t cold.
Chyna and Fyre
So: The best mouse trap is a cat- companionship, a wonderful bonus!