The mouse problem...

The boys killed one last night, and it was given to me as a gift as soon as I woke up. I'll never understand why they only eat the heads.

Here's the deal, I've not noticed ANY droppings at all, and DH and I did a top to bottom cleaning yesterday. Do you think they are dashing under our door?

I thought by living on the 12th floor of an apartment building I could get out of having little creatures trying to get into my home and making a nest. Turns out I was WRONG!

Oh no... I found a second one.

Ew.

Aren't you proud of your boys? They just want to help provide for the family.

It could have been worse. You could have had only the innards in bed with you.

Originally Posted by gemlady

Aren't you proud of your boys? They just want to help provide for the family.

It could have been worse. You could have had only the innards in bed with you.

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That's true...

I'm just so grossed out by the whole dead mouse in my apartment thing.

We had one which Fang was proudly carrying around while the other two tried to get it from him, he held his head hi and growled. Then he puts it down and it runs under my bedroom door. So I let Fang into the bedroom, what am I to do? sleep with a mouse to save its life, or let my hunter at it. In short time Fang comes out again with Mouse in mouth and takes him out to the porch. It is late, I do not want to be bothered, but I can't stand the though of the mouse being tortured, or splashed all over my floor. After a while I go out on the porch and all three cats are staring into the Mr. Coffee box I left for them to play in. What a break! I turned the box upright, grabbed it and threw it outside, mouse and all. The mouse made a clean break, I got a good nights sleep, and the cats did not dine on mouse innards, risking disease and worms.
I am sure there are plenty of mice in my basement. This one must have been real stupid to get caught.

Eew, but that's so sweet that they brought it to you as a gift, good boys!

Check around in cabinets in kitchen and bath and closets for tiny holes, an inch or less in diameter and plug any cracks/holes you find (esp around pipes) with steel wool to keep the mice from chewing their way in.

If you're on the 12th floor, its more likely they're coming in through a hole in the wall somewhere rather than under the door.

Traps with peanut butter worked well when I was growing up and we had a mouse problem. Squeeze cheez is good bait too.

Try not to let your kitty men get ahold of em though, you never know if the apartment building has been setting out poison anywhere, don't want the furbabies to ingest anything dangerous from the mice they fetch.

Good luck, and congrats? on your gifts, at least you live with some good mousers

Originally Posted by tamarae

Eew, but that's so sweet that they brought it to you as a gift, good boys!

Check around in cabinets in kitchen and bath and closets for tiny holes, an inch or less in diameter and plug any cracks/holes you find (esp around pipes) with steel wool to keep the mice from chewing their way in.

If you're on the 12th floor, its more likely they're coming in through a hole in the wall somewhere rather than under the door.

Traps with peanut butter worked well when I was growing up and we had a mouse problem. Squeeze cheez is good bait too.

Try not to let your kitty men get ahold of em though, you never know if the apartment building has been setting out poison anywhere, don't want the furbabies to ingest anything dangerous from the mice they fetch.

Good luck, and congrats? on your gifts, at least you live with some good mousers

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We will try the peanut butter route. If I bring in Squeeze Cheese, I'll eat it not the mice.

As for poison, I'm calling down to the leasing office to talk them out of it. I'm not the only one with cats in the building.

I just called them. They've decided to have someone come in and try to "get rid of them". This makes me very nervous.

I'm going into planning mode right now.

Originally Posted by lookingglass

That's true...

I'm just so grossed out by the whole dead mouse in my apartment thing.

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Better than a live one!

Oh thats not good having mice, as already mentioned they are probably coming in via pipes etc, as they can squeeze through any gap larger than 6mm so any gap or hole needs to be filled with a product that the mice cant nibble at !

Funny you've not seen any droppings as you know mice can carry all sorts of diseases, so as you've already done a good clean down is always advisable

Its great that the leasing people are going to do something about the mice and you are right to make all the necessary plans to ensure your cats are OK, did they suggest anything ?

One tip peppermint oil is also supposed to be effective at keeping away mice. Sprinkle some on cotton balls and place in cabinets, under sinks, and other areas where mice may enter. At least that will keep any more from coming in until the get the pest control people in.

I hope it all gets sorted soon and without any worries for you and other cat owners