Cat and Mouse help..

My cat Scotty lives in a section of the garage where he sleeps eats etc and had a dog door leading outside to do his business...Today when walking out to feed him...He comes in through the dog door with a mouse in his mouth...He sees me and hides in a little part of the garage and starts chewing it...WHAT SHOULD I DO so he wont kill mice anymore?

This is natural behavior. The way to prevent Scotty from having access to the mice is to allow him to be an indoor only kitty.

If a cat sees prey he will go after it. It is impossible to stop, even for really well fed cats. Mine bring in mice, voles, birds, lizards etc. Ellie managed to bring in a live pigeon - how she got it through the cat door I will never know. Last week I found a slowworm on the stairs (Yuk). You have to live with it, and don't punish them - they think they are being clever and affectionate if they bring stuff to you. My sister once observed that if you scold a cat for bringing in prey they probably think they have not brought in enough, and will go and get more!

cats hunt for sport not to eat so your stuck really.

you could try putting a bell on his collar and restricting his access to outside at dawn and dusk when the beasties are most active.

Thank You

yes thats just natural behaviour, but you could get his one of those collar's that have a little bell on it, so it will warn the bird's/mice when he's coming

I wouldn't count on a bell to warn the prey. A determined feline hunter has no difficulty keeping a bell quiet. But why worry about the cat hunting? As has already been said, it's perfectly natural behaviour. Mine hunt. Fawn, especially, brings all kinds of prey home -- a couple of summers ago it was a crow -- God alone knows how she managed it -- it was almost as big as her.

All mine have collar bells - it helps me know where they are but it has no effect on their hunting ability!

Originally Posted by dawnofsierra

This is natural behavior. The way to prevent Scotty from having access to the mice is to allow him to be an indoor only kitty.

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Don't count on it. Tailer's an indoor-only kitty, but he's still gotten a mouse or two. If one sneaks in the house, it's done for. I feel so sorry for the poor little things. I'd prefer to just catch them humanely and relocate them back outside, but Tailer is a much more efficient mouse catcher than I am.

Originally Posted by rapunzel47

I wouldn't count on a bell to warn the prey. A determined feline hunter has no difficulty keeping a bell quiet. But why worry about the cat hunting? As has already been said, it's perfectly natural behaviour. Mine hunt. Fawn, especially, brings all kinds of prey home -- a couple of summers ago it was a crow -- God alone knows how she managed it -- it was almost as big as her.

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I had to laugh at this. When I lived in Vancouver, there was this woman who had a cat who would walk beside her like a dog as she walked her child to school.
And you must know the territoriality (is that a word?) of the crows in Van...they can be vicious. One day, the cat was walking along and one crow (likely a mama) began viciously divebombing this cat...The woman had to fend the crow off..It was the strangest thing I have seen (prey after predator!)

And you must know the territoriality (is that a word?) of the crows in Van...they can be vicious. One day, the cat was walking along and one crow (likely a mama) began viciously divebombing this cat...The woman had to fend the crow off..It was the strangest thing I have seen (prey after predator!)

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There are lots of birds that will do this, and not just the big ones. Blue Jays will "dive-bomb" attack cats and can do quite a bit of damage in the process. Seagulls will do it too. And of course, birds of prey can be quite dangerous and carry your cat off (or at least mame it severely).

Just another one of the outdoor dangers.

That said, Comere (RB) in his hay-day would bring me mice and moles. Hunting is just instinct for them, and they really do think they are doing something good when they bring it to you. You should be honored, not mad - I know, easier said than done!

Originally Posted by Loveysmummy

I had to laugh at this. When I lived in Vancouver, there was this woman who had a cat who would walk beside her like a dog as she walked her child to school.
And you must know the territoriality (is that a word?) of the crows in Van...they can be vicious. One day, the cat was walking along and one crow (likely a mama) began viciously divebombing this cat...The woman had to fend the crow off..It was the strangest thing I have seen (prey after predator!)

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Oh, yes, I can recall years ago, my RB Kitty Shasta minding her own business in our back yard -- she wasn't much of a hunter -- and being chased and dive-bombed by a robin. Of course, in nesting season, for the bird it's "peck first, ask questions later". Not a happy day for Shasta, though, poor dear. She headed for the door.

my cat used to bring mice and birds in the house still alive and play with them, it's natural for cats to do this, i've watched one of my cats jump from the ground and catch a bird while it was still flying!

I would have been very happy if my cats could catch mice. They are indoor only, but I had mice in the past in the apartments I rented. Grrrr! I haven't seen any mice around this apartment, but it doesn't mean they are not here. I would be very happy if my cats could catch it because I hate mice and rats. Unfortunately, I don't know if they will be any good in mice catching as they are persians.

My cats are strictly indoors, but Mr Peanut has managed to catch three mice in the last 4 months. The other morning I woke to find the boys led by him playing hockey with his lastest catch. Now if he would only tell me where he is finding them!

Dozen2Luv

My cats are indoors only but last week Izzie caught 2 mice. Charlotte only chases them and plays with them!! Izzie is the "terminator".

Originally Posted by Tari

Don't count on it. Tailer's an indoor-only kitty, but he's still gotten a mouse or two. If one sneaks in the house, it's done for. I feel so sorry for the poor little things. I'd prefer to just catch them humanely and relocate them back outside, but Tailer is a much more efficient mouse catcher than I am.

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If you relocate the mice outside, they just come right back in the same way they originally got in. If you relocate them, it has to be a large distance away.

Hmm.. Your cat has awesome micro that he can catch mice. Maybe you have to wall him in. Or you could just go for a gold starve so he can't create any troops.

IMO just FB. Hunting is part of their nature though. He probably got Hunting Dogs to speed it up with 30%.

The danger of catching rodents is that it opens up the cat to getting tapeworms. So if your cat is going outside, it is a given that the cat will bring back prey. Older cats learn not to eat the gut sack (there is a lot of bacteria in a mouse and it all accumulates in the gut sack) younger kittens will eat the entire mouse (usually) and can become ill, but they WILL get tapeworms, so be sure that your vet knows the cat is hunting and catching so he can prescribe the right meds for him.