Mice...Cats?

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Jim Plow

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In may van.
Would cats be helpful in deterring mice in the van?

I spend more time outside than inside and like to keep the doors open all day and into the evening.
Is it possible for me to raise a kitty or three to help curb the mice that always invade my home on wheels?

Can you call them in when it's time to go to the store? Call the cats in... Not the mice.
 
Cats are not known for their ability to follow orders (or requests).... :D

Coming back when called is not likely to be something you could train for!!

Tiger would not appreciate you bringing a cat in to the household.... :D :D

One cat would be a deterrent but perhaps a couple of mice traps and some safe food handling tips would work better.

One of my friends now keeps all her dry foods in a couple of spare coolers...she's labelled them 'mouse lockers'. If it's not in the refrigerator or isn't in a can it goes in the mouse lockers. It's kept her place relatively mouse free since September when she bought the trailer.

I used those old wooden mouse traps for years until someone introduced me to the plastic ones....much easier to set and I don't get my hands anywhere near the mouse. I learned to throw the dead bodies out by releasing the trap at the end of my throw..I can land the dead body a good 20' away from the van.

I highly recommend the plastic traps...Home Depot has them but try Ace in Blythe first.

Even keeping the doors closed is no guarantee, the mice were coming in around the firewall...I found that out because they tried getting in to the garbage bag I had set on the drivers footwell. Now I set the traps right there as they're coming in.... :)
 
All I can say is I have not seen a mouse in the van or mh. 

As for teaching them to act like a dog :D  A cat is not a pet, but a partner. After 15 years my cat and I get along well.
 
my dog is a great mouser. only foolish rats and mice show themselves in my camp. highdesertranger
 
> Would cats be helpful in deterring mice in the van?

Not necessarily. Some cats are oblivious to this instinct. lol
 
If you have rodents messing around anywhere near your vehicle, better periodically inspect your wiring and make sure that they're not chewing on that. Lots worse than getting into your food.

There have been threads here in the past talking about preventive measures, some of which will just keep them away from your vehicle completely.
 
short story, all of our cats had passed on, during summer we noticed tree rats running along the fence like a train! got two cats and in less than 6 months never saw a rat again.

It's my understanding that just the presence of a cat and they will stay away. Worked for me, but as others said, I have no idea how well this will work out mobile.
 
Thanks for the replies;

 I don't have any cats at the moment. I'll give it some thought.
 This year on the plateau, mice have not been much of a problem. However at the river they were a pain.

Come to think about it, I have some pretty good dog vs.. Rat stories.
 
Cats kept mice out of our house, except one brave mouse who didn't get past the trap.

I don't have a cat in the RV, but I think the dogs are just as much of deterrent as never had mice in their straw bale dog house either...only really in the hay stack
 
It is difficult to train a cat to come when called but you CAN train them to recognize the rattle of the treat bag and they will come running when they hear that. Trust me on this one! :)
 
Sealable tubs for food and Mouse Traps on hand for use with any visible sign. The one area I need to remember to check is the engine intake at the air filter housing. The biggest risk in areas I frequent is when the temperature starts dropping below freezing in the Fall and the summer population boom starts looking for warmer spots.
 
Jim Plow said:
Would cats be helpful in deterring mice in the van? . . .

Some cats are good mousers and some aren't.  About half of our barn cats were any good at catching mice, the rest would rather go after birds or were too lazy to go after anything.  A neighbor had a small terrier (rat terrier?) that was better than all his cats at catching mice.

You really want to keep rodents out of your living space as their urine, feces, saliva and nesting materials carries disease: heptaviris, salmonellosis, plague, rat bite fever.  That's why I don't like to use any kind of trap with bait; I don't want to encourage them to come in.

I do keep dryer sheets liberally spread around the camper and don't have a rodent problem, but I don't know if the dryer sheets are what repels themt.  Maybe it is the beagle that keeps them away (he is a good mouser).

dawnann7 said:
. . .  recognize the rattle of the treat bag and they will come running when they hear that.

I come running to the rattle of a treat bag  :p
 
I always thought it was cats who trained their humans...

"I'm not chasing those mice; YOU BRING THEM TO ME!"
 
at night when you are asleep is when they come out. pack rats are the worse. highdesertranger
 
highdesertranger said:
at night when you are asleep is when they come out.  pack rats are the worse.  highdesertranger

Just ...as I fall asleep.!!

Now that you reminded me of dogs being good mousers.

 I remember last year they had me so aggravated I put my poodle in the top cubbard above the cook stove.
My dog looked at me so funny I forgot how pissed off I was at the mouse and about fell over laughing.
 
highdesertranger said:
...pack rats are the worse."



My coonhound, a rescued stray from a shelter in KY, is well bred & was
obviously trained to track big cats & bear.  Here at home I must deny her
this pleasure or she'll end up a stray somewhere 200 miles away.

She's learned to relish her spot in front of the fire, but misses hunting.
Last evening was unseasonably warm, so I left a door open onto the deck
a bit too late.  Suddenly, my hound sprang from her soft bed, made a dash
for the kitchen & snagged a 'visiting' pack rat---just as it came thu the
door.  She stubbornly ignored my command to 'drop it'.

I tried to remove the limp critter from her jaws, but she clamped down hard
on it when I tried to pry it from her jaws.  She didn't growl, just wouldn't
let go.  She took it off into her den/crate, lay it down & seemed content just
to admire it.  (I was thankful she didn't eat it.) That sucker was 18" long
from nose to tip of tail. I have revised my opinion of my hound.  Surprise---
She's a 'ratter'!


:s Charlotte
 
highdesertranger said:
"... pack rats are the worse"


BTW Stranger, despite having been caught by surprise when my hound caught the pack rat,
I DID praise her.  I do want to encourage this new form of hunting, LOL.  Does your dog eat
what it catches?  Seems like not a good idea, but I don't know...What do you do about this?

:huh: Charlotte
 
fortunately for me no he doesn't eat them. once the kill is made he looses interest. I think it's good that you encourage that saves on traps. I also have no need for a car alarm. pity the fool that sticks their arm into my truck. highdesertranger
 
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