Cat and Mouse

Merch

I live in a semi-d in Dublin, Yesterday morning, I was looking out the kitchen window while eating the breakfast and I noticed a mouse (it looked like it would fit in the palm of my hand) creeping in and out from under the shed, feeding on something that dropped from a bird feeder
I have been putting fat balls out (hanging in a feeder from the shed) and not far away I have a bird feeder pole with a seed and nut feeder.

I had wanted to keep feeding the small birds that have been frequenting my garden until it got warmer and that it was likely there would be seed/buds growing and insects for them to eat, now I'm concerned I'm attracting mice, never ever seen one around here, is it likely they will approach and try get into the house through small cracks?

There are a few cats (couple big ones and few females) roaming around so I thought I never saw mice because they got them all or the cats' scent kept them away.Also last night a medium sized cat, that looks like it is just past being a kitten was meowing like mad when I went out the back to put rubbish out, I fed it some tuna and milk but it was extremely wary and I think it is a stray, I left the remainder in a plastic tub on top of one of the bins so mice couldn't get at it/to try not attract them near the house (the food and remaining milk was gone this morning but the tubs were still on the bin)

Should I take in the bird food/not replenish it when it is finished to prevent it encouraging mice?
If I feed the cat is that going to deter mice and then also the birds? some feed off the ground (finches?)
Or should I just get some traps and set them near the shed?

thoughts

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

A couple of thing here.

1) The Mouse: It may well be a Wood Mouse as opposed to a House Mouse.

http://www.the-piedpiper.co.uk/th1g.htm

If it's a Wood Mouse then there is no real problem. They do not do the damage, or cause the disease, that a House Mouse would. Therefore no need to do anything to deter it. If it's a House Mouse then the usual methods of dispatch would apply (I'm not taking any sides on that issue but well placed snap traps covered to keep birds off always work for me)

If there is a vermin problem you should stop feeding the birds as the spillages do exasperate the problem.

2) The Cat: I'm sorry, but in my experience the Cat and Feeding birds do not go together. If you want to encourage the Cat then stop attracting birds to the garden. If you want birds in the garden then deter the Cat.

Mothman

Agree with Srameen re cats, its generally an either/or situation. There are probably a few threads in the archives here dealing with the issue of cats. Mice or birds, they're all prey....

Merch

Looking them up, I can not tell which it was, I thought it was a very light brown, I guess I was so surprised to even see it sneaking in and out from under the shed, I was more concerned about identifying that it was a mouse and not a rat, I think after the current batch of food I will not feed the birds as i think it will be warm enough by then, If i see the cat I may feed him/it but will avoid leaving food out.
I dont want them venturing any nearer the house, so I think I will be moving the brown bin to the far corner of the garden (it has been cold so I think that is not really an issue)

littlebug

Mothman wrote: »

There are probably a few threads in the archives here dealing with the issue of cats. Mice or birds, they're all prey....

Most of them started by me:o Again I agree, in my experience feeding birds and having a cat in the garden is not a good combination:(

I stopped feeding the birds due to cats, but I also have a mouse/ mice under the shed. I doubt if they'll go just by stopping feeding to be honest.

Graces7

The mice will be there all the time; just that you have only just noticed them. Most of us would be amazed at the wild life that goes on unobserved around us.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Littlebug in my experience Mice under sheds are usually Wood Mice. They are great to watch and can be very curious - going to the bird table and watching you watching them.

I wouldn't stop feeding birds if all you have is a Wood Mouse. They'll be there anyway, as a good nature friendly garden for birds will have the seeds and berries etc that a Wood Mouse, Hedgehog et al will enjoy too.

whyulittle

Found the cat with a mouse in her mouth earlier.

Great you might say, until I saw the dead blackbird as well!

Merch

well from my initial post, its definitely a rat, saw one this morning size of a red brick approx, so maybe that previous one was a baby.

not to keen on putting poison down, any ideas whats an effective trap and where to get one?

I might try encourage the cats again, I was thinking of getting a cat or a small dog before this anyway, possibly a westie or a jack russel, now Im thinking jack russel, I dont think cats would go for the size this thing was?
Any opinions?

Also came across a strange elongated fur thing on the kitchen window ledge (looked like it was only fur, I poked it down the drain, although i'd hoped if it was anything it was a mouse ball barfed up by a cat and not something left by a rat)

So solutions to catch/kill a rat/s? Im assuming there are more big ones and a quite a few small ones too.