Cat Wanted and Needed

nicowa

I've moved into a house (renting) in Leopardstown with my partner and his son. We have apple trees in the back garden and I mentioned when we were moving in that we might need a cat - falling apples and the attracted rodents. He didn't like the idea as he really hates cats, like animals, always would treat them well, just doesn't like cats.

Just last night I woke up to a sort of scratching noise, convinced myself that it was the bedsheet coming undone from the corner (it's stretched too tight). But today I saw a rat on the patio. It came right up to the patio door when we (5 of us) were sitting at the table just inside.

I'm more than a little freaked out.

I like cats and I wanted to get one when we moved. Now I'm insisting on it and - considering the circumstances - he's more than happy to get one too.

Anyone know where I can get a good cat? Anyone got a good mouse/rat catching cat with young?

I don't want to take an older cat (over 3) as the move would probably be too much for it. But I don't want a kitten either - considering the rat was about the size of a small kitten...

Is the pound a good place to go to? Is there one in Dublin? (Yes, I'm up from the country...)

mymo

Are you looking for an indoor pet, indoor/outdoor pet, outdoor semi feral?
The shelters are all overrun with cats of all shapes and sizes, once you know what you want give a call around, tell them what you want, they'll tell you if they have something suitable.
You mention partners son, if there's kids around I would recommend a adolescent or young adult cat at the oldest, they are more adaptable.
You will need to keep the cat in the house for at least a couple of weeks, so you'll need litter trays etc, when you first let it out do it when it hasn't been fed for several hours, give it a minute or two to nose around and call in with food. If you do this couple of times a day for few days, gradually increasing the time outside the cat will get used to the area.
If you let it out straight away, the stress of the move and all the new things could see him wander off and get lost.

Groom!

Oh god those rats just get braver and braver don't they?

I think the DSPCA have some kittens. Any rescue would probably have some young cats and kittens for rehoming at the moment.

Unfortunately there is no guarantee that having a cat will deter the rats. Some cats just have no interest in hunting. I have had a lot of cats over the years (more than 7) and I can honestly say that only about 2 of them were decent hunters.

In the meantime I would suggest some rat bait in pipes.

A jack russell might be the answer !!:)

nicowa

Thanks guys. I'm freaking out just reading your replys (and the reminder...).

Took a look at the DSPCA website. Might call in on Monday and see what they have.

Latatian

Remove the rat bait before the cat comes- if they get poisoned rats they can get very sick.

Themadhouse

TBH i would be more inclined to try and get rid of the rats another way. Make sure the fallen apples are picked up, no rubbish left lying around. Find the nest and get nn exterminator in.
A cat wont guarantee the problem is solved. You will need to keep the cat indoors for at least 6 weeks to ensure they realise this is their home. Do you want to wait that long to let the cat out rat catching?
Rats can kill cats too, so, something else to consider.

Graces7

Themadhouse wrote: »

TBH i would be more inclined to try and get rid of the rats another way. Make sure the fallen apples are picked up, no rubbish left lying around. Find the nest and get nn exterminator in.
A cat wont guarantee the problem is solved. You will need to keep the cat indoors for at least 6 weeks to ensure they realise this is their home. Do you want to wait that long to let the cat out rat catching?
Rats can kill cats too, so, something else to consider.

Depends on the cat; our two keep our very rural place rat free.

Never heard of a rat killing a grown cat; the fact of a cat around will deter rats.

At one house we had rats running in the roof space; a half grown cat we had tackled a huge one and killed it after a fight and we never had any issues with rats after that.

And no to 6 weeks also.

Rat poison is filthy stuff.

Themadhouse

Graces7 wrote: »

Themadhouse wrote: »

TBH i would be more inclined to try and get rid of the rats another way. Make sure the fallen apples are picked up, no rubbish left lying around. Find the nest and get nn exterminator in.
A cat wont guarantee the problem is solved. You will need to keep the cat indoors for at least 6 weeks to ensure they realise this is their home. Do you want to wait that long to let the cat out rat catching?
Rats can kill cats too, so, something else to consider.

Depends on the cat; our two keep our very rural place rat free.

Never heard of a rat killing a grown cat; the fact of a cat around will deter rats.

At one house we had rats running in the roof space; a half grown cat we had tackled a huge one and killed it after a fight and we never had any issues with rats after that.

And no to 6 weeks also.

Rat poison is filthy stuff.

Yes some cats will be fantastic and others not so interested in chasing rats. Not all cats are great hunters or show any interest in seriously hunting. Rats might be detered but they are also cheeky buggers if there us a good food source. Any eat that is deterred by a feline presence will just move next door or 2 doors down, it won't get rid of the problem.

Someone might have already put out rat poison, cat bites or eats rat along with poison which will kill them. Also cats can be bitten by rats which could kill them.

Why would you not keep a cat inside for 6 weeks to ensure he/se stays around? The cat might not be neutered and will wander, even if it is neutered it needs to understand this is my home. It's not just going to settle into a new environment and sort the rat problem out. Even with ferals relocating to rural areas, farms etc the advice is the same, confine them indoors or in safe space for 6 weeks to ensure they don't head off or back to where they came from.

A humane trap is the best way to go, definitely not poison.

planetX

my cats are ferocious hunters but they only ever take baby rats - I think an adult rat is beyond the abilities of most cats.
Cats are fantastic pets, but that should be the first reason you get one...

boomerang

nicowa wrote: »

I don't want to take an older cat (over 3) as the move would probably be too much for it.

Not true at all actually! A cat of any age will adapt to a new home. But regardless of age you have to keep them in for the first few weeks at least, to help them settle.

Edited to add: Regardless of its hunting abilities, you'll still have to feed the cat every day, and make sure it's wormed regularly if it's going to be eating birds and rodents! If it's not going to be an indoor cat you'll also have to provide it with a warm shelter. Like others have said, not all cats are mousers. They have individual personalities and you can't be certain the cat you get will have a strong hunting instinct. So do you still want to have the cat if it doesn't solve the problem with the rats? Something to consider.

tallus

It might help to keep the cat around if you bury some of his/her droppings in the back garden. Not sure if it works, but a friend of mine suggested it. Both of mine were kept indoors for at least three weeks before I let them out of the house.
Best of luck OP.

kylith

How does your parnter feel about dogs? Terriers are ratting machines.

Knine

planetX wrote: »

my cats are ferocious hunters but they only ever take baby rats - I think an adult rat is beyond the abilities of most cats.
Cats are fantastic pets, but that should be the first reason you get one...

have had lots of cats over the years, They all killed huge rats except one who insisted on giving us presents of live ones:eek:

Terriers will also do a great job, something like Border Terrier or Jack Russell and make a great pet too.

I certainly wouldnt bother getting either a dog or cat unless you actully wanted a pet.

planetX

Knine wrote: »

have had lots of cats over the years, They all killed huge rats except one who insisted on giving us presents of live ones:eek:

Terriers will also do a great job, something like Border Terrier or Jack Russell and make a great pet too.

I certainly wouldnt bother getting either a dog or cat unless you actully wanted a pet.

strange - I've had pigeons, bats, rabbits, even a baby hare:( and hundreds of mice, but have never ever found a dead adult rat, only small ones (and I do have rats out there...) Guess my cats aren't as ferocious as I thought. Or maybe rats taste bad:)

Knine

planetX wrote: »

strange - I've had pigeons, bats, rabbits, even a baby hare:( and hundreds of mice, but have never ever found a dead adult rat, only small ones (and I do have rats out there...) Guess my cats aren't as ferocious as I thought. Or maybe rats taste bad:)

I havent tasted a rat myself but mine used to eat the heads:eek: and you would find headless rats, mice, birds:mad: and even squirrels.

It wasnt very nice though if one of them brought home a live rat and let it go in your house, not nice at all.

In saying all that we did have one cat who used to sit with our pigeons and even sleep with them. He certainly wouldnt hunt to save his life.

sambuka41

When my guy was outdoors he would hunt maybe once every 6months!! In saying that he has caught adult rats, magpies, blackbirds

My parents have a Cairn terrier down the country, he is obsessive about the mice, its unfair tbh. If they get in the house he is up all night stalking them, listening to them, it does his head in. Plus dogs are more hard work than cats!!

deiselack

I wouldn't agree with letting terrier's/dogs getting the rat's, once they're 'blooded' they might turn nasty and bite?

I love cat's. I once had a cat that used to leave 2 and 3 mice/rats at the back door constantly. Great little cat, was very affectionate but wasn't afraid of anything, plus he was neutered which I found odd.

Definitely go to a cat protection league or local SPCA.

Happy hunting

andreac

deiselack wrote: »

I wouldn't agree with letting terrier's/dogs getting the rat's, once they're 'blooded' they might turn nasty and bite?

Happy hunting

The highlighted part is a joke right?:rolleyes: I really do wonder where people get there info from sometimes....

Terriers are bred to hunt etc, so how on earth would they turn nasty when they are "blooded" as you put it?? If thats the case, all the dogs i know that have killed an animal at some stage in their life are all vicous creatures:rolleyes:

tallus

The only time my cat killed rats was when i used to leave food outside for him, and it attracted vermin. Now I feed both of mine indoors and thankfully the problem is non existant. He has killed more than a few adult rats by the way, and adult rabbits too.

julsf

I have been talking to quite a few people with rats, as I am doing some research for a television documentary about pest control, and I may well have the answer for you if you want to get in touch.

Thanks

kylith

deiselack wrote: »

I wouldn't agree with letting terrier's/dogs getting the rat's, once they're 'blooded' they might turn nasty and bite?

My terriers have killed several rats and they are certainly not nasty. In fact a couple of people who wouldn't consider themselves dog people love my dogs because they are so gentle and calm.

IMO terriers are indespensible when alerting you to the presence of, and dealing with, rats.

mel.b

Themadhouse wrote: »

A cat wont guarantee the problem is solved. You will need to keep the cat indoors for at least 6 weeks to ensure they realise this is their home. Do you want to wait that long to let the cat out rat catching?

I adopted a stray cat a few years ago. He was not neutered (but is now) and I kept him inside for a week. After that he was raging to get outside and had no problem coming back to his new home. He is the most affectionate cat I have ever owned - just wants to be with you all the time, but he is also an amazing hunter - flies, mice, birds and the occasional frog. I also suspect he has either tried to raid a fishpond in someones backyard or attempted to catch fish from the river near my house as he has come home wet up to his belly a couple of times:P

Strangely for a cat, he also makes friends with the other neighbour cats. There were two kittens living next door that he used to play with. When he would see them outside he would sit at the window and whine. He'd also let them into the house and to eat out of his food bowl. Earlier this week a big ginger cat followed him to the house. I left the front door open and my cat sat at it and just let this big ginger cat walk straight in past him. I'm sure he'd love it if there was another cat in the house to keep him company but I don't think my landlord would let me:(

tallus

That's actually pretty cool Mel, my two don't share... one takes from the other, and I have to monitor them when I'm feeding them. Both are neutered but still fight with neighbouring cats.

Markface

SNIP

star-pants

Markface firstly whilst we don't mind personal recommendations of someone, you cannot find all cat wanted threads and post about this 'Caitriona' - you also cannot post up her contact number unless she has it on her own website.
If she is a rescue she can register for a verified rep account by emailing hello[at]boards.ie