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Too young to catch mice?



 
 
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  #11  
Old November 19th 08, 11:01 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav
cybercat
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Posts: 4,212
Default Too young to catch mice?


wrote
and actually we rescued the kitten who was being kept on a freezing
cold porch, hadn't been taken to the vet, was covered in fleas and
clearly malnourished. he's now much healthier and being properly taken
care of. and on a side note, I came to this discussion board because I
was curious if i was missing something



You wrote, first line: "We got a kitten to catch the mice in the house."
This group is full of people who really like and love cats. Get it?


  #12  
Old November 19th 08, 11:24 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav
CatNipped[_2_]
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Posts: 4,003
Default Too young to catch mice?

wrote in message
...
On Nov 19, 1:41 pm, "Matthew"
wrote:
why did my post show up like that huh correct version

" wrote in message
...
We got a kitten to catch the mice in the house. He's about 12 weeks
old or so. The vet has recommended that he stay indoors, so he's not
getting any practice hunting outside at all. He loves to chase the
laser and play with little foam balls, and we have one of those little
mice that hangs on an elastic string that goes over the door that he
also loves. The problem is that in the 3 weeks since we got him the
mice have apparently gotten much bolder. The other night one ran right
by his food dish and this morning a mouse stood up on his hind legs
when it saw my roommate! The cat is never around when the mice are,
they seem to be coming from behind the stove or under the fridge and
he does spend some time sniffing around there and looking around
there, but he certainly hasn't chased or caught anything. Is he too
young for us to expect him to catch the mice? Or is there anything I
can do to help teach him?


Nope but you can take him back to where you got him if you want a mouse
trap and call an exterminator than stop being a complete idiot when it
comes to your cat. You cat is not a machine since you are a first time
poster here I am thinking TROLL


and actually we rescued the kitten who was being kept on a freezing
cold porch, hadn't been taken to the vet, was covered in fleas and
clearly malnourished. he's now much healthier and being properly taken
care of. and on a side note, I came to this discussion board because I
was curious if i was missing something and was met with judgmental
assumptions about who i am as a cat owner. if i were a negligent owner
who saw my cat as a "cheap form of pest control" then I would probably
not go to the trouble of trying to learn more. In addition, I was
under the assumption that this discussion board would be helpful in
answering some of my questions. Instead I have been called a 'complete
idiot' for asking simple questions. I would suggest that in the future
you think a little more about your posts so that rather than drive
people away with your harsh criticism you welcome their input and
questions, which is after all the entire purpose of discussion.

If anyone has any useful and helpful input I welcome it. If you merely
want to call me an idiot and imply that I am in some way less than
loving of my cat then I'd appreciate if you keep your misinformed and
myopic opinions to yourself. Thank you.


This is getting to seem like a broken record, huh guys?

Look, n00b - this is UseNet, not your Aunt Fanny's parlor. Nobody here
knows you or knows what you are like to your cat - we can only go by what
you post. When you come here with stupid questions expect to be flamed -
such is life.

Hugs,

CatNipped


  #13  
Old November 20th 08, 12:22 AM posted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav
Christina Websell
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Posts: 8,983
Default Too young to catch mice?


wrote in message
...
We got a kitten to catch the mice in the house. He's about 12 weeks
old or so. The vet has recommended that he stay indoors, so he's not
getting any practice hunting outside at all. He loves to chase the
laser and play with little foam balls, and we have one of those little
mice that hangs on an elastic string that goes over the door that he
also loves. The problem is that in the 3 weeks since we got him the
mice have apparently gotten much bolder. The other night one ran right
by his food dish and this morning a mouse stood up on his hind legs
when it saw my roommate! The cat is never around when the mice are,
they seem to be coming from behind the stove or under the fridge and
he does spend some time sniffing around there and looking around
there, but he certainly hasn't chased or caught anything. Is he too
young for us to expect him to catch the mice? Or is there anything I
can do to help teach him?


Yes, he is far too young to catch mice. Kittens who have never been taught
by their mother may never "get it" entirely. They may catch them as they
get older but not know how to deliver that killing bite. It took my boy 3
years or so of hunting outside to stop releasing live prey in my kitchen.
Fortunately the light bulb went on one day. I don't think there is anything
you can do to teach him yourself, especially as an indoor cat.



  #14  
Old November 20th 08, 01:20 AM posted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav
cybercat
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Posts: 4,212
Default Too young to catch mice?


"Christina Websell" wrote

I don't think there is anything you can do to teach him yourself,
especially as an indoor cat.


Which does not mean she should let her cat roam outside, Christina. Unless
the kitten really is a disposable mouse trap.


  #15  
Old November 20th 08, 01:21 AM posted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav
cybercat
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Posts: 4,212
Default Too young to catch mice?


"Christina Websell" wrote

Yes, he is far too young to catch mice. Kittens who have never been
taught by their mother may never "get it" entirely. They may catch them
as they get older but not know how to deliver that killing bite. It took
my boy 3 years or so of hunting outside to stop releasing live prey in my
kitchen. Fortunately the light bulb went on one day. I don't think there
is anything you can do to teach him yourself, especially as an indoor cat.


You are also fortunate that your cats have not caught parasites or diseases
from those rodents.


  #16  
Old November 20th 08, 02:34 AM posted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav
cshenk
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Posts: 2,427
Default Too young to catch mice?

wrote

"cshenk" wrote:


We got a kitten to catch the mice in the house. He's about 12 weeks
old or so. The vet has recommended that he stay indoors, so he's
not
getting any practice hunting outside at all. He loves to chase the


Hi Meghan. He's too young. What will happen when he gets older is he
will
probably scare the mice into finding some other place.

In the meantime, be careful about any mouse traps. Some of them can be
dangerous to your kitten too. Broken toes etc.


Great thank you!


Sure thing. Vet is right BTW, on keeping him inside. I know some in rural
areas do have outdoor cats but generally they are healthier if kept inside
(and wont get run over if you live near a road).

I lived once in a farm house for a bit and we had lots of little mice for a
time. Took a bit to seal up all their entry holes. House came with a 2
toed cat, reputed to have been hurt by a mouse trap (we do not know for
sure, but we didnt use mouse traps that snap because of him).

In this group you will see a fairly average crossmatch of usenet, from
friendly to kooks. The best advice anyone can give is to run anything that
sounds odd, by your vet. Like someone just said that you can use dog type
flea medicine on a cat and just adjust the dosage. Umm, I wouldnt do that.
It may be she is right for some brands, but it doesnt sound right and i know
it wont work for the higher end precription stuff we use here.


  #17  
Old November 20th 08, 02:46 AM posted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav
cshenk
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Posts: 2,427
Default Too young to catch mice?

"cybercat" wrote
"Christina Websell" wrote


Yes, he is far too young to catch mice. Kittens who have never been
taught by their mother may never "get it" entirely. They may catch them
as they get older but not know how to deliver that killing bite. It took
my boy 3 years or so of hunting outside to stop releasing live prey in my
kitchen. Fortunately the light bulb went on one day. I don't think there
is anything you can do to teach him yourself, especially as an indoor
cat.


You are also fortunate that your cats have not caught parasites or
diseases from those rodents.


Grin, actually Christina sounds familiar. Lives out in the country if i
recall right? I may be mixing her with another though. Was a lady with a
heated barn (cows and all that). Cat door to the kitchen.

Humm, now was the name Christina? Was definately a UK person on a farm with
cows and a heated barn. Some folks took after that lady for having 'outdoor
cats in winter' before they read on to see the heated barn.


  #18  
Old November 20th 08, 07:12 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav
DWMeowMix
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Posts: 68
Default Too young to catch mice?

On Nov 19, 8:47*am, wrote:
We got a kitten to catch the mice in the house. He's about 12 weeks
old or so. The vet has recommended that he stay indoors, so he's not
getting any practice hunting outside at all. He loves to chase the
laser and play with little foam balls, and we have one of those little
mice that hangs on an elastic string that goes over the door that he
also loves. The problem is that in the 3 weeks since we got him the
mice have apparently gotten much bolder. The other night one ran right
by his food dish and this morning a mouse stood up on his hind legs
when it saw my roommate! The cat is never around when the mice are,
they seem to be coming from behind the stove or under the fridge and
he does spend some time sniffing around there and looking around
there, but he certainly hasn't chased or caught anything. Is he too
young for us to expect him to catch the mice? Or is there anything I
can do to help teach him?


Hi Megha...

I've had multitudes of cats my whole life and I've NEVER had a cat
that would actually hunt. I've had a couple that would play with mice
and kill them leaving 1/2 their bodies and nasty entrails laying about
and one that caught a live garden snake (the exception, after a little
coaxing he adopted me after I found him living under an abandoned
house) and gave it to me as a gift. But other than Tang (the snake
cat) none of them actually hunted.

They did do a mighty fine job of scaring off any little varmits
though! I've never had a rodent problem...ever.

DWMeowMix
  #19  
Old November 21st 08, 07:23 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav
Stan Brown
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Posts: 211
Default Too young to catch mice?

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:55:42 -0500 from cshenk :
wrote

[quoted text muted]
We got a kitten to catch the mice in the house. He's about 12 weeks
old or so. The vet has recommended that he stay indoors, so he's not
getting any practice hunting outside at all. He loves to chase the


Hi Meghan. He's too young. What will happen when he gets older is he will
probably scare the mice into finding some other place.

In the meantime, be careful about any mouse traps. Some of them can be
dangerous to your kitten too. Broken toes etc.


I would worry, too, about what parasites or diseases the mice might
be carrying. They are a prime source of intestinal worms, if I recall
correctly.

--
Stan Brown, Oak Road Systems, Tompkins County, New York, USA
http://OakRoadSystems.com
Shikata ga nai...
  #20  
Old November 21st 08, 07:24 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav
[email protected]
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Posts: 126
Default Too young to catch mice?

Oh, good KEeerist~!!~

Please note the interpolations.

On Nov 19, 1:46*pm, "Matthew"
wrote:

Ok than ignore my posts but when you post what you did What do you think we
are going to think

1 *call an exterminator * *rats and mice carry disease and you could kill
your cat


Rats and mice carry disease, true. But cats are feral creatures which
in order to be complete (as a cat) must hunt. A properly vaccinated
cat with a systemic insect treatment is safer from these diseases than
the human in charge. Any one who has the gift of curiosity and has
done any research at all on "ratting cats" will discover that the best
hunters are well-fed, well-cared-for family pets. These cats will hunt
for sport, not for food. This means that they will wipe out a mouse
population for the sport of it. Cats who hunt by necessity take only
what they must and ignore the rest.

2 cats are natural hunters unless it learns from another cat or mom * they
will maime their prey and more inlikley play with it not knowing what to do
so unless you want a tidying on your pillow that is still alive * *CALL AN
EXTERMINATOR


Cats will play with their prey. That is also a natural behavior.
Mother cats give their kittens half-dead prey so they can learn to
kill without danger. Most so-called "adult" cats kept as pets are
*victims* of severely arrested development - large kittens if you
will. This is NOT good for the mental and emotional well-being of the
animal. As to leaving dead animals on the pillow, doorstep, whatever,
that is displacement behavior. They perceive us as particularly
incompetent hunters and wish to feed us. When they do this, PRAISE
THEM. TAKE THE DEAD CREATURE AND HIDE IT - so they think you ate it.
They think that they are doing you a huge favor and absolutely do not
understand any other reaction than appreciation.

3 IMO please keep your cat inside there are so many reason to do so-


Of course there are. And imagine if you were kept in a few rooms with
no entertainment other than that given grudgingly by huge creatures
who haven't a clue as to your real needs. No stimulation, nothing new,
nothing remarkable... ever... forever. Now you have a pretty good idea
of the typical house-cat's life after it gets past "cute kittenhood".
It may live a very long time and be superficially very healthy. You
would too if you were lobotomized and kept, clean and well-fed, in a
closet.

On a personal basis, our oldest cat (Boswell, Maine Coon, 12 years
old) has managed prey without any damage of any kind up to the size of
a yearling raccoon. He has brought home, live and undamaged for the
young dog to play with, squirrels, rabbits and chipmunks. He is
perhaps the happiest cat we have ever had - and one of the healthiest.
He is training his new kitten well - who is as-yet too young to go out
(we wait a year). He has twice saved lives by his direct action.

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.a...ll+peter+wieck

Follow that thread for the history.

I have also directly employed a cat in a very serious and professional
environment. He retired a short time ago at 19.

http://www.upenn.edu/pennnews/curren...99/Raider.html

No pet should be a personal appendage on the order of a piece of
jewelry or bit of art. They are living creatures with real needs that
are a 'requirement of nature' if you will. By building a mythology of
what is 'best for them' even though it thwarts their nature makes them
nothing at all more than that bit of soothing fluff - not a living,
breathing, creature that should !CHOOSE! to share our lives much as we
choose to share with it.

If your dog (large or small) cannot get off its leash and run every
day until it is tired - don't get a dog. If your cat cannot hunt
natural prey and you are not prepared to spend the time and effort to
provide genuine substitutions equally as stimulating - don't get a
cat. Keep in mind that unlike a dog, a healthy cat will sleep up to 22
hours a day at the extreme, more like 16 hours on average - so they
are somewhat easier to entertain than a dog.

As for Meghan - not to worry. Your kitten will learn to hunt without
adult-cat supervision. It will be awkward, sloppy and difficult at
first. But eventually he will get the hang of it. And when it comes to
exterminators - Don't if mice are your only problem. They have all of
two things they can do. Traps or poison. Traps get only the dumb ones
and you can do that just as well as they can (hint: use peanut-butter,
better Reese's Cups as bait - mice will eat cheese only if there is NO
alternative. All but white-footed deer mice are vegetarian). And
poison presents massive environmental problems even if not a direct
threat to your pets.

Otherwise, enjoy your kitten. And try to understand that eventually it
will become a cat - just as much pleasure but at an entirely different
level.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA
 




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