Does Having A Cat Keep Mice Away?

5 Reasons Why Your Cat Won’t Fix Your Mouse Problem

Many people think a house cat is the answer to their mouse problems, but do cats really get rid of mice? Not so much. While your furry friend is a good at exposing a rodent problem, they are not the solution. Find out why cats don’t always live up to their “mouse hunter” image.

Here are some reasons why having a cat is not enough to control the mouse problems you’re dealing with:

1. Cats Can’t Reach Nesting Areas

While cats might be able to keep mice out of your living space, that doesn’t mean they have left your home. Cats often don’t have access to the areas where the mice are nesting like the basement, attic, walls or crawlspaces. Mice will quickly learn that they can avoid the cat by traveling through the walls. Additionally, rodents that die inside of your walls create a terrible odor throughout your home, and are much more difficult to remove. So, while you might not see the mice, you may end up smelling their rotting carcasses.

2. Not All Cats Are Hunters

While there is a sterotype that all cats are mouse-hunting professionals, some cats are afraid of mice, while others just see them as playthings. It really depends on the personality of the cat.

3. Mice Carry Diseases & Other Pests

Even if your cat was able to catch a mouse or two, you run the risk of dealing with an even bigger problem. Cats can get fleas, ticks and other parasites from catching and eating mice. No one wants their cat to be sick or infected. Diseaes like Hantavirus (HPS) or Lyme Disease can easily be spread from mice to cats, as well as humans. Letting your cat act as your first line of defense against mice puts not only your cats health at risk, but you and your family’s health as well.

4. Mice Reproduce Quickly

While you may think your cat catching a few mice may feel like a victory, you’re fighting a losing battle. Mice reproduce so quickly that your cat cannot keep up. A female mouse can have a litter of 4 to 12 pups every three weeks. To avoid having multiple generations of mice throughout your home, it’s best to control the infestation professionally, and as quickly as possible. Letting mice live in your home for an extended period of time can result in a large-scale infestation.

5. Cats Can’t Seal Up Your Home

Even if your cat has caught a few mice, that’s not solving the root of the problem. The mice are getting in somehow and it’s probably small cracks in your foundation, gaps where pipes enter your home or even the space under your entry doors. Until you completely seal your home against rodents, they will continue to come back year after year.

How To Get Rid of Mice

The best way to get rid of your mouse problem is to prevent them from invading your home in the first place. Mice can get inside your home through openings as small as a dime. Follow these tips to prevent mice from getting in your home.

• Check your foundation for cracks and fill with silicone caulk.
• Make sure window and door screens don’t have any holes or tears.
• Install door sweeps on all the entry doors to your home.
• Trim back bushes and trees near your home to reduce shelter for rodents.
• Tidy up storage boxes in basements and attics to make it more difficult for mice to nest.
• Keep kitchen and pantries clean and store food in containers with tight-fitting lids.

If you fear your home is infested with mice and these home remedies simply are not enough, a local pest control company has the skills, experience, and equipment to effectively solve your mouse problem. At Catseye, we offer our Mice and Rodent Control program, as well as our signature Cat-Guard Exclusion Systems to permanently remove and prevent mice from entering your home.

So, if you do have a mouse infestation, don’t leave it to the cat; contact us for your cost-free inspection.

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