As far as longstanding myths go, the one that says cats are natural-born mice catchers is among the most persistent. If you happen to be faced with a mouse removal emergency, there is a chance you may be thinking about getting a cat. However, before you do that, there are several things you need to understand. Most importantly, cats should not be left in control of a home’s mice infestation. Here is why.

Mice tunnels over top of attic fibre glass insulation.

Contrary to popular belief, the ideal way to keep mice out for good is to combine a thorough inspection with permanent preventative measures. That is not something a cat can do, which is why removing mice from your home should be left to the professionals. Why does the myth persist then? Because at one point in history, it wasn’t a myth – it was the truth. However, nowadays cats just aren’t the most effective and efficient solution they used to be. As a matter of fact, relying on a cat can prolong your infestation.

Here are just some of the reasons why using a cat to remove mice from your home is not a good idea:

 

• Mice typically burrow and nest in places where cats cannot reach them, i.e. basements, attics, walls and so on.
• This means mice are shielded from the house cat. As a result, they can roam freely, gather food and continue to live and breed while completely safe from the predator.
• If they come in contact with cat feces, mice can become infected with toxoplasmosis. The extremely dangerous part is they can then pass the disease onto humans. According to studies, mice infected with toxoplasmosis are less afraid of cats.
• Well fed cats are less likely to go hunting for mice.
• In fact, it has been observed that cats attract mice rather than deter them. That means they will always be present unless they are professionally prevented from entering a home. That is why professionals are needed for mice removal almost 100% of the time.

Just about every house, old and new, has openings on the outside that are large enough for mice to find their way in. They are usually difficult to find and recognize for the average homeowner. The most obvious reason why “working cats” aren’t fit for the job of tracking down mice is – because they’re not looking for them. Your house cat isn’t going to be able to find and plug the holes mice use to get into your house. Instead, they can occasionally catch and play with a mouse or two, but that is usually it. Again – the only way to handle the removal of mice from your home properly is to stop them at their source.

This means getting in touch with a professional wildlife removal service like Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control. You can expect them to perform a full inspection of your home for entry points in the first step. Then, they will move on to apply permanent preventative measures so that your home can remain mice-free in the future. Waste no more time and call Skedaddle today!