Lucy&Pard

I need your help as I cant think whether this is a good idea or not. Over the weekend we discovered we have house mice (our house is dated 1780!). Apparently the whole row of cottages have them. I have seen mouse poops recently and our neighbours said it was because its getting colder. They caught 20 last year in mouse traps! Im not being funny but I refuse to have mouse traps (they could be half caught and squeeling!) in the house or poison as they could die and fester under the floorboards.

What makes this all worse is they are in the nursery. I found 2 poops in the moses basket and what looked like pee on some of the bedding - mice carry all sorts of diseases. Very very upset yesterday - if it was my bed fine but I have just got all that perfect and I cant put a newborn baby in room with mice! Had to wash everything yesterday and disinfected whole room. Hubby went to get humane trap.

We have had ongoing argument before this about cats. I have always had them but my last one was run over last year the day I got back from honeymoon. Ive also never had a problem with mice when I had cats! He also knows how much I really really want one. Anyway big row ensued he saying they smell etc (which they dont but bloody mice do!) he also really hates animals but I love them - anyway I sulked and got my old pictures of old cat out Anyway later on hubby was being weird last night on the internet I was like ermm......whats going on here then.....turns out he has found this gorgeous cat a Bengal whose owners are moving away. He was going to surprise me with him then realised that I might actually need to see him first - he said he realised how much I want one and thinks its a good idea. He is gorgeous I want him! We are going to see him this week. Am I totally mad getting a cat now 2 and a bit weeks away from having baby? If it was a kitten I would say yeah I am. New cat will need to settle in and there is time for him before baby comes...?! Solves the mouse problem though! I dont know now what to do!.......

LUCYXX

LuluBee

If you're used to having a cat and think he'll settle easily then I would go for it! How awful to find mouse droppings in the nursery, I don't blame you for being so upset.

One word of warning though - make sure you get a cat that's actually good at hunting! My cat gets scared if there's a spider in the room so know she would be useless at catching mice!

carries

No you arent mad at all! Id have one but my OH sounds very much like yours. I did have a beautiful Norwegian forest cat but he started spraying when my OH was there and can be a little aggressive so he is now living with my parents.

Most of the problems with cats is that they feel teritorial and hopefully you wont have that problem as he wont have been there long enough!

So crappy about the mice though, can you not get an exterminator man in?

manclass82

A cat with all those mice to chase should be a happy kitty. If it was me it would be my luck that I would get the cat then discover that it is a useless mouse catcher.

What I would say is that as the cat will need access to the nursery to scare off any mice that think of coming in then you will need to keep an extra alert eye on the cat. You could find that the cat itself wants to pee in there and make it his/her territory!

I have a cat and she is always trying to sit in the nursery, so when baby comes I am a little concerned that she may think that baby makes a warm cushion (hoping the crying puts her off that idea!).

I dont think it will be a problem though, you know how to handle cats and like you said it solves the mice issue, plus babies/children that grow up with animals are a lot less likely to get allergies and asthma, so it benefits baby too xxx

Take care hope it all goes well xxx

poppy

I think getting a cat should be fine and it would solve your worries about the mice. A fully grown cat should manage to settle in fine. If it was a kitten, he might take more work but a grown cat should be fine.

xxx

enigma

If you want a cat then go for it.
Also might be an idea to ring the local council and get the number for pest control.

Blob

I'd def be getting a cat, i'm NOT a cat person but since we live on a farm we have lots of wild cats so they kill all the vermon around also our dogs are great at catching mice But no cats are great for that i'd die if i found some in my babies room.

Though i have to say poisen is the best thing to use, u could use it outside around your house might keep some out?

Oh also have you tried one of those highpitch things that you can get that keep mice out?? I know people who swear by them and even keeps mice out their stable... might be worth a shot!!

Lucy&Pard

Thanks guys have taken all on on board. I'll see him (the cat) tonight and see if I like him he is really gorgeous and also the breed is a very good hunter yey!

Yes still gutted about the mouse droppings etc in the basket I dont like using loads of chemicals specially not in the nursery but I literlly dettoled the whole thing so I think should be ok now.

Becky

lucy ill pop my cat over for you he loves chasing things!!

x

sam's mum

I don't think you're mad at all! And how sweet is your OH?! x