We need a good rat cacthing cat, so, should we get a older/young/kitten or what.
I'm thinking, we are thinking I mean about getting a kitten to get it used to our house.
But then, should we get a cat expericned with rat cacthing thats biggier?
oh, and male or female?
No matter what, the cat will be spayed/neutered so don't a male so it won't have kittens.
So, what is best?
Answers:
I'm glad someone wants a cat for the purpose they were intended. they do make great pets tho. what you need is a female cat as they make better mousers. perferably one who has had a litter or two as they would be used to hunting for food for their babies. a nice big one cause you don't want the rat to scare the cat. a kitten would make a nice pet and would probably do the job evenually if you didn't spoil it. as far as getting it used to the house i don't see a prob as cats tend to make themselves right at home very quickly. watch the doors when you go out for awhile as it will want to go outside and could well disappear. some dogs are ok for rats but do not watch a rat hole like a good cat will.
MY DAUGHTER JANE WILL BE ANSWERING QUESTIONS TONIGHT
I know! A preteen cat! right when they outgrow being a kitten. cause they are out going, like to chase things, always jumping around and dont like to sleep, they are nocturnal.
From Jane
An adult rat is a formidable opponent for a cat. I would think most cats would avoid them. Obviously a kitten would be totally inadequate to catch rats.
I have never thought of having a cat for its predatory propensities. I think a number of dogs (especially terriers) were actually bred to be rat catchers. That might be a better option.
a kitten will have to learn to catch rats. an adult cat will have more experience. go to the local animal shelter to adopt. adult cats have a harder time getting adopted.
I would say a cat that is about 1-2 years old, that way they are trained (hopefully) to be inside, and they usually know what to do with rats! ;) If the rats or outside, then i would suggest a cat that is use to the outside!
Just be prepared to pick up dead rats all over the place!! (and always check shoes before putting them on) ;)
A kitten, you'll have to train it to catch rats though. There are certain breeds which will be better at this than others because they're more predatory by nature. I'd guess that a male would be more likely to catch rats because they're more aggressive anyway?
Hi Jessica.consider an adult female or male cat who has already been living outdoors that isn't too feral (somewhat wild, but can handle being around humans). Both genders can be excellent mousers.some say females moreso since they have a habit of bringing back their catches to their young kittens to teach them to hunt. Please keep in mind that outdoor cats not only need to be spayed/nuetered, but also need vaccinations regularly since they are at higher risk for diseases as well.
Here's a web article on barn cats who make a living working at being mousers: http://www.grit.com/article/2006/09/barn.
Good hunters as they are, cats are not actually "born" rat-catchers. They have to be trained since young by their parents at catching rats.
If you want a rat catcher, it is better to get an adult cat. Chances are, if you adopt a kitten, it won't grow up to be a rat catcher due to lack of guidance from it's parent.
However, I'm not so sure about spayed/neutered cat. They tend to be very sluggish.
You can adopt an adult cat from a local shelter. Adult cats don't get adopted that often and get put down every now and then (very sad!)
get an exterminator
an adult cat
I think everyone has given good ideas - a young adult cat would be the best at rat catching, the only issue would be that you would need to make sure that the cat is used to dogs, if you have a terrier!
and last but not least - please remember that a good mouser needs to be healthy and well fed! You should not restrict their food in the hopes that they will hunt better. She will be a good mouser only if she is fit and healthy enough to catch them. You don't want her actually eating the rats, as she could then bring all sorts of nasties into your home!
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