Cats/kittens/rabbits/mice???

I hope that mad title lured you in

Basically OH and I are moving and a house we are looking at is an old cottage in the countryside (with a massive bunny garden ) so the house naturally has the odd mouse. Now I don't mind mice, but I don't want to find them in my shoes, so we are considering options. Current owner has those high pitched squeakers. What are these like for bunnies- anyone know? Owner also has poison- no brainer- no way, and not just because of the buns. I'm not poisoning animals.

We were thinking a cat could be a good natural detterent. I have seen many threads on the cat rabbit debate and feel that I could keep the rabbits safe enough and only have them together supervised. Do people think that a) cats are good at keeping mice away and b) would a cat or kitten be better for getting along with rabbits? We would be rescuing.

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts

Some cats just bring more mice in :lol:

I personally wouldn't allow a kitten near a rabbit, just because I'm currently scratched to bits from my boyfriends kitten! Plenty of people do keep them together, I just personally wouldn't. I do have 2 adult cats though

Thanks Stephanie. I guess I was thinking of the whole 'you can't teach an old dog new tricks' saying... Or an old cat in this case! Maybe a young cat?

P.S my phone autocorrected to Stephanie! Sorry!

My Mollycat was a very good deterrent for mice- the only problem was, she'd leave dead mice all over the place. Not the nicest thing to get up to in the morning :shock: Having said that, we only had mice for a couple of months- it seemed they learned their lesson and went somewhere else to live.

Alternatively, you can get live mouse traps, which trap them inside and then you release them outside- they don't get harmed in any way :thumb:

As for socialisation, I'd say a kitten would be better, personally. When I move out I hope to get a kitten, so it can grow up with the bunnies and hopefully grow to be friends. Also, a young kitten will be smaller than the buns for a while so might even be wary of them. I wouldn't leave them unsupervised together though, for obvious reasons!

Good luck! We need cat pics if you go ahead with it!

Your phone's evil :lol:

My first cat was about 5 when the rabbits moved in. She's not good with them, but she isn't good with anyone and will attack me for the hell of it so I wouldn't expect her to be :lol: She won't hurt them, but I won't take the chance with her.

My other cat moved in after the rabbits when he was about 3 or 4 (guesswork!) and he is fantastic with them.

jordanrose said:

My Mollycat was a very good deterrent for mice- the only problem was, she'd leave dead mice all over the place. Not the nicest thing to get up to in the morning :shock: Having said that, we only had mice for a couple of months- it seemed they learned their lesson and went somewhere else to live.

Alternatively, you can get live mouse traps, which trap them inside and then you release them outside- they don't get harmed in any way :thumb:

As for socialisation, I'd say a kitten would be better, personally. When I move out I hope to get a kitten, so it can grow up with the bunnies and hopefully grow to be friends. Also, a young kitten will be smaller than the buns for a while so might even be wary of them. I wouldn't leave them unsupervised together though, for obvious reasons!

Good luck! We need cat pics if you go ahead with it!

Click to expand...

Kirby's smaller than me - she's still ripped me to bits! :lol:
Their claws are sharp, I can't actually bend my finger properly atm because she clawed me on the joint of one of my fingers the other day

steph182 said:

Kirby's smaller than me - she's still ripped me to bits! :lol:
Their claws are sharp, I can't actually bend my finger properly atm because she clawed me on the joint of one of my fingers the other day

Click to expand...

Good point! :lol:

I think as you're thinking of a rescue cat anyway, the staff would be able to gauge which cats/kittens would be the right temperament for bunnies. Or maybe you'll get lucky and find one that's used to rabbits already. It's worth explaining your situation and seeing what they say at the rescue :thumb:

Steph (better?!) :lol: you cat sounds... Lovely?! :lol:

Jordanrose I'm hopeful that that would be the case :thumb:

Good rescues are usually pretty good at assessing temperament etc and will know which ones are more likely to get on or not be fussed by the rabbits. Kittens may be more tolerant of/less interested in the rabbits if it grows up with them but an older cat may be much less playful with them so I'm not sure which I'd say.

As for the mouse question, I only have the one cat so not much experience but, seeing as Skye brought us in a live mouse one day last week, I would have to say they aren't necessarily good mousers. :shock::lol: (I also have to point out that, after much panic, mousey was trapped in a jug and released into the garden.)

The kitten that we took on at 6 mths wasn't very nice with any of the animals at first but in time she has mellowed and is brill with them She is even good with the chooks and the hamster...noticed her walking through the chooks enclosure today and they weren't even bothered:thumb: I dont know if we have just been very lucky with her though...we haven't had any mice since getting her though *touches wood*:lol:

Just thought I'd add that my rabbits chase and harass the cat, whereas the cats will happily leave the rabbits alone.

Thanks for your thoughts folks. Does anybody have any ideas about those big pitched plug in mouse deterrents? Would they bother rabbits?