Need a hunter -how to spot one?

Question

Hihi, I live in Ireland and we live right next to a river/stream but there are rats and mice which sometimes work their way into our yard.

We have a wee Fox Terrier, but she doesn't seem bothered by the intruders, simply stares in awe(hehe)

So we were thinking we should get a cat to chase these visitors away. We rescued our dog from an old man whose sole purpose in life is to rehome abandoned animals, so we want to get a kitty from him. Seeing as he can't give us a specific breed, do you even know what traits and characteristics to look out for?

Right tatooos....like "I love mum" ones, or an anchor or what? C'mon, be specific! I think maybe a moustache?

Answer 1

Maybe the man you're getting the kitten from will be able to tell, although in my experience hunting seems to come naturally to most cats.

Answer 2

Hi
I'm unclear as to whether you want a hunter/killer or "a cat to chase" the rodents away.
All cats will hunt, but not all know how to kill. The hunting instinct is universally inherited, the killing skill is learned from Mum Cat when they are still kittens.
If you simply want a cat that will chase the mice and rats away, you could be asking for trouble. The prey might not see the cat as a threat after a short time, and the cat might amuse itself by hunting wild birds which it cannot kill and eat swiftly and professionally, but will use the mauled bird as a toy and cause it severe injuries and pain.
If you want a hunter/killer, you really need to know about the Mum. Perhaps the old gentleman has a female with a litter which you can study before choosing one (or all?) Or maybe he knows which cat is a good hunter from experience.
You should not go for a pedigree cat anyway, as most will have been bred in unnatural and protective environments, with little or no chance to hunt let alone kill.
A good, clever moggie used to the outdoor life is a safe bet.
You could take one that takes your fancy on a test basis - see how it reacts when you put it near a mouse or rat and take it from there.
If you don't want to do that, take a toy on a string along and see which cat reacts to it best. Again, this is hard because agility, stealth and concentration reflect hunting skills - the cat might not know how to kill even if it puts on an impressive display!
I also think you don't want one that is too old and dreaming of retirement by the fireplace. And a small kitten won't be able to the job until it is large enough to feel confident; for mice this might be when it is 3 - 6 months old, for rats it could take a year or so!
Of course, you want one in good health and with excellent tools for the job, so check claws and teeth!
More personally speaking, I have found that female cats seem to be better hunters than males, maybe because they are programmed genetically to have to provide for large litters of kittens, whereas a male has to only feed himself in many cases.
Neutered males are sometimes (but not always) less interested in hunting and killing than entire Toms. However, I had a neutered male who was addicted to hunting and killing, so these are just generalisations really and based on my personal experiences. I am sure there are many people out there who would disagree!

Answer 3

Get an Air gun lol. works a treat from about 20 yards.

On a more serious note. most cats will hunt if they are predominately outside cats. My 2 cats spend most of the day outside and all night outside. They only come in for feeding time. Both are female btw. However the last 3 months we have found dead birds and mice in our garage, on our patio and also one cat jumped in through out top window with a mouse in its mouth lol.

I think the more outside they get, the more likely they are to kill vermin.

Answer 4

if you get the cat as a kitten then see if it likes to play chase. if it does then it is bound to grow up to be a good hunter. if it is an adult it is a good idea to feed the cat under what is recommended in cat food for the first few weeks. not by any means so it is starving, but just so it gets a bit hungry between meals. this will encourage it to go out and catch rodents, and also to eat them rather than bring them home alive. do not do underfeed a kitten though as this could hinder their growth. i would recommend getting an adult cat that has been abandoned at some point in its life, as then it will be used to catching and eating rodents.
hope this helps

Answer 5

Although it is not guaranteed (since I had a good hunter who did not want to play most of the time), the best test is probably a wad of paper tied on the end of a string so you can throw it out and pull it back. A cat that is going after moving things will stawk and pounce on the paper. A bigger wad will test willingness to attack size.
Since you mention "rescue" and "chase away" let me point out that a cat is likely to eat mice entirely and (in the case of mine) attack and kill rats then chew on the head, and then perhaps bring you the body as a "present" Our in-out cat used to bring some of them in under the bed and crunch them there. Admittedly, after a while it was much rarer as she had killed off most of the population.

Answer 6

in my experience, just about any cat seems to be a natural at it.

I had two males - raised in the city, second floor apartment, afraid of the outdoors (esp grass) but great mousers when I moved them to a farmhouse. And I thought it was the "smarter" brother who was responsible, but when he passed, the plumper, jolly one seemed especially good at giving me "presents".

Had a female that hunted everything - mice, birds, rabbits

Of my three cats now, both the male abandoned outside and the female are excellent at stalking the furry invaders.

And... all my cats are well fed - with cat food and treats - so it's not hungry that's driving them.

Answer 7

I'm afraid you can't walk down a line of cats and go "hunter, hunter, wuss, hunter," and the hunting is an instinct.

My cat Socks is a good little mouser. And her attitude has gone through several changes. When we got her she was playful and rough. When she was doctored, she became more sociable.
Then there was her son, Trotter, he was gentle as anything, but still a hunter.

I suppose all I can advise you to do is look for a fit, healthy cat.

Answer 8

If you need a cat that can also go after mice and rats, I suggest a larger type of cat such as those big grey striped kinds. They are usually very good mousers. They are a bit more aggressive in catching rodents. Good luck!

Answer 9

Remember that your fox terrier might be bothered by a cat intruder! That aside, one of our cats is a mouser so I can tell you what she's like. She's a rescue cat and was one when we got her. She is a spayed female dark tortioseshell moggie. She probably learnt/was encouraged on how to mouse with us as we used to play with her by throwing her the little mouse toys with little rattling balls inside as she liked to run after them. So like the other people said, if the cat will pounce when you throw one of those toys and batter it with its paws or 'hug' it and kick it, then it'll probably like mousing. I'm not sure about rats - our neighbours had rats but we never had them so something about our cats probably scared them away but I never saw the cat with one.
Good luck.

Answer 10

Hi,
If you live in a Farley rural setting and lots of countryside around you could maybe consider a feral cat. Basically you need to give them shelter and food but they are not tame relay. If you want a tame cat then post have built in hunting skills. Hope this helps.
Madcat74