What is a good cat for catching outside mice?
A cat from a farm! The family farm up north swears by them.
Otherwise i have to agree about the orange tabby. My tabby who is 20lbs has been know to quick for a big cat. His resume includes; a rabbit, mouse, bugs, and small lizards. Did i mention he is also declared in the front and still can hunt. He is affectionally called KING TYLAR.
Cats are either catchers or they aren't. I prefer snap traps, easy to bait and still the best trapper out there. Se iff you have a local DIY exterminator store they have great advice.
My dad would point out that you're better off with a terrier. He always tells the story about shoveling out the corn cribs on the farm-- each cat would catch 1 mouse and play with it while the dogs would just keep snapping them up (they call them RAT Terriers for a reason!)
It's a common myth that a hungry cat will catch mice (to eat). A well fed cat actually is more likely to cat mice (because it has the energy to do so and it's a "game" to them).
You want an outdoor cat. Florida is horse country, so find horse farms near you and ask if they have any cats or kittens that they will give away (most of them do, because people dump/abandon cats at barns all the time). You want either a young adult or adult cat that has a barn cat for a momma because cats need to be talk by their mothers how to hunt. Yes it's instinctive, but they will do a better job if they have some teaching from an experienced hunter (like a good momma who's a hunter).
You might check with some of the local shelters... sometimes they have feral rescues that they adopt out as "barn cats" ..... they are used to catching much of their own food...
You will still need to provide it with proper veterinary care and regular food and water, and they may not be good "housecats".
Be warned, though.... they might go after the songbirds, bunnies, squirrels, or other wildlife.
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It will depend on the cat.
My mom had a cat that was an excellent squirreler but refused mice, too easy, too little, I don;t know.
I have three cats and only one would care if there were a mouse.
Find a cat that is used to eating mice. But be warned, cats bring their catches to you as gifts. Its; their way of showing love. So you may have dead mice on your doorstep, or squirrel tails, chipmunk feet.
A HUNGRY ONE!!
Seriously...I am not sure there is a way to know if a particular cat is going to be a 'mouser'...
Maybe you could check with a local farmer and see if they have a barn cat you can 'borrow'?
I'll be interested to read your responses...
Best Luck!
Michele/cat
Any cat that is a stray.
Some animal shelters do have barn cats, but the SPCA here makes you promise to have indoor only cats. Outdoor cats need extra shots, and be careful if your neighbors use rat poison.
My current cat is great at catching mice. He's just a regular orange and white "shorthair" tomcat. Started off as a stray that my neighbor was feeding, then I took on. He eats what he catches, usually mice but once a baby rabbit. He has become a better indoor cat after a few years, sits on my lap, finally learning to use a litterbox, but stays outside overnight. He checks the garage about once a week for mice. Not the personality of a cat I would have chosen- if my son bothers him, he bites ME.
