So, it started last Summer when we first moved here. There was a period of about 2 months where Starsky (our 12 year old toothless cat) was catching mice, shrews and voles almost daily. Some lived, some died. The shrews were cutest – tiny with long, bendy noses. Anyhow I digress.
Hiatus. Then in February this year we had two instances of middle-of-the-night mouse 'Bringings'. One was mangled and half-dead which Duncan heroically finished off… And one we never saw again. Eek.
Then another hiatus.
And then recently we had a 2am live-mouse-on-the-bed incident. Somehow it was hazily caught and placed in a non-airtight plastic shoebox but by morning the poor thing had expired. Still this allowed us to successfully identify it as a deer-mouse, so named because they are white underneath and under the tail. They also jump like billy-o.
And scarily, Deer mice also carry the Hanta virus (urine and droppings) which can be fatal so you have to clean up very carefully – my hands are dry because of all the handwashing and cleaning!
And then 3 days later. THREE middle-of-the-night mouse 'bringings'. We learned to recognize the THUMP from downstairs as she jumped on it and were just about awake enough to catch them. Although one (after a thorough bedroom search) wasn't located until the morning – when it gave itself away with scratchy noises having found dog kibble AND eaten some holes in my dog-walking trousers.
Next day another 3 mouse bringings. Thankfully all before 11pm.
TOTAL – 10 mice in a week. And currently no more scratching from the porch (plan to put proper foundation in this year and seal up all walls). Great job Starsk!
SURVIVAL RATE (successful release into the woods) if caught by 12 year old gummy cat? 3/10.
Glad I'm not a mouse!