[jacob and Georgina]

I'm looking to buy a cat when i move house we are moving some where with some more land and i wanted a cat to keep the mice and rats down. However i have been told that if you let your cat sleep in doors and treat them like a house cat they will not catch any prey.
i just wanted to know what everyones opinion is on this
 many thanks 

[bloomer]

im sorry but thats rubbish

i live in town and have 2 cats that come in and get fed regularly

they also kill anything and everythink from frogs to pigeons

rats, squirrels, various mice, voles any number of baby birds...

cats are natural predators if its the right size they will hunt and kill it!!!

Just don't let them get fat or they will be too slow to catch anything they try and hunt!!!

[jacob and Georgina]

oh thanks i was sure that it couldnt be true as they are born predators thanks for that it is always handy to get a second opinion though thanks again

[piggy]

Our cat in summer spends most of his time outside just coming in for food and the odd nap but in winter he sleeps inside all day and goes out at night and he still brings up lots of presents on the doorstep.

[doganjo]

But be warned, if you have a cat flap you may get presents - and not all of them dead ones at that!  I replaced all my doors and windows a couple of months ago and decided against a cat flap.  Just as well as yesterday I had to dispatch a young rabbit one of the dogs brought me.  Rio had taken a bite out of it but not killed it and Allez retrieves to hand alive.

[Cinderhills]

Our cat Tinker sleeps indoors at night but during the day in the summer he loves to catch and eat mice, and sometimes fledglings unfortunately.  He is fed twice a day but loves to hunt so that is nonsense about them sleeping indoors.  He still sleeps most of the day indoors too but manages to catch a quite a few mice.

I agree about not having a cat flap.  If it rains cats find somewhere to keep dry until you can let them in.  I would have unwanted mice if I had one.

[McFrosty]

I have been told that to get a really great mouser, you should feed them and pet them.   That way they are content and happy and see you as a member of the family - hence in need of "presents".
I wouldn't buy a cat though...... there are so many unwanted cats now that need homes.  I went to the local Cats Protection when I moved into my smallhold because my husband (all 6'3" judo fighter of him) is afraid of rats.  I adopted three wild feral cats to live in the barn. Got them at 6 months and was told that they would never be friendly as they hadn't been socialised to humans at a young age. 

As I write one is lying in front of the woodburner being petted by my 18month old and the other two are outside wanting to join her.

The cats are all great mousers (and snakers, and volers and froggers  ).
The Cats Protection have loads and loads of great cats just waiting for a good home.  They microchip and neuter them and just ask for a donation........

[plumseverywhere]

My 4 bring in all sorts - cat flap was definately a bad idea!! 2 mornings ago we woke up to the indsides of at least 6 mice, 1 pigeon and the hind quarters of a wild bunny.
they are the most spoilt cats you can imagine (well one is half siamese so she expects to be treated as royalty  )  yet we still have some of the best hunters ever. having said that, we have no problems with rats getting our livestock's feed either 

[Rosemary]

No cat flap for us in the new house for all the reasons above. Agree with McFrosty - CPL do a great job in rehoming cats.

[doganjo]

Apart from the CPl you can only get a cat by buying one - our local pet shop has had them occasionally for about £50 each.  It's about time they did the same with mongrel dogs instead of allowing the so-called designer crosses. I have a friend who breeds LDs, and know for a fact that they are NOT all hypoallergenic, nor do they breed true to type..

[plumseverywhere]

are LD's labradoodles Annie?

[doganjo]

are LD's labradoodles Annie?

You got it! As you will have gathered I am a dog snob!

[plumseverywhere]

   I don't like the idea of deliberately messing with nature either. my x breed cats are such because a siamese escaped while in season and my little black snowball was the result ( rescued her from squalor,it was really sad) another of my rescue cats was half persian - he is king mouser yet the full pedigree persian I grew up with (welly!) was scared of mice.

[jacob and Georgina]

Thanks everyone for your replies its been a great help i would like to get a rescued cat as we have ipplepen animals in distress rescue centre near by I'm sure when i go to have a look that the cat will pick me 

[Sylvia]

We are also quite near to A.I.D. Ipplepen, where are you? If no luck there go to Blue Cross ,Torquay.