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Stormy, a 7 or 8 year old female cat, is a mighty hunter. And like a good female cat, she is bringing her catch home.
This has been mostly just unpleasant. We wake up and find the a mouse once in a while. She is, however, now on a hunting frenzy. She is bringing something home every night and sometimes two somethings. She is also not being a neat about it as she was.
Yesterday, we found the remains of a mouse on the dinning room rug. I managed to get the blood stains out off it.
This morning, we found the remains of a rabbit in the middle of the living room carpet. I am less certain those blood stains will come out.
I dislike dealing with the half eaten animal remains. But I dislike it the least in the household, so I am usually the one to deal with it. Something must happen, but we haven't decided which option to take. (suggestions welcome).
Option one: Prevent Stormy from getting outside at night. I think her main hunting time is four am or so. If she is in the house, she can't hunt. This option prevents her from exercising her instinct to hunt. I have a bit of trouble thinking this is a good thing to do.
Option two: Put Stormy out at night and prevent her from getting back in until folks are up and about. She isn't likely to catch anything during the day. Most of her prey animals just aren't around in the daylight. (she does get a bird now and then) I like this option best. Unfortunately, Stormy isn't the only animals on the hunt at night.
Option three: Bell the cat. If the prey is alerted, she is less likely to catch anything. But Stormy is a smart cat. I think she would find a way around the bell. It would be more difficult, perhaps, to successfully hunt, but I think she would still leave entrails all over the house. So, this option is the least acceptable.
I'm not too concerned with Stormy ending up a meal for a coyote. It could happen, but the fact that we let Stormy out at night at all means she might be coyote chow. I think, it is in the cat's nature and best interest to spend the night outside so I'm leaning heavily in favor of option two. I think Stacey is mildly in favor of option one. Either option has the drawback of a screeching cat in the middle of the night.
I don't know any other way to stop her from bringing home the bacon, so to speak.
I think we are going to buy a carpet cleaning rig today.
This has been mostly just unpleasant. We wake up and find the a mouse once in a while. She is, however, now on a hunting frenzy. She is bringing something home every night and sometimes two somethings. She is also not being a neat about it as she was.
Yesterday, we found the remains of a mouse on the dinning room rug. I managed to get the blood stains out off it.
This morning, we found the remains of a rabbit in the middle of the living room carpet. I am less certain those blood stains will come out.
I dislike dealing with the half eaten animal remains. But I dislike it the least in the household, so I am usually the one to deal with it. Something must happen, but we haven't decided which option to take. (suggestions welcome).
Option one: Prevent Stormy from getting outside at night. I think her main hunting time is four am or so. If she is in the house, she can't hunt. This option prevents her from exercising her instinct to hunt. I have a bit of trouble thinking this is a good thing to do.
Option two: Put Stormy out at night and prevent her from getting back in until folks are up and about. She isn't likely to catch anything during the day. Most of her prey animals just aren't around in the daylight. (she does get a bird now and then) I like this option best. Unfortunately, Stormy isn't the only animals on the hunt at night.
Option three: Bell the cat. If the prey is alerted, she is less likely to catch anything. But Stormy is a smart cat. I think she would find a way around the bell. It would be more difficult, perhaps, to successfully hunt, but I think she would still leave entrails all over the house. So, this option is the least acceptable.
I'm not too concerned with Stormy ending up a meal for a coyote. It could happen, but the fact that we let Stormy out at night at all means she might be coyote chow. I think, it is in the cat's nature and best interest to spend the night outside so I'm leaning heavily in favor of option two. I think Stacey is mildly in favor of option one. Either option has the drawback of a screeching cat in the middle of the night.
I don't know any other way to stop her from bringing home the bacon, so to speak.
I think we are going to buy a carpet cleaning rig today.