# I have decided to terminate my Cats services. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 3, 2012, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-decided-to-terminate-my-cats-services/639758 "2012-11-03T14:25:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-decided-to-terminate-my-cats-services/639758/1 "2012-11-03T14:25:13Z")
😃 So today while I was busy in the laundry room with my lovely Persian, when I see a little mouse running across the room. My cat, apple of my eye, mouse catcher in chief… takes one look at the mouse and scurries off to safety,:smack:leaving me miffed and with a mouse problem I hitherto was unaware I had. I have decided to fire him or failing that a reduction in rations and confinement to his (meaning the guest) room. As I write this he is sulking at me over the telling off he got and sniffing in the general area where we saw the mouse trying to save his job/restore his honour. Sorry, no can do. This is a cat who demands his food and has no problem meowing outside my door until I feed him and he cannot even do his job right? What is the world coming too? Damn pets, they make for an interesting evening.😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-decided-to-terminate-my-cats-services/639758/2 "2012-11-03T14:31:03Z")
My damn cat\* kissed\* a mouse once. I mean, seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Plebianangel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e9a140/32.png) [@Plebianangel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plebianangel)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-decided-to-terminate-my-cats-services/639758/3 "2012-11-03T14:36:40Z")
Hahahaha. That cat needs mouse hunting lessons! I have a cat that could teach him. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-decided-to-terminate-my-cats-services/639758/4 "2012-11-03T14:38:58Z")
I discovered that one of the cats was earning his or her keep yesterday morning when I stepped on the dismembered remains of one of their muscine victims – a few minutes before I had to take a business call. I’m just damned glad I wasn’t barefoot. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-decided-to-terminate-my-cats-services/639758/5 "2012-11-03T15:35:11Z")
From the way the thread title was punctuated, I thought you had some sort of arrangement with the Broadway show. Like, you contracted the cast members to come over and shed on your furniture. ---
**Author:** ![Indian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@Indian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indian)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-decided-to-terminate-my-cats-services/639758/6 "2012-11-03T16:30:57Z")
You are in exalted [company](http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/11/16/cat-astrophe-british-prime-ministers-feline-cant-catch-mice/). Cats is funny.😉 ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-decided-to-terminate-my-cats-services/639758/7 "2012-11-03T19:08:23Z")
There was a mouse in my house, and once it was caught in a live trap, my dog stood at the top of the stairs and barked while I went down and dealt with it (brave girl that she is.) ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-decided-to-terminate-my-cats-services/639758/8 "2012-11-03T20:43:42Z")
It sounds to me that your cat _is_ doing its job of being lovely and the apple of your eye. But if you wanted a cat that would catch mice, a Persian wouldn’t exactly be my first choice… ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-decided-to-terminate-my-cats-services/639758/9 "2012-11-03T21:06:55Z")
My first apartment was very small. Fred’s bowls were in the bathroom, less than 5 feet away from the end of our bed. I learned that I had mice because I found mouse dookies in the catfood bowl. LOTS of dookies, the mice were having a party while my intrepid cat was sleeping less than 8 feet away. I got some live traps and when I caught the first one, I showed the mouse to Fred while complaining that I shouldn’t be doing this, it was his job. The mouse squeeked and Fred ran off and hid under the couch. Its good that cats are so cute… ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-decided-to-terminate-my-cats-services/639758/10 "2012-11-03T21:15:10Z")
Hmmm… I wonder if he would be a better mouser if he was a littttle hungrier? ---
**Author:** ![conurepete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e57/32.png) [@conurepete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/conurepete)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-decided-to-terminate-my-cats-services/639758/11 "2012-11-03T22:21:35Z")
It is not really a hunger thing. Cats have to be taught how to catch mice. My 20 year old ex- barn cat has never missed a meal in her life, and was catching mice up until last year, when the blonde cat took over. The 20 year old is a murder machine, and has slain mice, spiders, centipedes, crickets and nest of wasps, without being stung. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-decided-to-terminate-my-cats-services/639758/12 "2012-11-03T23:29:48Z")
I’m sorry. Without the apostrophe in the title, I thought you were talking about **Cat5** , the Ethernet cabling standard, and I was all prepared to rant about inflexible cable and connectors that break too easily. Carry on. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-decided-to-terminate-my-cats-services/639758/13 "2012-11-03T23:33:31Z")
My services are available, but you have to play a tune first. ---
**Author:** ![getitrite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@getitrite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/getitrite)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-decided-to-terminate-my-cats-services/639758/14 "2012-11-03T23:46:00Z")
As I read through your thread, the most important thing to teach your cat to catch mice is to play. You need a string and stick with either a cat nip mouse toy or just a bell mouse toy. using a safety pin connect the mouse to the string to the stick (need some glue for this) then use the toy to entice your cat to play. Having observed a mother cat teach her litter the joy of jumping on and hunting to her litter, this will take a little time. My last cat came to me without this understanding and after a week of play with the fake mouse on the stringie thingie he is now an ace with more that 5 confirmed kills. They are what you teach them. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-decided-to-terminate-my-cats-services/639758/15 "2012-11-03T23:56:03Z")
I have to say, persians are mostly dumb blondes. I had one that fell off the same window sill; _every day_. That said, I had a mongrel kitty that caught a mouse and gave it a bath. No eating ot killing involved. ---
**Author:** ![MissTake](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misstake/32/3189_2.png) [@MissTake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissTake)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2012, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-decided-to-terminate-my-cats-services/639758/16 "2012-11-04T00:06:40Z")
> [@getitrite](#): > > As I read through your thread, the most important thing to teach your cat to catch mice is to play. You need a string and stick with either a cat nip mouse toy or just a bell mouse toy. using a safety pin connect the mouse to the string to the stick (need some glue for this) then use the toy to entice your cat to play. Having observed a mother cat teach her litter the joy of jumping on and hunting to her litter, this will take a little time. My last cat came to me without this understanding and after a week of play with the fake mouse on the stringie thingie he is now an ace with more that 5 confirmed kills. They are what you teach them. Yeah, no. Not always. Lucy was an outdoor cat, chasing her dinner down every day. Then she came to me. Give her a fake mouse, she’ll go nuts. I have had numerous fake mousie heads dropped in my lap. She sat and stared at me when a real mouse ran past her. Dot and Maymie have been entirely indoor cats. We play with them at least an hour a day - string toys, laser pointers, fake mice, hell they have a laundry basket full of toys. Dot brought me a dead mouse once. Maymie let me know of another mouse, but did nothing about it (then again, her snuggle toy is a stuffed mouse). I think either they are mousers or they aren’t. Lucy had to hunt, is past that now. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2012, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-decided-to-terminate-my-cats-services/639758/17 "2012-11-04T00:39:32Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > I’m sorry. Without the apostrophe in the title, I thought you were talking about **Cat5** , the Ethernet cabling standard, and I was all prepared to rant about inflexible cable and connectors that break too easily. But Cat5 doesn’t need termination like coax Ethernet, right? ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2012, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-decided-to-terminate-my-cats-services/639758/18 "2012-11-04T00:54:04Z")
> [@conurepete](#): > > It is not really a hunger thing. Cats have to be taught how to catch mice. My 20 year old ex- barn cat has never missed a meal in her life, and was catching mice up until last year, when the blonde cat took over. The 20 year old is a murder machine, and has slain mice, spiders, centipedes, crickets and nest of wasps, without being stung. I’ve always heard this, but I had a splendid little mouser who WOULD hunt just about anything, but her mother, despite numerous opportunities, just couldn’t be bothered. > [@Musicat](#): > > My services are available, but you have to play a tune first. So do you want Memories or Jellicle Cats? Or Sing It Big And Loud? ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2012, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-decided-to-terminate-my-cats-services/639758/19 "2012-11-04T01:09:13Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > So do you want Memories or Jellicle Cats? Or Sing It Big And Loud? [I prefer:](http://www.meerkat.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/eat-mousies-kliban.gif) Love to eat them mousies… Mousies what I love to eat! Bite they little heads off, Nibble on they tiny feet! ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2012, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-decided-to-terminate-my-cats-services/639758/20 "2012-11-04T01:22:07Z")
Actually, I’ve sung that song to cats before. Or my version of that song. The cats are the only ones who appreciate my singing voice. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-decided-to-terminate-my-cats-services/639758.md?page=2)