Ah, the housecat. The fearless hunter. Ready to attack at a moment’s notice. Ehh… maybe not.
If the most active your cat gets is when you open a can of tuna, this post is for you. Can you actually train your pawesome feline to be a fangtastic hunter? Or is your kitty content to spend all 9 of their lives in retirement?
First Steps: Turning Your Cat Into a Hunter
No matter what popular films might teach us about superheroes, it’s not always the downtrodden and desperate that make the best vigilantes. Case in point: Hungry cats…
Do YOU turn in your best work when you’re distracted by hunger? Of course not! Likewise, your cat is going to be a rubbish hunter if their belly is grumbling. If a cat’s belly is kept full, they’re more likely to hunt for sport or entertainment.
Peer Pressure
Sometimes, the human touch just isn’t good enough, and your cat will need an older mentor of their own species to show them the ropes. Put him with a true mouser, and watch as they share their secrets.
Use Increasingly Elaborate Toys
When playing, start simple and work your way up. Get your cat used to chasing a length of string — then, after a while, add a fake mouse to get them into the spirit of things!
Entice Them With Food
Cats are pretty good at thinking with their stomachs! If there’s an area in your house that seems to harbor a meddlesome rodent population, leave treats in this area to encourage your cat to visit the spot. This will also introduce your cat’s scent, which helps ward off rodents.
The Follow-Through: Be Prepared, Be Vigilant
The preparation is only the first step, however — you also need to know how to respond to, and encourage, your cat’s hunting behaviors after they begin to assert themselves.
Respond Encouragingly When You Find Your Cat’s “Gifts”
Yes, it’s going to happen: If you play your cards right, your cat will eventually begin delivering tasty little surprises into your slippers, onto your front porch, or if you are particularly loved, your pillow. Be prepared for this, and when in doubt—wash everything.
Reward Them for a Job Well Done
If you do begin finding dead mice around your house, don’t panic! Congratulate your cat and ply him or her with additional treats. You’ve trained for this! Make sure they understand you’re proud of them.
When All Else Fails…
Of course, you may do all of this just to have your cat respond with the intensity of a meatloaf. Some cats would rather sleep for 20 hours than do, well, anything. Or if your cat does decide to play hide-and-go-kill with mice, you may later decide, the unsanitary result is not for you.
So when that happens, it’s time to get your superhero a sidekick: A Victor® mouse trap.
Capture Pests Not Pets
Here at Victor®, we understand better than most how important it is to keep your pets safe while you tackle your rodent problem. To that end, we’ve channeled our resources into developing pet-friendly rodent control devices, such as the Victor® Kill Vault Mouse Trap. This trap boasts a 100% kill rate, and is both fast and humane. Best of all, it stops pets from coming into contact with the trap’s inner workings.
Victor® traps are the perfect sidekick to help your furry friend take on the world’s rodents!
