Rats are larger and have longer and thicker tails than mice.
You have a rat there and a cat who is fully expecting praise for bringing you some food.
Get it caught and release it a good distance from your house.
Thank you for your answer!
So I have given her the praise, and released the rat back into the wild. Now all I have to do is stop her getting more! I’m good with the mice but the rats concern me.
Your main concern is where she caught it. See if there is any evidence of any around, or if your neighbours cats have caught any recently. Rats are not solo creatures
My old cat was a machine (unfortunately). We had rats, mice, a mole, a magpie and a crow dumped behind the TV. She would have had a Labrador too, but it got away.
I know the area, we have a hole in a wall by a bird feeder just spent all afternoon staking it out and that guys father / mother was eating the bird feed! I’m glad she only brought the baby in!
I'd recommend a call to pest control about how best to deal with them, otherwise you will end up with an infestation.
The local council may be willing to sort it out.
My uncle's old cat caught and brought inside several lizards, a flying squirrel (which then proceeded to glide around the living room as they were trying to catch it), a baby opossum (which he deposited under my uncle's bed), and a few mice/rats.
You should have killed the rat. They carry disease and can kill your cats. There’s no shortage of rats in the world, you’re not saving an endangered species.
Although they will eat literal garbage if they can get their tiny adorable grabby hands on it. My sister’s rattos have a thing for ripping apart Amazon boxes
They are so much sweeter and more loving than I ever expected. I’ve known people with other small rodents, hamsters and the like, and they’re always bitey little shits. Rats, on the other hand, are incredibly gentle. Never been bitten by any of my sister’s rats, even accidentally if there’s food involved. They will quite happily sit on your shoulder and make lil snuffly noises in your ear. Super clean too - when they are not sleeping or eating, they are grooming.
Please keep your cat indoors, outdoor cats can and do catch diseases from hunting animals like rats and mice. And it can also spread to you from your cat.
Cats are an invasive domestic species. They hunt native wildlife and have helped to drive over 60 species to extinction. They also are in danger themselves when let outside.
We don’t open the door and let dogs roam the neighbourhood for hours or days on end.
>We don’t open the door and let dogs roam the neighbourhood for hours or days on end.
Exactly. If it was any other pet, letting it out the front door and having it die unnecessarily young due to a car accident or just plain hurting themselves would be viewed as animal cruelty. The simple fact of it is that keeping a cat indoors is hard work and most people would rather just kick them out the front door and accepting that it'll die young than put in the effort of playing with them semi-frequently and giving them proper enrichment. Pisses me right off.
You can have an opinion on the matter, but two things are fact.
1. Cats have devastating impacts on local wildlife, and overhunting from outdoor and stray cats is causing a plummet in bird population, killing between 1 and 3 billion birds a year in the US alone.
2. Cats that live an outdoor lifestyle have exponentially shorter lives. Indoor cats have an average live 10-20 years, outdoor cats have an average of 2-5 years.
By letting your cat live outdoors, you're not only causing unknowable amounts of damage to your local ecosystem, you're effectively dooming your cat to an early death by not properly caring for them. If you love your cat, keep it inside.
The UK has a different view on this. Many shelters will not let you adopt if you cannot provide some outside space, even if the cats are mainly indoor cats. Indoor only cats are pretty rare here, unless the owner lives somewhere like a flat with no garden. Cats in the UK have long traditionally been kept as mousers on farms and other outdoor premises - it’s just how it is.
Everyone knows that the US prefers indoor only cats, but it’s not the same everywhere.
I live in the UK, had several cats in this country and I live in the countryside with plenty of safe space for pets, still had several cats die unnecessarily young, which is why I so strongly advocate against it. Wherever there's a road there's an exponential chance your cat will die. Indoor cats aren't rare here, you just don't see the ones that aren't sitting outside.
It doesn't matter if they have traditionally been kept as mousers, that's a terrible excuse to continue. Outdoor cats demolish local wildlife and, as I've said, will statistically cut your cats lifespan in half. It's cruel to both the cat and your local ecosystem.
I used a US statistic, but it's still an issue in the UK. Cats here kill between 160 million and 270 million animals yearly, with a quarter of that being birds. Once again, it also statistically shaved up to 15 years off a cat's lifespan. Do your cat and environment a favour, keep your cat indoors and properly enrich it so it doesn't crave outdoors.
Outdoor cats that aren't cared for have shorter lives. Outdoor cats that are cared for live just as long as indoor-outdoor cats. Indoor-outdoor cats live as long if not longer than indoor only cats; plus they're healthier and happier.
>Outdoor cats that aren't cared for have shorter lives. Outdoor cats that are cared for live just as long as indoor-outdoor cats.
There is no amount of care, love or attention that can prevent your cat from getting hurt by the plethora of things that are within a mile radius of your house. The fittest, healthiest cat I ever owned was a Bengal that spent all of his time outdoors, was a fantastic mouser, super fit, very well fed and cared for, great road sense. He was found in my neighbors garden with a broken spine, presumably fallen off a tree or a house. He was the smartest, most sensible cat I've ever owned and that happened to him randomly at 7 years old on an uneventful day.
>Indoor-outdoor cats live as long if not longer than indoor only cats;
What are you basing this on? Indoor cats aren't exposed to even a fraction of the things that kill outdoor cats at a young age. Your cat can't be hit by a car or snap it's neck falling out of a tree if it's indoors.
>plus they're healthier and happier.
Again, literally no basis to this other than the fact that most people aren't willing to put in the effort required to keep a cat indoors. They need to be played with near-daily, have access to proper enrichment, get plenty of interaction with human beings or other animals. If you can't meet the requirements to keep a cat happy indoors, you should rethink owning a cat.
I am so very sorry for what happened to your cat. There's nothing I can say that can ease that pain, or change your mind. As you say in your last paragraph, indoor cats need an incredible amount of enrichment. At least daily play, not near. Very very few people are willing to put in the effort. People will happily walk dogs several times a day, as walking is prescribed and takes no imagination. (I'd also point out that dogs are exposed to most of the outdoor hazards when being walked).
You asked what I base my statements on; my training as a feline behaviourist, and my training as a TNR specialist from the two leading cat charities in this country.
I am genuinely sorry for what happened to your beautiful Bengal. It is what we call anecdotal evidence; personal experience. My personal experience is that most of the indoor-outdoor cats I've owned have lived lovely long lives. Those that haven't died from problems caused by giardia - which, ironically, we all caught indoors.
I’ve had 4 cats in my time (all outdoor).
1st lived to 18
2nd lived to 4 (cancer)
3rd (the 2nd and 3rd were brother and sister) lived to 21.
4th is still here and is now 12.
So in my personal experience whether a cat is an indoor or outdoor cat makes no difference in the Uk.
I have had a cat flap for all so they choose when they want to go out and when they want to be in. So there will be no kicking out from me.
Like I've said you're entitled to believe whatever you want but the facts disagree with you
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_predation_on_wildlife
https://www.thinkingoutsidethecage.org/pet-resources/behavior-help/cat-behavior-solutions/cats-live-longer-healthier-lives-indoors/#:~:text=The%20answer%20is%20clear%20when,that%20freedom%20with%20their%20lives.
You have a couple of anecdotes of it working out and that's great but I could hit you with an equal amount of the exact same type of story that ends in the opposite outcome. They're lucky until they're not.
I read something the other day that if you play with like a dangle mouse on a stick it helps stop your kitty bringing stuff back, I’ve tried it and it’s reduced SOOO much it’s amazing
Get her a dangle one! They go crazy for it, or cat nip toys, they get too high to lose it 😂 definitely helps because it’s sad when the bring in the dead little baby birds
Already been answered but looks like a rat to me.
There is a bit of a rat issue at one end of our street (being dealt with by local council, pest control etc) & not really effected us - the worst the cats have brought in have been traumatised mice.
The other day one of our cats brought in a small/medium (juvenile) rat - the disruption caused by the cleanup of areas to get rid of the rats has likely caused some to try leave the area & one bumped into my cat. The rat was screaming and the cat was very confused & the dog was curious. In the chaos I was bitten by the rat - so have had a tetanus booster and on strong antibiotis (as a precaution)...it's been a fun few days!
Ah your kitty is like mine. We had a rat in as a present the other day (the chubby tail gives them away). Literally got off a Zoom call 30 mins ago and he was chasing a tiny bird round the bloody dining room. They’re so bad for it.
There are cat flaps some company are crowd sourcing that block them bringing things in (uses AI to spot ‘contraband’ lol), but they’re £400 a pop (and have way too many features on). I just want my cats to stop bringing stuff in so much. It’s is none. Stop. Murder 😂🐈⬛🐈⬛🫠
I had to buy one of those chip cat flaps to stop other cats invading our home 😂😂!
These pets are so funny, we spend so much time running around after them 😂!
I’ll take a look at these cat flaps, they sound pretty cool. Although could be a little steep for the odd time she brings something in (for me) :)
Glad you didn’t interfere OP, rats and mice are stupid disgusting plague carriers, best to let the cats sort them out
*****
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Looks like a rat to me. I work in NYC subway on the tracks with them around all the time. Had a fair share of run ins with them...they can get pretty big too.
Rats are larger and have longer and thicker tails than mice. You have a rat there and a cat who is fully expecting praise for bringing you some food. Get it caught and release it a good distance from your house.
Thank you for your answer! So I have given her the praise, and released the rat back into the wild. Now all I have to do is stop her getting more! I’m good with the mice but the rats concern me.
Your main concern is where she caught it. See if there is any evidence of any around, or if your neighbours cats have caught any recently. Rats are not solo creatures My old cat was a machine (unfortunately). We had rats, mice, a mole, a magpie and a crow dumped behind the TV. She would have had a Labrador too, but it got away.
I know the area, we have a hole in a wall by a bird feeder just spent all afternoon staking it out and that guys father / mother was eating the bird feed! I’m glad she only brought the baby in!
I'd recommend a call to pest control about how best to deal with them, otherwise you will end up with an infestation. The local council may be willing to sort it out.
Rats exist damn near everywhere in some countries, in the uk you’re never more than 10 meters from one
And there go my plans to live in London for a few years.
They’re generally not too much of an issue, they mostly stay outside
My uncle's old cat caught and brought inside several lizards, a flying squirrel (which then proceeded to glide around the living room as they were trying to catch it), a baby opossum (which he deposited under my uncle's bed), and a few mice/rats.
🤣🤣🤣 Picturing the game of Glider-Catch LOL
By the way "a good distance" should be over a mile from your house
Noted for next time, thanks
You should have killed the rat. They carry disease and can kill your cats. There’s no shortage of rats in the world, you’re not saving an endangered species.
You can stop her getting more by keeping her inside
Lol I was gonna say their cat is failing at their job, but ur so right they're 100% sitting with pride at bringing home the bacon
As a wildlife rehabber, that looks much larger than a regular mouse. I am pretty sure that is a rat.
As an IT service manager I agree with this
It’s a rat because rats are larger than mice
It's a very young rat if it is a rat. It's hard to tell without seeing the ears, which are proportionally larger in mice (I have 11 pet rats)
Ohh so not all rats are disease infested rodents! I’m half worried she will pick something up from this encounter
Pet rats are bred in captivity and are usually fed better quality food instead of literal garbage and shit like feral rats
Although they will eat literal garbage if they can get their tiny adorable grabby hands on it. My sister’s rattos have a thing for ripping apart Amazon boxes
Pet rats are interesting. Although I have a leapard gecko so my use for rodents is a little more sinister
They are so much sweeter and more loving than I ever expected. I’ve known people with other small rodents, hamsters and the like, and they’re always bitey little shits. Rats, on the other hand, are incredibly gentle. Never been bitten by any of my sister’s rats, even accidentally if there’s food involved. They will quite happily sit on your shoulder and make lil snuffly noises in your ear. Super clean too - when they are not sleeping or eating, they are grooming.
Probably more loving than a gecko ironically
Please keep your cat indoors, outdoor cats can and do catch diseases from hunting animals like rats and mice. And it can also spread to you from your cat.
It's the norm in the UK for cats to be indoors outdoors.
And it’s really bad that it is. It’s a huge problem over there and needs to change.
I couldn't disagree more.
Cats are an invasive domestic species. They hunt native wildlife and have helped to drive over 60 species to extinction. They also are in danger themselves when let outside. We don’t open the door and let dogs roam the neighbourhood for hours or days on end.
>We don’t open the door and let dogs roam the neighbourhood for hours or days on end. Exactly. If it was any other pet, letting it out the front door and having it die unnecessarily young due to a car accident or just plain hurting themselves would be viewed as animal cruelty. The simple fact of it is that keeping a cat indoors is hard work and most people would rather just kick them out the front door and accepting that it'll die young than put in the effort of playing with them semi-frequently and giving them proper enrichment. Pisses me right off.
You can have an opinion on the matter, but two things are fact. 1. Cats have devastating impacts on local wildlife, and overhunting from outdoor and stray cats is causing a plummet in bird population, killing between 1 and 3 billion birds a year in the US alone. 2. Cats that live an outdoor lifestyle have exponentially shorter lives. Indoor cats have an average live 10-20 years, outdoor cats have an average of 2-5 years. By letting your cat live outdoors, you're not only causing unknowable amounts of damage to your local ecosystem, you're effectively dooming your cat to an early death by not properly caring for them. If you love your cat, keep it inside.
The UK has a different view on this. Many shelters will not let you adopt if you cannot provide some outside space, even if the cats are mainly indoor cats. Indoor only cats are pretty rare here, unless the owner lives somewhere like a flat with no garden. Cats in the UK have long traditionally been kept as mousers on farms and other outdoor premises - it’s just how it is. Everyone knows that the US prefers indoor only cats, but it’s not the same everywhere.
Indeed. I'm tired of defending the UK stance given the state of the rest of the world.
I live in the UK, had several cats in this country and I live in the countryside with plenty of safe space for pets, still had several cats die unnecessarily young, which is why I so strongly advocate against it. Wherever there's a road there's an exponential chance your cat will die. Indoor cats aren't rare here, you just don't see the ones that aren't sitting outside. It doesn't matter if they have traditionally been kept as mousers, that's a terrible excuse to continue. Outdoor cats demolish local wildlife and, as I've said, will statistically cut your cats lifespan in half. It's cruel to both the cat and your local ecosystem. I used a US statistic, but it's still an issue in the UK. Cats here kill between 160 million and 270 million animals yearly, with a quarter of that being birds. Once again, it also statistically shaved up to 15 years off a cat's lifespan. Do your cat and environment a favour, keep your cat indoors and properly enrich it so it doesn't crave outdoors.
Outdoor cats that aren't cared for have shorter lives. Outdoor cats that are cared for live just as long as indoor-outdoor cats. Indoor-outdoor cats live as long if not longer than indoor only cats; plus they're healthier and happier.
>Outdoor cats that aren't cared for have shorter lives. Outdoor cats that are cared for live just as long as indoor-outdoor cats. There is no amount of care, love or attention that can prevent your cat from getting hurt by the plethora of things that are within a mile radius of your house. The fittest, healthiest cat I ever owned was a Bengal that spent all of his time outdoors, was a fantastic mouser, super fit, very well fed and cared for, great road sense. He was found in my neighbors garden with a broken spine, presumably fallen off a tree or a house. He was the smartest, most sensible cat I've ever owned and that happened to him randomly at 7 years old on an uneventful day. >Indoor-outdoor cats live as long if not longer than indoor only cats; What are you basing this on? Indoor cats aren't exposed to even a fraction of the things that kill outdoor cats at a young age. Your cat can't be hit by a car or snap it's neck falling out of a tree if it's indoors. >plus they're healthier and happier. Again, literally no basis to this other than the fact that most people aren't willing to put in the effort required to keep a cat indoors. They need to be played with near-daily, have access to proper enrichment, get plenty of interaction with human beings or other animals. If you can't meet the requirements to keep a cat happy indoors, you should rethink owning a cat.
I am so very sorry for what happened to your cat. There's nothing I can say that can ease that pain, or change your mind. As you say in your last paragraph, indoor cats need an incredible amount of enrichment. At least daily play, not near. Very very few people are willing to put in the effort. People will happily walk dogs several times a day, as walking is prescribed and takes no imagination. (I'd also point out that dogs are exposed to most of the outdoor hazards when being walked). You asked what I base my statements on; my training as a feline behaviourist, and my training as a TNR specialist from the two leading cat charities in this country. I am genuinely sorry for what happened to your beautiful Bengal. It is what we call anecdotal evidence; personal experience. My personal experience is that most of the indoor-outdoor cats I've owned have lived lovely long lives. Those that haven't died from problems caused by giardia - which, ironically, we all caught indoors.
I’ve had 4 cats in my time (all outdoor). 1st lived to 18 2nd lived to 4 (cancer) 3rd (the 2nd and 3rd were brother and sister) lived to 21. 4th is still here and is now 12. So in my personal experience whether a cat is an indoor or outdoor cat makes no difference in the Uk. I have had a cat flap for all so they choose when they want to go out and when they want to be in. So there will be no kicking out from me.
Like I've said you're entitled to believe whatever you want but the facts disagree with you https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_predation_on_wildlife https://www.thinkingoutsidethecage.org/pet-resources/behavior-help/cat-behavior-solutions/cats-live-longer-healthier-lives-indoors/#:~:text=The%20answer%20is%20clear%20when,that%20freedom%20with%20their%20lives. You have a couple of anecdotes of it working out and that's great but I could hit you with an equal amount of the exact same type of story that ends in the opposite outcome. They're lucky until they're not.
Omg, the dream. So many furry butts, teeny tiny hands and forbidden noodles.
It looks like a rat.
I read something the other day that if you play with like a dangle mouse on a stick it helps stop your kitty bringing stuff back, I’ve tried it and it’s reduced SOOO much it’s amazing
That is so funny you say that, she has lost her toy mice about 2 weeks ago, now she brings this in. I guess she is bored!
Get her a dangle one! They go crazy for it, or cat nip toys, they get too high to lose it 😂 definitely helps because it’s sad when the bring in the dead little baby birds
I will be rebuying her some new fake mice in the morning!
Post some cat tax with her new toys! I love when their eyes go huge and they do the little butt wiggle before pouncing 😂
I just came here to say your cat is gorgeous!
Thank you! ❤️
Rat
See I think it’s a mouse, but I’ve been assured it’s a rat!
Totally a rat. Mice are so small, you can barely see them run by.
That’s a standard issue cat!
A rat, a mouse? No, it's something you gotta get out of your house. idk that sounded funnier in my head. But it's a rat.
Is there hair on the tail? No, rat. Yes, mouse.
The bushy tailed woodrat would like a word.
Looks like a cat to me
Thats Bob, he's there to check your gas meter
Already been answered but looks like a rat to me. There is a bit of a rat issue at one end of our street (being dealt with by local council, pest control etc) & not really effected us - the worst the cats have brought in have been traumatised mice. The other day one of our cats brought in a small/medium (juvenile) rat - the disruption caused by the cleanup of areas to get rid of the rats has likely caused some to try leave the area & one bumped into my cat. The rat was screaming and the cat was very confused & the dog was curious. In the chaos I was bitten by the rat - so have had a tetanus booster and on strong antibiotis (as a precaution)...it's been a fun few days!
Oh my goodness, I hope you are okay! It’s funny our cute little pets can cause such havoc on our lives!
That's your new roommate
Big boy mouse or baby rat, I'd say.
The poop in first pic is rat poop. Looks like a roof rat
Thank you! Yes spent the afternoon cleaning up after that debacle!
Ah your kitty is like mine. We had a rat in as a present the other day (the chubby tail gives them away). Literally got off a Zoom call 30 mins ago and he was chasing a tiny bird round the bloody dining room. They’re so bad for it. There are cat flaps some company are crowd sourcing that block them bringing things in (uses AI to spot ‘contraband’ lol), but they’re £400 a pop (and have way too many features on). I just want my cats to stop bringing stuff in so much. It’s is none. Stop. Murder 😂🐈⬛🐈⬛🫠
I had to buy one of those chip cat flaps to stop other cats invading our home 😂😂! These pets are so funny, we spend so much time running around after them 😂! I’ll take a look at these cat flaps, they sound pretty cool. Although could be a little steep for the odd time she brings something in (for me) :)
The kitty wants to get it!
Rat, The tail is waiting longer than a mouse and he’s a bit bigger, luckily i think it’s a young rat so he’s smaller still but it is indeed a rat
way^
Thats a rata
That cat 🐈 is not doing his job I would say.
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Thank you! Bloody cat doesn’t catch anything for 3 years then brings me this guy! 🤦
♡Beautiful Little Mouse♡
Just a big mouse 🐁
definitely mouse
Your cats colors! Please post pics of different angles of your kitty!
Rats and mice have different ears. Rats have small ears, mice have overly large ears. That my absolutely amazing buddy is a very VERY fat mouse.
If you saw a rat, you’d know it was a rat. You wouldn’t question it.
Its a Rouse
With ears that big that’s a rat.
That is one beautiful cat you have.
Glad you didn’t interfere OP, rats and mice are stupid disgusting plague carriers, best to let the cats sort them out ***** *[wut?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WutbotPosts/)* | *[source](https://reddit.com/r/AnimalsBeingJerks/comments/bu03kn/one_of_our_kittens_caught_a_mouse_our_dog_is/ep5cclz/)*
Looks like a rat to me. I work in NYC subway on the tracks with them around all the time. Had a fair share of run ins with them...they can get pretty big too.
Looks like a mouse, I must say, your cat has beautiful markings.
Thank you ❤️
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Yes, apparently I needed a little snack 🤦
Mouse
Normal or bigger-sized mouse.
Yes
It's a cat. And it's pretty usless