Is There a Mouse in the House?

Years ago my husband and I acquired a cat who started letting mice into our house. There was a pet door to our laundry room that allowed her to go outdoors or back inside whenever she desired. When she came inside the laundry room, she would scratch on the door to the kitchen, so that we could allow her to come into the house. Suddenly, and without warning, she would scratch, then rush inside whenever we would open the door. From the corner of her mouth, dangled a hapless mouse. Kiki would let the mouse run free much to the delight of the other cats. For some mysterious reason Kiki kept up this routine of allowing mice into the house. The rodents turned loose never wandered far. Soon one of my other cats would chase it down, and I would have to dispose of the remains. Usually, the mouse died completely of fright. The indoor cats had no clue that they were supposed to eat the creature they had just caught. One by one each of the cats caught a mouse. At last, I even got into the act. I managed to corral one of the critters, then I carried it deep into the woods where I turned it loose to obtain life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Whatever that means in mouse terms.

Kiki's actions were a complete mystery to me until one day I viewed a television animal show about cats. The commentator said that some maternally oriented females will take it upon themselves to teach other cats--usually indoor cats to mouse. The teacher cat will bring live prey so that the others can gain hunting skills. So that's what she was doing! Mystery solved.

The mouse in the house ritual stopped after each one of the indoor cats and I had caught a mouse. After that, Kiki never brought another mouse inside the house. I suppose she realized that her job was done.

My husband and I had Kiki from 1990 until she disappeared in 2005. She was getting old. I just hope she found a nice resting place before she passed away. Hopefully it was near a field of mice.