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By *onb21 OP Woman
over a year ago
Cardiff |
My cat is a very adept hunter.
Although I always try to save her prey, it's not always possible and it breaks my heart.
When I came home today, she was guarding the fridge and a little mouse was pressed all the way against the back of the wall. I sat down on the sofa and my cat wandered off. After a little while, to my horror, the mouse dragged itself out from behind the fridge with paralysed hind legs.
I scooped it up and threw it out of the window into the garden but I am beating myself up that I should have put an end to its suffering.
In your opinion, what is the humane thing to do in these situations? I feel awful :*( |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"My cat is a very adept hunter.
Although I always try to save her prey, it's not always possible and it breaks my heart.
When I came home today, she was guarding the fridge and a little mouse was pressed all the way against the back of the wall. I sat down on the sofa and my cat wandered off. After a little while, to my horror, the mouse dragged itself out from behind the fridge with paralysed hind legs.
I scooped it up and threw it out of the window into the garden but I am beating myself up that I should have put an end to its suffering.
In your opinion, what is the humane thing to do in these situations? I feel awful :*("
Don't beat your self up over, every day in nature animals eat or get eaten. The mouse probably be dead by now from Shock. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Probably not throw it out of the window...
You could have taken it to the local vets - they have a duty of care to all animals and would have ended its life humanely. We once took a rat that had a heart attack and couldn't move to the local vets to put it out of its misery. Got a few funny looks for having a massive rat that had been scooped up into a big plastic box, but it was the right thing to do so who cares what other people might think. |
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Mine brings them in all night, I catch and rescue most, but there are often dead chewed remains outside in a morning too. The latest prey are miles, the young come above ground at this time of year. |
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"Probably not throw it out of the window...
You could have taken it to the local vets - they have a duty of care to all animals and would have ended its life humanely. We once took a rat that had a heart attack and couldn't move to the local vets to put it out of its misery. Got a few funny looks for having a massive rat that had been scooped up into a big plastic box, but it was the right thing to do so who cares what other people might think."
You can just about get a appointment for your pet in our vets so doubt very much they would be pleased with people bringing in vermin from the streets .. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"My cat is a very adept hunter.
Although I always try to save her prey, it's not always possible and it breaks my heart.
When I came home today, she was guarding the fridge and a little mouse was pressed all the way against the back of the wall. I sat down on the sofa and my cat wandered off. After a little while, to my horror, the mouse dragged itself out from behind the fridge with paralysed hind legs.
I scooped it up and threw it out of the window into the garden but I am beating myself up that I should have put an end to its suffering.
In your opinion, what is the humane thing to do in these situations? I feel awful :*("
If it's any consolation, I have killed animals that were injured by my cats. I don't think it made me feel any better than if I had just released them. I am now of the mind that you did the right thing though - by putting it out into the garden, it will provide an easy meal for an owl or similar. Circle of life. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"My cat is a very adept hunter.
Although I always try to save her prey, it's not always possible and it breaks my heart.
When I came home today, she was guarding the fridge and a little mouse was pressed all the way against the back of the wall. I sat down on the sofa and my cat wandered off. After a little while, to my horror, the mouse dragged itself out from behind the fridge with paralysed hind legs.
I scooped it up and threw it out of the window into the garden but I am beating myself up that I should have put an end to its suffering.
In your opinion, what is the humane thing to do in these situations? I feel awful :*("
I sympathise - one of my cats is a hunter but rarely kills she normally bring little lizards or frogs in alive as a present for me and if I can catch them I set them free away from her. Her favourite is to find a flat cobwebby mouse that has been dead for about a year - she goes bananas if I take one of those away.
It’s nature though so we can only do our best.  |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Probably not throw it out of the window...
You could have taken it to the local vets - they have a duty of care to all animals and would have ended its life humanely. We once took a rat that had a heart attack and couldn't move to the local vets to put it out of its misery. Got a few funny looks for having a massive rat that had been scooped up into a big plastic box, but it was the right thing to do so who cares what other people might think.You can just about get a appointment for your pet in our vets so doubt very much they would be pleased with people bringing in vermin from the streets .."
Agree - especially if they wanted to charge £100 for a humane killing. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Probably not throw it out of the window...
You could have taken it to the local vets - they have a duty of care to all animals and would have ended its life humanely. We once took a rat that had a heart attack and couldn't move to the local vets to put it out of its misery. Got a few funny looks for having a massive rat that had been scooped up into a big plastic box, but it was the right thing to do so who cares what other people might think.You can just about get a appointment for your pet in our vets so doubt very much they would be pleased with people bringing in vermin from the streets .."
They have a duty of care. It doesn't really matter if they'd be "happy" about it or not. |
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"Thank you all for your thoughts on this. I've emailed the RSPCA now with my question.
I kill spiders, not without apologising, but anything larger would be tough."
Aaaarrrggghhh, you kill spiders??? 
Ma last Border Collie was called Spider, and I call al ma house spiders Henry   |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"She wears a bell. For a while she had two.
I think even 'just married' style tin cans tied to her tail wouldn't stop her, not suggesting anyone to try this of course. "
Ultrasonic cat collar |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Sounds horrible but just kill the poor thing. Taking it to a vet to do just prolongs it's agony and stress for no reason.
For a mouse I'd likely give it a good stamp. I found a pigeon once that had been shot, several holes and most of one wing missing so wrung it's neck. It is horrible having to do it but I think that when it comes to a choice of my squeanishness or an animals suffering I've just got to suck it up and make the end as quick and painless as possible. 
Mr |
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By *onb21 OP Woman
over a year ago
Cardiff |
"Thank you all for your thoughts on this. I've emailed the RSPCA now with my question.
I kill spiders, not without apologising, but anything larger would be tough.
Aaaarrrggghhh, you kill spiders???
Ma last Border Collie was called Spider, and I call al ma house spiders Henry "
Because they don't listen to me when I tell them not to come into my flat! My nightmare is to wake up with one sitting on my face.
Spider, the border collie, would have been welcome. |
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"Sounds horrible but just kill the poor thing. Taking it to a vet to do just prolongs it's agony and stress for no reason.
For a mouse I'd likely give it a good stamp. I found a pigeon once that had been shot, several holes and most of one wing missing so wrung it's neck. It is horrible having to do it but I think that when it comes to a choice of my squeanishness or an animals suffering I've just got to suck it up and make the end as quick and painless as possible.
Mr"
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By *onb21 OP Woman
over a year ago
Cardiff |
"She wears a bell. For a while she had two.
I think even 'just married' style tin cans tied to her tail wouldn't stop her, not suggesting anyone to try this of course.
Ultrasonic cat collar "
You wouldn't have a link, would you? Can't seem to find anywhere to buy. |
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By *onb21 OP Woman
over a year ago
Cardiff |
"Sounds horrible but just kill the poor thing. Taking it to a vet to do just prolongs it's agony and stress for no reason.
For a mouse I'd likely give it a good stamp. I found a pigeon once that had been shot, several holes and most of one wing missing so wrung it's neck. It is horrible having to do it but I think that when it comes to a choice of my squeanishness or an animals suffering I've just got to suck it up and make the end as quick and painless as possible.
Mr"
I know you are right. I don't know if I could deal with the gory mess, but even a bucket of water makes my hair stand up. |
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Cat saliva is quite toxic so it's unlikely that anything that has been bitten will survive.
It's possible to reduce a cats predatory instinct by feeding a high protein diet although you need to ensure that the cat has normal renal function.
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