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Cat Forum / Cat Anecdotes / March 2005Urgent - I need your help
Please help save two precious cats from needless harm. My neighbor, Gloria, has two lazy housecats, named Leap-in-the-air and Tubs. There is a mouse in her house and is Gloria is setting traps for them. The kind of mousetrap you bait with cheese or peanut butter and when the mouse goes for the bait a piece of metal snaps down and breaks the mouse's spine. Gloria insists that such a trap if sprung by a cat's paw would do no harm to the cat's paw. I believe she is wrong. Although I would never use such a trap in the first place, even if I would consider using one I certainly would not leave it where a cat might accidentally get a paw caught in it. What I need from you guys is testimonials -- not opinions, but actual stories of injuries to cats who've encountered such mousetraps and been seriously hurt by them. I will show those to Gloria and hope she at least decides to put the mousetraps out of reach of her kitties. Time is of the essence! Thank you. I don't think you're going to get much in the way of testimonials since most of us have the sense to know that something that has the capability to kill a small animal can cause harm to a larger one. The only thing I can suggest, and I am very serious about this, is that you go over there, set a mousetrap, and *insist* your friend stick her own finger in it to prove her theory that it won't cause harm to a more fragile cat's paw. That might be enough to get the point across. Megan  Signature"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." -Edmund Burke Learn The TRUTH About Declawing http://www.stopdeclaw.com Zuzu's Cats Photo Album: http://www.PictureTrail.com/zuzu22 "Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way." - W.H. Murray > I don't think you're going to get much in the way of testimonials since > most of us have the sense to know that something that has the capability [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > own finger in it to prove her theory that it won't cause harm to a more > fragile cat's paw. That might be enough to get the point across. Megan, when she originally told me of her plan she claimed that she had let the trap snap on her own finger and that it didn't hurt and therefore it could not hurt a cat's paw. We've already had a long argument about how the bones in a cat's paw are smaller than a bone in a human finger. She is dead sure that these bones are close enough to the same size that a mousetrap not only could not break such a bone but would not even hurt the cat. See why I am desperate? >> I don't think you're going to get much in the way of testimonials since >> most of us have the sense to know that something that has the capability [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > See why I am desperate? I would suggest you take the cat to your house until she traps the mouse. Could you convince her this is the best way? MLNB > I would suggest you take the cat to your house until she traps the mouse. > Could you convince her this is the best way? There are two cats there, one of which can't be touched. The other, Tubs, used to live here but anytime he has tried to come back and visit Tommy and Eli have read him the riot act. Remember we are dealing with an extremely stubborn woman. Two years ago when I saw hemp dogbane growing thick in one of the pastures I told her it is deadly poison to livestock and she should eradicate it. She said it was OK and even stopped me from pulling the plants out by the roots. The following summer one of the baby foals ate some of that plant and died from it. Then she went about eradicating the weed from all the pastures. The only way she learns anything is through hard experience. The best advice is unwelcome and universally rejected simply because it was not *her* idea or because she believes it is wrong. >she claimed that she had let the trap >snap on her own finger and that it didn't >hurt and therefore it could not hurt a cat's >paw. Then she shouldn't have a problem showing you so you can see for yourself. ;-) Megan Signature"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." -Edmund Burke Learn The TRUTH About Declawing http://www.stopdeclaw.com Zuzu's Cats Photo Album: http://www.PictureTrail.com/zuzu22 "Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way." - W.H. Murray > >she claimed that she had let the trap >>snap on her own finger and that it didn't [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > Then she shouldn't have a problem showing you so you can see for > yourself. ;-) Mousetraps (snap variety) in the UK are designed to kill mice. Itty bitty mice with small bones in the neck. They are incapable of hurting cats. Same larger variety trap to kill rats, yes, I agree. That one "could" hurt a cats foot. I have used a rat trap for many years and never had a cat at risk from it. Sometimes I think people just believe what they read, without any experience of what is being discussed. That's dangerous. Tweed >> >she claimed that she had let the trap >>>snap on her own finger and that it didn't hurt and therefore it could not [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > Tweed In junior high we had to build "mousetrap cars"; vehicles on which the spring of a mousetrap was the power for movement. Anyway, for some reason I got a rat trap, not a mouse trap. Having played with that rat trap a bit, I have no doubt it could seriously injure a child's hand, not to mention a cat. Signaturemonique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca >>>> she claimed that she had let the trap >>>> snap on her own finger and that it didn't hurt and therefore it [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > that rat trap a bit, I have no doubt it could seriously injure a > child's hand, not to mention a cat. This is OT, but when I talked to John earlier today his big orange cat Kidder brought a RAT inside. He lives out in the country and has a cat-flap. Kidder brought in a rat, very much alive. He shooed the cat away from the rat, which ran under his chair. He put gloves on and used a net to catch it and put it outside. But he said it looked like a pet rat; it was grey but had a white belly and was really fluffy. I don't picture rats as fluffy. He let it go under a bush and hoped it would find its way someplace else. Jill >>> >she claimed that she had let the trap >>>>snap on her own finger and that it didn't hurt and therefore it could not [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] >rat trap, not a mouse trap. Having played with that rat trap a bit, I have no >doubt it could seriously injure a child's hand, not to mention a cat. If you look at the packaging for pre-assembled mousetrap cars, they usually have some kind of warning for children not to handle unsupervised. Theresa Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh My Blog: http://www.humanitas.blogspot.com >>> >she claimed that she had let the trap >>>>snap on her own finger and that it didn't hurt and therefore it could [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > have no > doubt it could seriously injure a child's hand, not to mention a cat. But we are not talking rat traps here (one of which went off on my finger in the shop I was buying it from, and the saleswoman nearly fainted) We are talking about a little bitty mouse trap. It would be wise to put them where your cats can't get them, but I doubt they would harm cats if you didn't. If the cats touch the traps when they are set, they will just snap and jump. If they come across them when a mousie has been caught.. well. Nice snack. Tweed Friendly-like, have Gloria "test" trap by sticking her own finger on it and springing trigger on her finger....she must be a few sandwiches short of a picnic, and if so, is dumb enough to do your "test" if you suggest it. > Please help save two precious cats from needless harm. > [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > > Thank you. She told me that she did try it on her finger and it didn't even hurt, and that's why she thinks it won't hurt a cat's paw. > Friendly-like, have Gloria "test" trap by sticking her own > finger on it and springing trigger on her finger....she must > be a few sandwiches short of a picnic, and if so, is dumb > enough to do your "test" if you suggest it. > She told me that she did try it on her finger and it didn't even hurt, and > that's why she thinks it won't hurt a cat's paw. If she said that, she lied. I got snapped with one when I was baiting it (ages ago, I was a kid) and I still remember the pain. I'm not sure, but I may have busted a finger as my left ring finger was one of the ones caught, and it is crooked. It also hurts like anything whenever there is a weather change. Pam S. > > She told me that she did try it on her finger and it didn't even hurt, and > > that's why she thinks it won't hurt a cat's paw. > > If she said that, she lied. She does that quite a bit. But will rarely admit it. I am just so appalled that anyone, least of all someone who appears to love animals as she does, would want to take such a risk with their precious kitties. I am so appalled I can't bear to think of it! > > > She told me that she did try it on her finger and it didn't even hurt, > and [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > would want to take such a risk with their precious kitties. I am so appalled > I can't bear to think of it! I wonder if she is just pushing your buttons? >> > > She told me that she did try it on her finger and it didn't even >> > > hurt, [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] >> > I wonder if she is just pushing your buttons? I wonder this also. Why do you even bother with her? I was once told by a good neighbor that the best neighbor is the one that leaves you alone. MLB >> She told me that she did try it on her finger and it didn't even hurt, >> and [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Pam S. I tend to agree. I've had my finger snapped by such a mousetrap and it *hurts* - it hurts a *lot* - indeed I think I was lucky not to break a bone. Cheers, helen s > Please help save two precious cats from needless harm. > [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > > Thank you. I could find nothing on the net about spring traps injuring cats, but I did find this hint: Place the trap inside a small cardboard box that has enough height to allow the trap to snap. Some shoe boxes work for this). Cut a 3" x 3 opening on two opposite sides of the box. Place the box with a baited trap in a known rat path so that the rats will be able to enter the box as they travel on their path. This should prevent your pet from being snapped by the trap. > Please help save two precious cats from needless harm. > [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > > Thank you. I don't have any testimonials about cats getting hurt but when I had to use spring traps for a mouse problem years ago I shoved them way back behind the refrigerator and back in cabinets where the cats did not go. And if she's ever seen one that didn't quite DIE because it was caught in the trap, she'd abhor using such a thing, too. I switched to bait traps (again, shoved way back). I didn't have a cat at the time but I had a dog smaller than my cat. I made sure the bait wasn't anywhere near where my dog (or a cat) could reach. Her finger is not at all an indication of how this would hurt a cat paw and if she doesn't think it hurts, she's never really done it. I only had a trap spring on me once and it HURT like Hades. Jill > I don't have any testimonials about cats getting hurt but when I had to use > spring traps for a mouse problem years ago I shoved them way back behind the [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > if she doesn't think it hurts, she's never really done it. I only had a > trap spring on me once and it HURT like Hades. I'm hurting from the very thought... Can you image what this could do to a cat's tongue? She doesn't feed them much, they are always begging for food and what food she did buy for them was rancid right out of the bag, the dogs won't even touch it when they are starving, so I can't imagine any little morsel of anything in the house going uninvestigated by her cats. Aren't they smart enough to catch and eat the mice? I guess not and I guess this is her way of punishing them for not catching those mice. Honest to Bast it makes me want to start packing and move away from here but where else could I live on $600/month and still have six cats. I am already in a trap. >Aren't >they smart enough to catch and eat the mice? I guess not and I guess this is >her way of punishing them for not catching those mice. Honest to Bast it >makes me want to start packing and move away from here but where else could >I live on $600/month and still have six cats. I am already in a trap. I think that all in all, Gloria sounds like an excellent neighbor to have, even though she misjudges some things. It sounds as though she's been trying to encourage her cats to be mousers, even though they're just regular lazy housecats. :) I think that placing mousetraps carelessly is just an accident waiting to happen, so hopefully, she'll place them out of reach of the cats. > Please help save two precious cats from needless harm. > [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > > Thank you. Mice like to run along the side of things, like cupboards and skirting boards. All Gloria needs to do it to put up a long wooden plank slanting outwards along the side of her inside wall and set the trap halfway along. Nowadays I have a catch-alive trap to put inside my cupboards if I need one, and then I let the caught mice go. It's not always possible if they are all over the house and inside all the food cupboards. However, if I find I have to use a snap-back trap (which I don't like to do) I either hide it behind a heavy plank alongside a wall, put it in a food cupboard where the mice are and the cats can't get in or get a not very long length of drainpipe, maybe 4 feet, as a temporary resident and put it in there. I don't know if American snap-back traps for mice are more severe than here in the UK. I can't imagine that ours would hurt a cat, if he sniffed it and set off the trigger it would jump up in the air and give him a fright. Might hit his nose in the process, but definitely no harm done. I cannot help you, Pat, with incidents of mouse traps here hurting cats. I don't think they "could." No use, then ;-) Sorry! Tweed >Please help save two precious cats from needless harm. > [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > >Thank you. I try very hard to refrain from putting judgmental thoughts on this board, but this is just daft. I can't give you any real-life examples, because no cat-person I know is asinine enough to put a spring trap down in his/her house with his/her cats. Hasn't your neighbor ever seen one of these traps spring? That would be more than enough to convince me that those things belong nowhere near soft kitty paws. Theresa Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh My Blog: http://www.humanitas.blogspot.com No stories unfortunately, but I do hope that somehow your neighbour reconsiders. Lots of purrs and best wishes that her kitties are not hurt in any way, SignaturePolonca & Soncek > Please help save two precious cats from needless harm. > [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > > Thank you.
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