I wish I had a cat

[kenjari]

Our apartment has been invaded by mice. I think they are getting in through the spaces in the walls through which the gas line comes in for the stove, because that's where we've been seeing them. So far our trap (right next to the stove) has caught three mice in two days. Our leading theory is that the work being done in the basement - it looks like some kind or remodelling or clean-up work - may have disturbed the mice living down there. We're on the first floor, and this is the first time in four years that we have ever seen mice in our apartment.
I'm not particularly squeamish, and I'm not all that grossed out by mice. But I didn't invite them to share my living space, and I really don't like the idea of little wild animals crawling around where I store and prepare my food.

Comments

[apintrix.livejournal.com]

You know-- if you ask around, you might find someone willing to lend you a cat. Of course, not all cats are mousers, so you'd need to know. A good mouser will take a few months, but boy, will it eradicate mice.

(Traps work too.)
If you know the source, can you plug it?

[kenjari.livejournal.com]

The source is probably directly behind the stove and would be extremely difficult to reach. If the mice don't disappear in a while, I think we will call the landlords and let them deal with moving the stove and such.

[epilimnion.livejournal.com]

We had mice one winter at the Somerville house. They are a pain, and sometimes hard to get rid of, and they won't just disappear as long as they consider your place a source of food. But you definitely don't want them hanging around, pooping all over your kitchen (eewww). You don't want them crawling around the piano, or your computer, or anything really. What you need to do is give your kitchen and dining area a thorough cleaning, and then be extremely conscientious about getting rid of crumbs. Put all your grains, pasta, cookies, bread, (anything in a package they could chew through) etc in plastic bins. Do not leave food out. Get a securely covered garbage can for the kitchen. Make sure you don't leave crumbs in any other part of the house. Don't eat in your bedroom unless you want mice there. you have to make sure they have no reason to romp around your apartment. Plug their entrance if you can. Then, keep up with the traps. And finally, you don't have to get a cat. Just get a friend with a cat (should be no problem) to supply you with tufts of cat hair, which you should place in some strategic spots. That's what we did at Tower street, and it was successful.

[epilimnion.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, and keep in mind that mice are good at climbing.

[zfarcher.livejournal.com]

We got rid of mice at the Governor St. apartment (ask otherKenjari) with three of those ultrasonic noise emitters. Nothing else (up to that point) worked at all. And, it drives the mice (including the ones you do not ever see) out of the place without killing them.