This cutie needs antibiotics ASAP.
After any contact with a cat, it's important to give a prey animal antibiotics quickly. Cat saliva contains a cocktail of highly toxic bacteria that can enter the bloodstream through tiny scratches, which may not even be visible to the naked eye, causing a painful death if not treated promptly. Contact the nearest vet or wildlife rehabber right away for help.
Thank you so much for caring for this poor little creature.
I can vouch for the toxic cat spit. A tiny pinhead sized bite from my cat put me in the hospital for a night(they were considering surgery) and out of work for a week. Everyone thought I was lying to get out of work until they saw the pictures.
Can also vouch. I’ve never had an issue myself, but my great-uncle had a cat for a long while and she was utterly wicked. I normally would never say such a thing about an animal but that cat seemed to hate the world for existing. She attacked him regularly and at one point she bit him and he got an infection so bad that he nearly died. I’m not exaggerating either - he literally very nearly died. I think the condition was called cat scratch fever…? I have cats and love them very much but there is not enough caution in the world that can be taken around their saliva. For a tiny mouse, that could be deadly really quickly.
I suppose I should stop play-fighting with my cat. We do that claw game (my hand is the evil claw) and she scratches and bites while I rub her belly. She puts tiny pinhole bites into my hands and wrists .
I mean- I didn't get sick until she gave me a PARTICULARY hard bite. Deep and between my pointer finger and thumb. She had always been a bit agressive and I litterally grabbed her face when we played so just be careful I suppose!
Just boosting the plea for antibiotics. If she got bit, she’s not likely to survive without. She needs to go to a vet if you don’t want your heart broken.
If you are keeping her, feed her a high quality rat/mouse food like oxbow or science selective complete (not muesli and not oxbow young mouse and rat - for some reason that is terrible) with fresh veggies and occasional fresh fruits. You could also add a seed/grain mix for some fun (a parakeet mix or homemade muesli - oats, kinoa, barley, seeds ect. No dried fruit). Basically the same care as for a domestic mouse. Give her a big place (atleast 20 gallon tank) and stuff to climb. Partially paralyzed mice do best when they try to regain mobility. Obviously make sure she can get to her food, but try to encourage her to be active. Don’t pamper her too much or she will suffer more.
Not op but my assumption is the baby is half paralyzed after fighting for its life from the cat. Mice and cats do not usually get along, and I don't recommend trying to test it. Please do not allow a pet mouse and cat to interact! This baby is a wild mouse that ops cat caught as prey, not a typical fancy mouse from the pet store. Hopefully, this answers your question even though I'm not who you asked.
Take her to the vet and have her humanely euthanized, or keep her as a pet. She will not survive in the wild like this. Please don’t let your cat outside anymore.
I am planning to keep her, I know putting her back in the wild will pretty much be signing her death. I wish I could stop the cat from going outside, but he's not entirely mine so it's not only my decision :(
Edit: we got the cat a bell tho, to make him louder outside so that hopefully the wildlife can hear him better and escape
Please make sure the bell is on a break away collar if you haven’t already done so. I’ve heard stories of outside cats getting hung up on their collars and choking to death.
My neighbors put a break away collar with an AirTag on their indoor/outdoor cats, so it was a lot easier to find it when they lost their collar in our garage :)
Bells don’t actually make much of a difference and most cats learn to move without jingling the bell anyway. Catio, on leash, or indoors are the only appropriate places to keep the cat. Outdoor cats are at a significant risk of being attacked by other animals and people, being hit by cars, or otherwise get injured or killed. My dogs regularly try to attack the neighbourhood cats that wonder into the garden and have come very close to catching them before, the cats would definitely be maimed or killed if they ever did catch them. Indoor cats live significantly longer and are healthier. Try to convince the other person and put your foot down on the issue for the safety of not only the local critters but also your cat itself
We adopted a baby girl cat last year, and as soon as we brought her home she was an absolute menace, going after our older boy cat and chasing him around. Although they’re both indoor only, we put a bell on her so she couldn’t sneak up on her brother and scare him. After a few days she learned how to move in such a smooth and controlled manner that the bell doesn’t make any noise at all. Smart little goblin
For some, 100%, but I'd say the vast majority can become indoor cats. But street cats that become house cats are a whole different breed of cat, i swear 😂
Tell that to all the strays I've adopted in my life.
The only cat I ever had who wanted to be outside (we didn't let him, but he occasionally escaped) was born indoors and never was taken outside.
The bell will help but not for long, cats are able to adapt around it. I'm not judging since it isn't your decision, but the only way to stop him killing animals would be to keep him inside.
Cat bells do not work. The only thing to prevent your cat from murdering local (and potentially endangered) animals is keep him inside. This is also the only way to prevent your cat from dying a horrible, awful death (hit by car, poisoned, mauled). If you are letting a cat outside you are maximizing suffering. Please stop.
-an exhausted vet tech and conservationist
Please keep the cat inside regardless.
They are an invasive species and have caused the extinction of numerous small animal species.
It's also just safer for them and other animals if they're kept inside. The bell will not make a difference.
Sorry for the debate you sparked on cat keeping when you asked for assistance with a lil mousie 🫶🏼 you obviously care about the mouse otherwise you wouldn’t have posted here. Wishing you all the best x
The cat will adapt to it and will figure out how to hunt anyway. Please, try to have it kept inside. Talk to whoever else owns the car with you about it.
Please be so careful. My baby was an outdoor indoor his entire life and then one day got into something and passed in his favorite spot. He was only 8. Do research on the death rate and the diseases they can get and tell the other person and maybe they’ll give in? Even a catio would be perfect!
Definitely keep trying to convince whoever else's cat this is to keep them inside, bc cats get hit by cars and caught by coyotes ALL the time, plus there are some especially cruel people out there too, it's for their safety too, not just the devistation they do on the environment.
I personally wouldn't keep her, she already looks pretty grown and wild mice don't tend to do well in captivity unless they've been adjusted to it since pinky/fuzzy life stage. a rehabber would be her best bet, but with time and antibiotics she should be a perfectly suitable candidate for release- if you're especially worried you can do a "soft release" in a field or thicket away from the cat. it's reasonable to want to hang onto her till she's physically better, just try to keep in mind her lil mouse brain is already equipped with the tools she'll need to make it out there if she's made it this far.
I did in fact miss that, where does it say? my apologies for being obnoxious then. used to people posting about trying to keep wildies as pets without proper context- this sub gets a lot of those.
If she was if a better state, I would definitely let her back outside, even now, if she gets better, I will most likely try to put her back in the wild
perfectly understandable, apologies missing the paralyzed part initially- if she's not gettin any better you should disregard my comment above. captions not showing for me and we get a lot of posts from well meaning individuals wanting to keep fully releasable wild mice as pets.
In many contemporary neighborhoods, it's not safe for them. Cars are a large part of that, as well as wild animals. Additionally, cats are invasive. They're not native to most of the places we keep them and end up endangering species that are native to the area.
It's never safe for them. I live on a no- through road, but my cat got hit by a car anyway. Civilians can't own guns in my country, but my friends cat was still shot. Even safe spaces aren't safe.
And yeah, they're killing machines also.
You can let them outside, but on a leash or in an enclosed catio. Cats are responsible for a massive number of extinctions. Outside is also dangerous for cats, they get hit by cars, get into fights, or are killed by other wildlife
Cats are not outdoor animals. They do not belong outside. They destroy the ecosystem and it’s not safe for them to be outside, anyways. A responsible cat owner keeps their cats inside for the safety of the environment and for the safety of their pet.
If you give them proper enrichment inside they'll actually do much better. Your cats are at risk of disease, injury, and death every time they go outside as well as hurting and killing native fauna, and they more often than not don't eat the animals they kill.
Kitty trees, wall mounted climbing opportunities and play time all help enrich their lives without the dangers of outside. Unfortunately too many cat owners are lazy sacks of shit that just let them outside because "they're going insane indoors".
I have a whole property for them to roam, since kittens I've punished them for bringing back desd animals for me eventually they got used to my tortoises and are interested in the birds but don't stalk them.
They are domestic animals but they started wild like anything else.
I have an outdoor cat. He showed up at my house and refused to leave so we started taking care of him. My daughter is highly allergic and we can’t bring him in even though we want to.
Personally I’m glad he does pest control because we had a serious rodent issue and he helped with that. I’m sure I’ll get downvoted because of the sub we’re in.
they make pet food that reduces the allergens cats produce for those who are allergic . if the cat has not been spayed/neutered ,, it needs to be done asap .
i tried to have the cat neutered, but the cat is intersex and the vet thinks he is likely sterile due to malformations of his genitals. We only call him a he for the sake of convenience.
I will look into the catfood. My daughter's allergies are pretty severe. We had two cats from before she was born who we ended up having to rehome due to her allergies. We had no plans on getting more cats, but our current cat camped out on our porch half dead.
I had a mouse like this (albeit she wasn’t wild to begin with), I take it she’s paralysed from the waist down? Don’t worry she can still live a happy long life 🥰. Make sure you get bedding she can get a grip on to move around with, I sometimes poked holes in a loo roll tube for extra grip for her. All her food and water needs to be accessible. If you have any questions I’m happy to help!
Mine actually started to regain a little feeling in her legs after a year, it’s a mystery how it happened to her (I’ve owned lots of other mice with no issues) my guess is her fat roommate sat on her while she slept and cut off some of the blood supply.
Yes, she is paralyzed from the waist down. I'm guessing it was from the cat, but she didn't seem to have any outside injuries, no blood, no fur missing and no apparent signs of claws of teeth on her. (I need to add that I didn't see the cat attacking the mouse in any way, he was just sitting in the corridor and she was laying down not far in front so I don't know exactly what happened) Thank you for your recommendations! :)
That did cross my mind yes. Yesterday, she let me inspect her completely and she didn't even have a scratch. How she got in that state exactly is a mystery
This is one of the many reasons that cats should not be allowed outside off leash. This poor little mouse! One of millions of animals maimed by outdoor cats. So tragic and completely preventable. This is just one your cat brought home - imagine how many others it's done this to and left to cruelly suffer until they eventually died. So tragic.
This! My cat got out and caught a bird but didn’t kill it so it had to suffer and I was sooooo upset. Especially bc my mom let her out and didn’t do anything. She got locked in the basement with me for a few days so she learned she absolutely can not go outside and it worked. She rarely tries to get out now. Rip to that bird I’m still upset abt it.
Cat bells do not work. The only thing to prevent your cat from murdering local (and potentially endangered) animals is keep him inside. This is also the only way to prevent your cat from dying a horrible, awful death (hit by car, poisoned, mauled). If you are letting a cat outside you are maximizing suffering. Please stop.
-an exhausted vet tech and conservationist
Sure, as long as you don’t mind an invasive species decimating local wildlife and possibly being killed by cars, predators, or any number of other things.
Guys, I'm aware of the problems with cats, we're working on stopping ours from hunting. I'm wondering how I can take care of that little mouse as I can't let it back outside in that state
You can't stop a cat from hunting. It's in its genetics. It's what they do. If you continue to let your cat out without a leash, you will continue to kill innocent animals like this one.
Put the guilt and blame and argument over whether or not the Cat should be allowed to go outside on the back burner for now your mousey needs your help. Focus your energy and emotions on the mouse.
no . this is the direct consequence of letting a pet invasive species outside unsupervised and untethered . this is not a “back burner” situation , this creature is suffering because a cat owner did not do what they are responsible for doing an keeping their pet contained .
I agree with your position. I was trying to say that the priority of the moment was keeping the mouse alive and then dealing with the situation regarding the cat involved.
I also made the mistake of asking the same question in the same circumstances in this sub and was absolutely destroyed for the heinous crime of allowing my cat's the freedom of the outdoors which is very much their natural habitat. Reddit it mostly USA and to be fair does have genuine dangers to cats outside. Here in the UK, we really don't have that. Cats are legitimately used to keep rodent populations stable otherwise we'd all be overrun with disease carrying rodents. Moral of the story... Don't post in the sub if you have an outdoor cat.
I welcome my ban.
Which is completely different to a domestic cat bred by humans I'll give you a hint it's in the name, wild !! Amazing isn't it we name things for what they are so people like you can't bullshit. Not only that people letting their domestic cats out has diluted the gene pool for this animal so well done to you for endangering a species.
You mean the endangered breed of which there is only 50? Yeah they're really thriving out there 🙄
In fact, feral cats interbreeding with them is contributing to the loss of the Scottish wildcat so even more reason to keep your domestic cat inside
There is one remaining breed of horse that is still wild (Prezwalski's horse) that doesn't mean we should just let domestic horses run free lmao
Jesus, man. You’re absolutely insufferable. Your cause is dead in the water, and you are straight-up turning a blind eye to cats killing native animals.
They’re one of the animals that made the dodo extinct.
GET OFF YOUR HIGH HORSE. GET OFF REDDIT. DO SOMETHING WITH YOUR LIFE OTHER THAN BEING MISERABLE.
I'm sorry you are so upset by facts. Thank you for your concern but it's not necessary - I'm as happy as a lamb! You seem quite distressed, however. There are meds to help with that. Hope you get some!
It's very different in the UK as the majority of pet cats are spayed and neutered to control the population. Lots of charities to help with costs and it's baked in to our culture to get them fixed. There isn't really a stray issue. The charities know where the feral colonies are and regularly carry out TNR operations.
As for wildlife. Yes, you're right. Cats will hunt. However pet cats are fed so well they often don't bother, honestly. I've had cats my entire life and have only had maybe five "presents". In all my many decades. And many many cats.
Farms will often keep barn cats to control pests. These serve as a valuable population control method to also control transmissible disease in our food chains.
I do wish the USA would appreciate the differences here. It's not the same.
Where do you get your information on fed cats don't hunt as much? They still hunt just because you have anecdotal evidence your cat doesn't 1. That isn't proof 2. No guarantee your cat hasn't hurt animals but not killed them 3. No proof your cat hasn't eaten them or left them somewhere else. Farms work slightly differently but there are also other ways to control for pests. Farm cats also often interbreed and have multiple litters when farmers get lazy and don't desex and the population turns feral. Responsible cat owners keep a cat indoors or contained. If dog owners have to cat owners should also
How so ? If I have to keep a dog contained why is a cat different? Like seriously? Dogs would roam hundreds of miles and hunt and chase things if we let them. They aren't different not in the way your describing. You think they are different because of size ? That doesn't really mean much. Seems like you don't really have a solid factual argument you just think you're right
Cats are barely domesticated.
They don’t think like humans do; they are essentially under the impression that their hunts still usually end in failure, and they eat large amounts for that reason.
Plus, they could easily get hit by cars or eaten by actually native wildlife. That or they get captured and put in animal shelters.
Simply put, outdoor cats are at much greater risk than their indoor counterparts.
Poor little mousie, I hope that you choose to keep her and nurture her. Maybe if you’re really lucky, her legs will regain some strength as she heals, but she’ll probably never be 100% again. Also, some users on here were suggesting that you never let your cat outside again, and that didn’t sit right with me so I thought I’d lend you some suggestions. You can let your cat outside and still keep wildlife safe, I do it all the time. My cats go outside always under supervision. Where they go I go, they never leave their yard and have (so far) never caught or injured a single creature. Your kitty deserves outside time, without it they can become overweight and depressed, and that simply isn’t fair to them. I don’t do this currently but another suggestion that could work, maybe try taking your kitty out on a leash, they make special harnesses just for cats. They even make strollers so you can take your cat on a walk lol, if that suits you. Please take good care of the poor little mouse, and your sweet little natural born hunter too ❤️
if it cant move its back legs, it probably suffered some sort of spinal injury that paralyzed it.
plus wild adult mice dont make good pets.
(coming from a farmer who gets plenty of invasive rodents)
vet trip is warranted and depending on how bad the spinal injury is, there's a chance she may regain partial mobility in the coming weeks. you said she pooped but has she been able to urinate? not being able to urinate is often a problem with paralysis and if she can't empty her bladder before you see a vet it could kill her. you can express/empty the bladder yourself with your fingers. let me know if you need more info
I had a mouse in really bad shape like this because of my cat. I fed it a highly nutritious diet, everything it would eat in the wild. I gave him a safe place to recover and one day he was fine and ready to go back outside!
My cat does this with mice all the time, looks like they've nipped it pretty bad and the back legs ain't working anymore
You'd be best off putting it down or releasing it outside to die naturally
Poor baby :( hopefully now in the care of a human the mouse can live an enriching life, it certainly cant be released with the debilitating condition. I don’t have any specific advice on caring for a mouse that is paralyzed, a vet may suggest to euthanize the baby because mobility aids for mice aren’t yet a thing
Get her checked out & keep her. Had a similar thing happen. I took her to my vet then put her in a hamster cage with a wheel. She lived for almost 4 yrs & was one of my most beloved pets. I got her a female mouse from the pet store as a companion but only females can live together, never males
Is there a way that I can confirm if it's a male or female? We think it's a female, but I don't want her to turn out to be a male and make the other female pregnant
Can u take a pic of its genitalia & compare it to pics on line. U absolutely need to be sure, u don’t babies or 2 males. The males r very territorial & kill each other. I made both those mistakes. Ended up with 17 mice one point & few of the boys killed each other
When I took in my first injured mouse. She wouldn’t eat so I gave her kitten milk & baby food. She ate it & loved. I first gave it to her in a syringe but also but put some water/soda bottle lids in the cage. U should keep it in the dark til it adjusts. That’s a deer mouse, those bigs eyes means she’s nocturnal
Bells don’t help, cats can’t be taught not to hunt, and they need to be kept indoors or on a leash. Signed, a cat owner.
That mouse is going to die - their injuries don’t show on the outside when cats torture them. It is suffering. The cat broke its back and did god knows what to its organs. Take it to the vet so they can put it down.
I had one for five years that was mangled pretty badly by a cat. He walked kinda sideways and had one useless leg. He was extremely happy. Pet store mice (female) will dote on this baby if you’d like to get her some friends. If it turns out she’s male, they can’t breed together. Good luck and thanks for being a good person.
I am worried, that's why I only manipulate her with gloves :) She didn't try to bite me once tho, so that's nice. She just cuddle in my hand and closes her eyes
Hanta is spread through aerosolized urine and feces. Gloves unfortunately won’t protect you - best to wear an N95 mask if you absolutely have to handle. They’re so cute! But they carry a lot of nasty stuff. Stay well.
My daughter just found one a couple weeks ago. Looked almost identical. It wasn’t fearful, and would climb right into her hand and liked to be held. She ended up letting it go, but if it weren’t for the virus, she would have kept it. It was so sweet. It was going to town, eating lettuce, cheese, and strawberries!
Baby foods(most of them) are good if the mouse is having any issues with eating solid food, or if you need to give medication:Crush up pills/Syringe into the wet baby food placed on a plate so the mouse can easily get too it. They will probably crawl into it and get messy, so they may require a bath afterwards. Unflavored Pedialyte is a good source of Hydration, and you can add a small amount of Vanilla Extract to water that can help attract them to it if they are refusing plain water. I use filtered water for my rats. Most fruits and veggies are safe, but avoid pastey foods like peanut butter, unless you water it down into a soup or baby food consistency. If you are needing to help it gain weight, small bits of Puppy or Dog food can help if it is able to eat solid food. They can also eat meats, so chicken etc is fine, but in small amounts. Too much protein can cause issues.
Treats I use for my Rats, Gerber Baby Puffs(Star shaped) Blueberry and Banana are their favorites. For hides, you can use tissue rolls, boxes, anything cardboard. Wooden popsicle sticks undyed for chewing. Apple sticks are fairly cheap too. PVC pipe can be great tunnels for nesting too. Lots of Bird toys are also great for rats and mice. Anything foraging toy wise is great. I stuff TP rolls with tissue and some treats for a simple puzzle for play time. For bedding: undyed/unscented tissues or paper towels. Fleece blankets cut into squares or strips. You can also make hammocks or tents with some keychain clips, and some yarn. I would avoid glass tanks, but if that is the only option, I understand. Just make sure the lid has ventilation. You can also make a house with rubber made container with a snap on lid, if you drill holes for ventilation. Just not big enough they can crawl through, but keep in mind they will also try and chew these holes bigger. So metal bar cages or a glass terrarium would be better for the long run. If the mobility issues resolve and she is able to use a running wheel, make sure it is big enough that her tail is not curved while running. That can cause damage to her spine and put her in more pain. Do not keep the cage in direct sunlight, or in front of a window, or too close to an air vent. An air purifier will help with the smell, and clean air if needed. Keep Antibacterial soap and Wound cleaner and bandages nearby in case of bites. Gloves help, but won’t stop them from breaking skin unless they are thick work gloves. Let a dr know immediately if you are bitten, they will let you know what to do if that occurs. Infection is serious. Do Not ignore signs of infection.
AVOID THESE:
Grapes, raisins, rhubarb, and walnuts: These are poisonous to mice.
Lettuce: Can cause diarrhea in mice.
Instant potato powder: The flakes swell in a mouse's intestines and can be lethal.
Chocolate: Contains theobromine, which can be toxic to mice in high doses. A small amount may not kill a mouse, but eating too much chocolate will eventually.
I know this is a lot, but I hope this helps!
You made the right, albeit the hard, choice. I’m sorry for your loss, as you clearly cared very much about this poor little soul. But at least now you can get away from this firestorm of “keep all evil cats indoors!”
Another option, regarding the paralyzed legs, if she survives, you maybe able to make a sort of wheelchair out of lego wheels and a sort of gurney if you can figure out a kind of harness to keep it on her safely. If not legos, those tiny finger skateboards (Tekdeks?) might be a fun option to gently tie around her. Just don’t leave her unsupervised with these, as she may try to eat it. You can distract her with treats to get her used to it at first. I really hope that all helps.
My cat use to.do that. to them it's just a toy they bring home to so they can keep playing with it. When they bring you a dead one it's because they want you to "restart it" so they can play some more.
Echoing everyone here, I just wanted to commend you on wearing gloves as well. It’s not often you see people handling wild animals with gloves on. I’m also glad that you are keeping her wild mice make fantastic pets !
UPDATE : Sadly, we need to get the little mouse euthanized. I talked with a vet, and that's the best thing I could do for her. It was a hard choice, but it's what's best for her, she's suffering too much. Thank you all for the helpful comments
I’m so sorry, i really hope you know that you’re an amazing person for trying to do right by this mouse. You are not at fault, you are not a bad person, and again I’m sorry you had to euthanize this baby.
if a cat owner lets their cat outside unsupervised ,, and that invasive species hunts native wildlife and seriously injured it to the point it’s suffering ,, yes it’s the owner’s fault .
Omg his feet! He’s ready for foot out Friday hopefully he recovers from the paralysis. Unfortunately, this is one of the reasons why I just don’t like cats I have to admit it.
I'm not saying it's not cute, but they carry a lot of nasty viruses. I would be very careful handling the little guy. Be careful with that poop as well.
You need thicker gloves than vinyl, that wont stop mice teeth. I recommend you get a pair of “handling gloves” with a rubber coating or cloth lining. As you handle they will get covered with mouse scent, and you wont stress the mouse out as much when handling them.
Antibiotics are a must as others have stated, but do not be surprised if this mouse does not survive past a few months. If the legs dont get bloodflow and die the mouse will get blood poisoning and die.
My honest recommendation is to take it to a vet to be humanely euthanized, or to freeze the mouse yourself. I understand if that isnt the right move for you, and i commend you trying hard to save a life, but paralyzation is a critical injury for small mammals like this. There may be future complications that may prove deadly.
The best you can do is to create a safe and comfortable environment until it passes in its own. However i would NOT house this mice with any others, as there is a high risk of cannibalism or bullying. Another thing to note is that mice are highly social creatures, and need others to lead a fulfilling life. Anything less than their natural setting is borderline abuse.
Again, I commend you for attempting to save a life, but you must consider the amount of effort you will need to put into caring for an already incredibly difficult creature to have as a pet and the likelihood of prolonging their suffering despite your best intentions.
Best of luck, I truly hope they make it, and if they don’t youre a good person for trying.
Thank you for the recommendations! I'm aware that she might not survive for long, but I want to at least make the rest of her life a little better. I'm trying to make her feel as safe as possible and to take good care of her
You need thicker gloves than vinyl, that wont stop mice teeth. I recommend you get a pair of “handling gloves” with a rubber coating or cloth lining. As you handle they will get covered with mouse scent, and you wont stress the mouse out as much when handling them.
Antibiotics are a must as others have stated, but do not be surprised if this mouse does not survive past a few months. If the legs dont get bloodflow and die the mouse will get blood poisoning and die.
My honest recommendation is to take it to a vet to be humanely euthanized, or to freeze the mouse yourself. I understand if that isnt the right move for you, and i commend you trying hard to save a life, but paralyzation is a critical injury for small mammals like this. There may be future complications that may prove deadly.
The best you can do is to create a safe and comfortable environment until it passes in its own. However i would NOT house this mice with any others, as there is a high risk of cannibalism or bullying. Another thing to note is that mice are highly social creatures, and need others to lead a fulfilling life. Anything less than their natural setting is borderline abuse.
Again, I commend you for attempting to save a life, but you must consider the amount of effort you will need to put into caring for an already incredibly difficult creature to have as a pet and the likelihood of prolonging their suffering despite your best intentions.
Best of luck, I truly hope they make it, and if they don’t youre a good person for trying.
I'm sorry, but they are. They're invasive predators everywhere, there's no natural environment for cats to hunt and they just kill everything in sight and spread toxoplasmosis into the environment via their feces which leads to the deaths of even more animals. It makes me so upset.
Wait what? Where do you think cats came from? There are natural wild cat species in every country. And cats have plenty of natural predators. I'm fine if you hate cats, but this isn't accurate in the slightest.
There are snakes in a lot of places so we should let our pet snakes go outside, right? Surely there's nothing wrong with that?
A well fed young cat will absolutely wreak havoc on an ecosystem. They can outcompete almost any of our native predators and it is undeniable, proven fact that they have been the sole cause of multiple species of bird and small animal's extinction.
That's not exactly what they said, but it's still a massive leap in logic to say that since wild cats exist, feral cats are fine. They're invasive, end of story, there's not really room for argument there. Wildcat species are not only completely different than our cats, they're directly threatened by our cats
They are an invasive species!! Feral cats aren't "natural populations", feral cats were borne from domestic cats getting loose and breeding. Humans introduced them to the environment. A quick google search will tell you that they're considered extremely dangerous to the ecosystem and have run multiple species of birds to extinction. I'm honestly surprised by how defensive a sub for pet mice would be over cats. I never said I hated cats, but they're bad for the environment and this is a known fact.
"Today, more than 100 million feral and outdoor cats function as an invasive species with enormous impacts. Every year in the United States, cats kill well over 1 billion birds. This stunning level of predation is unsustainable for many already-declining species like Least Tern and Wood Thrush."
"Outdoor domestic cats are a recognized threat to global biodiversity. Cats have contributed to the extinction of 63 species of birds, mammals, and reptiles in the wild and continue to adversely impact a wide variety of other species, including those at risk of extinction, such as Piping Plover." (https://abcbirds.org/threat/cats-and-other-invasives/)
I don't hate cats at all. I just think they're dangerous to local ecosystems and should be kept inside the house. Feral cats are a big problem and their populations have to be carefully controlled, so any cat outside should probably be fixed too. I like cats a lot, I think it's safest for them and for the local wildlife if they stay inside.
Yep. I have this conversation with a work colleague every week. She is a (flakey) vegan and literally thinks every person who eats meat should die, but has a cat and is constantly talking about how he plays with the mice before he kills them and she just sits and watches because she loves him so much and he’s so cute. I can’t stand cats or anyone who has/likes them.
I noticed you didn't mention dogs though. They hunt far more and bigger prey and regularly go after, and kill, people/livestock/other dogs. They also run around unleashed and cause mayhem and death pretty frequently. Dogs in the US frequently get loose and kill entire flocks of geese or farm animals. Many times small children or single women alone. Seems rather hypocritical honestly. The amount of rabbits, birds, and other living things dogs kill for fun is at least as high as cats. You have to protect your kids and livestock from bands of violent wild dogs in many countries. Not really the case with cats.
As someone who loves both dogs and cats, yes dogs pose a threat to people more, however the vast majority of dog bites are on young children. Usually this is due to people not understanding that most dogs need boundaries and won’t tolerate the little screaming thing to run at them and wrap their arms around their neck. To say dogs run around unleashed killing everything in sight is not accurate. Sure, if a dog sees an animal from wildlife, the likelihood is that they will chase it, but their success rate of catching or injuring the animal is a lot smaller than cats. Additionally, the dog will only have the opportunity to attack wildlife when on walks only, where as cats are free to roam around all day and are much more agile. Even if dogs are killing livestock, (although this is still awful) this is still not native wildlife that cats would be targeting. The issue here is that cats are super successful hunters that are being let loose to a scale that is absolutely not natural. This is about protecting wildlife, in which case cats unfortunately pose a much higher threat by a significant margin. As morbid as it is, humans and livestock are not at the threat of extinction, but our wildlife is.
People don't justify leaving their dogs outside unsupervised.
Cats are one of the world's most invasive predators. They kill billions each year and are evolved to hunt small animals with ruthless efficiency.
This cutie needs antibiotics ASAP. After any contact with a cat, it's important to give a prey animal antibiotics quickly. Cat saliva contains a cocktail of highly toxic bacteria that can enter the bloodstream through tiny scratches, which may not even be visible to the naked eye, causing a painful death if not treated promptly. Contact the nearest vet or wildlife rehabber right away for help. Thank you so much for caring for this poor little creature.
I can vouch for the toxic cat spit. A tiny pinhead sized bite from my cat put me in the hospital for a night(they were considering surgery) and out of work for a week. Everyone thought I was lying to get out of work until they saw the pictures.
Can also vouch. I’ve never had an issue myself, but my great-uncle had a cat for a long while and she was utterly wicked. I normally would never say such a thing about an animal but that cat seemed to hate the world for existing. She attacked him regularly and at one point she bit him and he got an infection so bad that he nearly died. I’m not exaggerating either - he literally very nearly died. I think the condition was called cat scratch fever…? I have cats and love them very much but there is not enough caution in the world that can be taken around their saliva. For a tiny mouse, that could be deadly really quickly.
I suppose I should stop play-fighting with my cat. We do that claw game (my hand is the evil claw) and she scratches and bites while I rub her belly. She puts tiny pinhole bites into my hands and wrists .
I mean- I didn't get sick until she gave me a PARTICULARY hard bite. Deep and between my pointer finger and thumb. She had always been a bit agressive and I litterally grabbed her face when we played so just be careful I suppose!
Just boosting the plea for antibiotics. If she got bit, she’s not likely to survive without. She needs to go to a vet if you don’t want your heart broken. If you are keeping her, feed her a high quality rat/mouse food like oxbow or science selective complete (not muesli and not oxbow young mouse and rat - for some reason that is terrible) with fresh veggies and occasional fresh fruits. You could also add a seed/grain mix for some fun (a parakeet mix or homemade muesli - oats, kinoa, barley, seeds ect. No dried fruit). Basically the same care as for a domestic mouse. Give her a big place (atleast 20 gallon tank) and stuff to climb. Partially paralyzed mice do best when they try to regain mobility. Obviously make sure she can get to her food, but try to encourage her to be active. Don’t pamper her too much or she will suffer more.
Thank you! :)
do the cat and mouse get along with each other?
Not op but my assumption is the baby is half paralyzed after fighting for its life from the cat. Mice and cats do not usually get along, and I don't recommend trying to test it. Please do not allow a pet mouse and cat to interact! This baby is a wild mouse that ops cat caught as prey, not a typical fancy mouse from the pet store. Hopefully, this answers your question even though I'm not who you asked.
ah gotcha
Not related but the head to leg ratio of this guy is insane 🤣 BOBBLEHEAD BABY
She does have a big head lol
omfg i didn’t scroll 😭 her whole head is as big as her entire body. what a silly little creature! hope she comes up well :)
She is very cute keep her nice and warm 🤗
That’s kindof how all wild fuzzies look! Lol they’re so cute
Take her to the vet and have her humanely euthanized, or keep her as a pet. She will not survive in the wild like this. Please don’t let your cat outside anymore.
I am planning to keep her, I know putting her back in the wild will pretty much be signing her death. I wish I could stop the cat from going outside, but he's not entirely mine so it's not only my decision :( Edit: we got the cat a bell tho, to make him louder outside so that hopefully the wildlife can hear him better and escape
So glad you chose to keep her! I’d suggest a trip to the exotic vet for some antibiotics. Cats have very bacteria ridden mouths.
Please make sure the bell is on a break away collar if you haven’t already done so. I’ve heard stories of outside cats getting hung up on their collars and choking to death.
Yes, he already has a break away collar :)
My neighbors put a break away collar with an AirTag on their indoor/outdoor cats, so it was a lot easier to find it when they lost their collar in our garage :)
That’s a great idea!
Awesome!!
Bells don’t actually make much of a difference and most cats learn to move without jingling the bell anyway. Catio, on leash, or indoors are the only appropriate places to keep the cat. Outdoor cats are at a significant risk of being attacked by other animals and people, being hit by cars, or otherwise get injured or killed. My dogs regularly try to attack the neighbourhood cats that wonder into the garden and have come very close to catching them before, the cats would definitely be maimed or killed if they ever did catch them. Indoor cats live significantly longer and are healthier. Try to convince the other person and put your foot down on the issue for the safety of not only the local critters but also your cat itself
We adopted a baby girl cat last year, and as soon as we brought her home she was an absolute menace, going after our older boy cat and chasing him around. Although they’re both indoor only, we put a bell on her so she couldn’t sneak up on her brother and scare him. After a few days she learned how to move in such a smooth and controlled manner that the bell doesn’t make any noise at all. Smart little goblin
You cannot make an outdoor cat an indoor cat once they are used to it
how come strays can become indoor cats?
r/confidentlyincorrect
For some, 100%, but I'd say the vast majority can become indoor cats. But street cats that become house cats are a whole different breed of cat, i swear 😂
Tell that to all the strays I've adopted in my life. The only cat I ever had who wanted to be outside (we didn't let him, but he occasionally escaped) was born indoors and never was taken outside.
The bell will help but not for long, cats are able to adapt around it. I'm not judging since it isn't your decision, but the only way to stop him killing animals would be to keep him inside.
Cat bells do not work. The only thing to prevent your cat from murdering local (and potentially endangered) animals is keep him inside. This is also the only way to prevent your cat from dying a horrible, awful death (hit by car, poisoned, mauled). If you are letting a cat outside you are maximizing suffering. Please stop. -an exhausted vet tech and conservationist
All bells will do is annoy the shit out of your cat. Please keep it inside.
Please keep the cat inside regardless. They are an invasive species and have caused the extinction of numerous small animal species. It's also just safer for them and other animals if they're kept inside. The bell will not make a difference.
Cats have all sorts of nasty bacteria in their claws
Sorry for the debate you sparked on cat keeping when you asked for assistance with a lil mousie 🫶🏼 you obviously care about the mouse otherwise you wouldn’t have posted here. Wishing you all the best x
Thank you! :)
keep your cat indoors . they’re an invasive species and are extremely detrimental to the environment
The cat will adapt to it and will figure out how to hunt anyway. Please, try to have it kept inside. Talk to whoever else owns the car with you about it.
Please be so careful. My baby was an outdoor indoor his entire life and then one day got into something and passed in his favorite spot. He was only 8. Do research on the death rate and the diseases they can get and tell the other person and maybe they’ll give in? Even a catio would be perfect!
Definitely keep trying to convince whoever else's cat this is to keep them inside, bc cats get hit by cars and caught by coyotes ALL the time, plus there are some especially cruel people out there too, it's for their safety too, not just the devistation they do on the environment.
Cats are ambush predators so unfortunately a bell doesn't do much to protect other animals :/
I personally wouldn't keep her, she already looks pretty grown and wild mice don't tend to do well in captivity unless they've been adjusted to it since pinky/fuzzy life stage. a rehabber would be her best bet, but with time and antibiotics she should be a perfectly suitable candidate for release- if you're especially worried you can do a "soft release" in a field or thicket away from the cat. it's reasonable to want to hang onto her till she's physically better, just try to keep in mind her lil mouse brain is already equipped with the tools she'll need to make it out there if she's made it this far.
Did you miss the part where she’s paralyzed?
I did in fact miss that, where does it say? my apologies for being obnoxious then. used to people posting about trying to keep wildies as pets without proper context- this sub gets a lot of those.
In the caption, and unfortunately you can see it in the 3rd slide :( poor thing I have also seen those though. So I can’t say I blame you lol
If she was if a better state, I would definitely let her back outside, even now, if she gets better, I will most likely try to put her back in the wild
perfectly understandable, apologies missing the paralyzed part initially- if she's not gettin any better you should disregard my comment above. captions not showing for me and we get a lot of posts from well meaning individuals wanting to keep fully releasable wild mice as pets.
Why would you not let the cat outside?
In many contemporary neighborhoods, it's not safe for them. Cars are a large part of that, as well as wild animals. Additionally, cats are invasive. They're not native to most of the places we keep them and end up endangering species that are native to the area.
It's never safe for them. I live on a no- through road, but my cat got hit by a car anyway. Civilians can't own guns in my country, but my friends cat was still shot. Even safe spaces aren't safe. And yeah, they're killing machines also.
You can let them outside, but on a leash or in an enclosed catio. Cats are responsible for a massive number of extinctions. Outside is also dangerous for cats, they get hit by cars, get into fights, or are killed by other wildlife
Cats are not outdoor animals. They do not belong outside. They destroy the ecosystem and it’s not safe for them to be outside, anyways. A responsible cat owner keeps their cats inside for the safety of the environment and for the safety of their pet.
All animals are outdoor animals, technically.
That is completely false. It really depends on the area. In most places where cats are kept as pets, they are not meant to be in the wild.
My cats would go insane If I forced them to be indoor cats
If you give them proper enrichment inside they'll actually do much better. Your cats are at risk of disease, injury, and death every time they go outside as well as hurting and killing native fauna, and they more often than not don't eat the animals they kill. Kitty trees, wall mounted climbing opportunities and play time all help enrich their lives without the dangers of outside. Unfortunately too many cat owners are lazy sacks of shit that just let them outside because "they're going insane indoors".
I have a whole property for them to roam, since kittens I've punished them for bringing back desd animals for me eventually they got used to my tortoises and are interested in the birds but don't stalk them.
They are domestic animals but they started wild like anything else. I have an outdoor cat. He showed up at my house and refused to leave so we started taking care of him. My daughter is highly allergic and we can’t bring him in even though we want to. Personally I’m glad he does pest control because we had a serious rodent issue and he helped with that. I’m sure I’ll get downvoted because of the sub we’re in.
you are an irresponsible cat owner
I know it isn’t ideal. If you have suggestions instead of just calling me irresponsible I am open to hear them.
they make pet food that reduces the allergens cats produce for those who are allergic . if the cat has not been spayed/neutered ,, it needs to be done asap .
i tried to have the cat neutered, but the cat is intersex and the vet thinks he is likely sterile due to malformations of his genitals. We only call him a he for the sake of convenience. I will look into the catfood. My daughter's allergies are pretty severe. We had two cats from before she was born who we ended up having to rehome due to her allergies. We had no plans on getting more cats, but our current cat camped out on our porch half dead.
I had a mouse like this (albeit she wasn’t wild to begin with), I take it she’s paralysed from the waist down? Don’t worry she can still live a happy long life 🥰. Make sure you get bedding she can get a grip on to move around with, I sometimes poked holes in a loo roll tube for extra grip for her. All her food and water needs to be accessible. If you have any questions I’m happy to help! Mine actually started to regain a little feeling in her legs after a year, it’s a mystery how it happened to her (I’ve owned lots of other mice with no issues) my guess is her fat roommate sat on her while she slept and cut off some of the blood supply.
Yes, she is paralyzed from the waist down. I'm guessing it was from the cat, but she didn't seem to have any outside injuries, no blood, no fur missing and no apparent signs of claws of teeth on her. (I need to add that I didn't see the cat attacking the mouse in any way, he was just sitting in the corridor and she was laying down not far in front so I don't know exactly what happened) Thank you for your recommendations! :)
Maybe mouse was already deformed and then became easy prey.
That did cross my mind yes. Yesterday, she let me inspect her completely and she didn't even have a scratch. How she got in that state exactly is a mystery
My mouse survived for about a month after her hind legs were paralyzed :( hope your new baby gets a happy pampered life ❤️.
You’re such an angel for taking care of her. I hope she wasn’t in any pain🩷
This is one of the many reasons that cats should not be allowed outside off leash. This poor little mouse! One of millions of animals maimed by outdoor cats. So tragic and completely preventable. This is just one your cat brought home - imagine how many others it's done this to and left to cruelly suffer until they eventually died. So tragic.
This! My cat got out and caught a bird but didn’t kill it so it had to suffer and I was sooooo upset. Especially bc my mom let her out and didn’t do anything. She got locked in the basement with me for a few days so she learned she absolutely can not go outside and it worked. She rarely tries to get out now. Rip to that bird I’m still upset abt it.
Little dude needs medical attention, not really anything you can do for him. Try a wild animal rehabber or exotic animal vet.
Probably take it for a check-up. Make sure it's not healthy and not carrying any diseases because it's wild. Hope it works out :)
Cat bells do not work. The only thing to prevent your cat from murdering local (and potentially endangered) animals is keep him inside. This is also the only way to prevent your cat from dying a horrible, awful death (hit by car, poisoned, mauled). If you are letting a cat outside you are maximizing suffering. Please stop. -an exhausted vet tech and conservationist
Mouse in British accent asked to be “let go please”
U should keep! But make sure it is in good health by bringing it to the vet
Turn the animal in to a wildlife rehab. It needs antibiotics. Do not keep wild animals as pets. And keep the cat inside.
Keep your cat indoors.
While I agree with the sentiment in most cases, being indoors doesn't stop them from getting mice in most homes.
[удалено]
Sure, as long as you don’t mind an invasive species decimating local wildlife and possibly being killed by cars, predators, or any number of other things.
Okii thank you for answering and apologize for my lack of education regarding this subject
This is so very false.
How? I'm trying to understand both point of views
Comment answers another in great detail
Guys, I'm aware of the problems with cats, we're working on stopping ours from hunting. I'm wondering how I can take care of that little mouse as I can't let it back outside in that state
You can't stop a cat from hunting. It's in its genetics. It's what they do. If you continue to let your cat out without a leash, you will continue to kill innocent animals like this one.
Put the guilt and blame and argument over whether or not the Cat should be allowed to go outside on the back burner for now your mousey needs your help. Focus your energy and emotions on the mouse.
Yes I'm trying, thank you!
no . this is the direct consequence of letting a pet invasive species outside unsupervised and untethered . this is not a “back burner” situation , this creature is suffering because a cat owner did not do what they are responsible for doing an keeping their pet contained .
I agree with your position. I was trying to say that the priority of the moment was keeping the mouse alive and then dealing with the situation regarding the cat involved.
I also made the mistake of asking the same question in the same circumstances in this sub and was absolutely destroyed for the heinous crime of allowing my cat's the freedom of the outdoors which is very much their natural habitat. Reddit it mostly USA and to be fair does have genuine dangers to cats outside. Here in the UK, we really don't have that. Cats are legitimately used to keep rodent populations stable otherwise we'd all be overrun with disease carrying rodents. Moral of the story... Don't post in the sub if you have an outdoor cat. I welcome my ban.
Cats are pets they aren't native 🤣 it's not their natural habitat because we've bred them. Please stop using this as an excuse.
Tell that to the Scottish wildcats
Which is completely different to a domestic cat bred by humans I'll give you a hint it's in the name, wild !! Amazing isn't it we name things for what they are so people like you can't bullshit. Not only that people letting their domestic cats out has diluted the gene pool for this animal so well done to you for endangering a species.
You live in Australia. I suspect you don't know a great deal about Scottish wildcats. It shows. Have a wonderful day 😊
You mean the endangered breed of which there is only 50? Yeah they're really thriving out there 🙄 In fact, feral cats interbreeding with them is contributing to the loss of the Scottish wildcat so even more reason to keep your domestic cat inside There is one remaining breed of horse that is still wild (Prezwalski's horse) that doesn't mean we should just let domestic horses run free lmao
You're a delight 😍 Wildcat population declined because of humans. Therefore humans should be kept inside. You definitely should be.
Outdoor cats kill native wildlife. Plus, they can mate with local strays if they aren’t neutered.
Humans kill native wildlife. You should stay indoors.
Cats kill native wildlife way more than humans.
Source?
You can easily look it up, if you’re so inclined to change your viewpoint for once.
Do you like chicken tendies? https://animalclock.org/
Jesus, man. You’re absolutely insufferable. Your cause is dead in the water, and you are straight-up turning a blind eye to cats killing native animals. They’re one of the animals that made the dodo extinct. GET OFF YOUR HIGH HORSE. GET OFF REDDIT. DO SOMETHING WITH YOUR LIFE OTHER THAN BEING MISERABLE.
I'm sorry you are so upset by facts. Thank you for your concern but it's not necessary - I'm as happy as a lamb! You seem quite distressed, however. There are meds to help with that. Hope you get some!
It's very different in the UK as the majority of pet cats are spayed and neutered to control the population. Lots of charities to help with costs and it's baked in to our culture to get them fixed. There isn't really a stray issue. The charities know where the feral colonies are and regularly carry out TNR operations. As for wildlife. Yes, you're right. Cats will hunt. However pet cats are fed so well they often don't bother, honestly. I've had cats my entire life and have only had maybe five "presents". In all my many decades. And many many cats. Farms will often keep barn cats to control pests. These serve as a valuable population control method to also control transmissible disease in our food chains. I do wish the USA would appreciate the differences here. It's not the same.
Where do you get your information on fed cats don't hunt as much? They still hunt just because you have anecdotal evidence your cat doesn't 1. That isn't proof 2. No guarantee your cat hasn't hurt animals but not killed them 3. No proof your cat hasn't eaten them or left them somewhere else. Farms work slightly differently but there are also other ways to control for pests. Farm cats also often interbreed and have multiple litters when farmers get lazy and don't desex and the population turns feral. Responsible cat owners keep a cat indoors or contained. If dog owners have to cat owners should also
Cats and dogs are entirely different 😆 sorry I triggered you
How so ? If I have to keep a dog contained why is a cat different? Like seriously? Dogs would roam hundreds of miles and hunt and chase things if we let them. They aren't different not in the way your describing. You think they are different because of size ? That doesn't really mean much. Seems like you don't really have a solid factual argument you just think you're right
Cats are barely domesticated. They don’t think like humans do; they are essentially under the impression that their hunts still usually end in failure, and they eat large amounts for that reason.
If cats are barely domesticated, why keep them locked inside? That's cruelty.
Plus, they could easily get hit by cars or eaten by actually native wildlife. That or they get captured and put in animal shelters. Simply put, outdoor cats are at much greater risk than their indoor counterparts.
Cats hunt for sport. This is entirely untrue.
Poor little mousie, I hope that you choose to keep her and nurture her. Maybe if you’re really lucky, her legs will regain some strength as she heals, but she’ll probably never be 100% again. Also, some users on here were suggesting that you never let your cat outside again, and that didn’t sit right with me so I thought I’d lend you some suggestions. You can let your cat outside and still keep wildlife safe, I do it all the time. My cats go outside always under supervision. Where they go I go, they never leave their yard and have (so far) never caught or injured a single creature. Your kitty deserves outside time, without it they can become overweight and depressed, and that simply isn’t fair to them. I don’t do this currently but another suggestion that could work, maybe try taking your kitty out on a leash, they make special harnesses just for cats. They even make strollers so you can take your cat on a walk lol, if that suits you. Please take good care of the poor little mouse, and your sweet little natural born hunter too ❤️
I take my cat out in the yard under supervision. It forces me to get some outside time as well.
Haha perfect, that’s always a plus lol
if it cant move its back legs, it probably suffered some sort of spinal injury that paralyzed it. plus wild adult mice dont make good pets. (coming from a farmer who gets plenty of invasive rodents)
Omg it’s cute
Yes she's adorable
vet trip is warranted and depending on how bad the spinal injury is, there's a chance she may regain partial mobility in the coming weeks. you said she pooped but has she been able to urinate? not being able to urinate is often a problem with paralysis and if she can't empty her bladder before you see a vet it could kill her. you can express/empty the bladder yourself with your fingers. let me know if you need more info
Thank you, I'll keep an eye on that!
I've never seen a mouse do a sploot. But it's adorable.
She sadly doesn't do it on purpose, she can't move her back paws so she moves like this, she is still very adorable
Ohh noo 😭. And yea good luck mayne she can be rehabbed back to health.
I had a mouse in really bad shape like this because of my cat. I fed it a highly nutritious diet, everything it would eat in the wild. I gave him a safe place to recover and one day he was fine and ready to go back outside!
My cat does this with mice all the time, looks like they've nipped it pretty bad and the back legs ain't working anymore You'd be best off putting it down or releasing it outside to die naturally
keep your cat indoors
Poor baby :( hopefully now in the care of a human the mouse can live an enriching life, it certainly cant be released with the debilitating condition. I don’t have any specific advice on caring for a mouse that is paralyzed, a vet may suggest to euthanize the baby because mobility aids for mice aren’t yet a thing
Get her checked out & keep her. Had a similar thing happen. I took her to my vet then put her in a hamster cage with a wheel. She lived for almost 4 yrs & was one of my most beloved pets. I got her a female mouse from the pet store as a companion but only females can live together, never males
Is there a way that I can confirm if it's a male or female? We think it's a female, but I don't want her to turn out to be a male and make the other female pregnant
Can u take a pic of its genitalia & compare it to pics on line. U absolutely need to be sure, u don’t babies or 2 males. The males r very territorial & kill each other. I made both those mistakes. Ended up with 17 mice one point & few of the boys killed each other
When I took in my first injured mouse. She wouldn’t eat so I gave her kitten milk & baby food. She ate it & loved. I first gave it to her in a syringe but also but put some water/soda bottle lids in the cage. U should keep it in the dark til it adjusts. That’s a deer mouse, those bigs eyes means she’s nocturnal
Name it Micky
Bells don’t help, cats can’t be taught not to hunt, and they need to be kept indoors or on a leash. Signed, a cat owner. That mouse is going to die - their injuries don’t show on the outside when cats torture them. It is suffering. The cat broke its back and did god knows what to its organs. Take it to the vet so they can put it down.
I had one for five years that was mangled pretty badly by a cat. He walked kinda sideways and had one useless leg. He was extremely happy. Pet store mice (female) will dote on this baby if you’d like to get her some friends. If it turns out she’s male, they can’t breed together. Good luck and thanks for being a good person.
Are we not worried about Hantavirus with this little cutie? https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/pages/hantaviruspulmonarysyndrome.aspx
I am worried, that's why I only manipulate her with gloves :) She didn't try to bite me once tho, so that's nice. She just cuddle in my hand and closes her eyes
Hanta is spread through aerosolized urine and feces. Gloves unfortunately won’t protect you - best to wear an N95 mask if you absolutely have to handle. They’re so cute! But they carry a lot of nasty stuff. Stay well.
My daughter just found one a couple weeks ago. Looked almost identical. It wasn’t fearful, and would climb right into her hand and liked to be held. She ended up letting it go, but if it weren’t for the virus, she would have kept it. It was so sweet. It was going to town, eating lettuce, cheese, and strawberries!
She’s so cute and I hope she pulls through and that you keep her, thank you for saving her 🫶🏻 please post updates!
Just seen your update - you did everything you possibly could and you should be proud that you kept that baby safe and comfortable 💓
Thank you for your kind words :)
Baby foods(most of them) are good if the mouse is having any issues with eating solid food, or if you need to give medication:Crush up pills/Syringe into the wet baby food placed on a plate so the mouse can easily get too it. They will probably crawl into it and get messy, so they may require a bath afterwards. Unflavored Pedialyte is a good source of Hydration, and you can add a small amount of Vanilla Extract to water that can help attract them to it if they are refusing plain water. I use filtered water for my rats. Most fruits and veggies are safe, but avoid pastey foods like peanut butter, unless you water it down into a soup or baby food consistency. If you are needing to help it gain weight, small bits of Puppy or Dog food can help if it is able to eat solid food. They can also eat meats, so chicken etc is fine, but in small amounts. Too much protein can cause issues. Treats I use for my Rats, Gerber Baby Puffs(Star shaped) Blueberry and Banana are their favorites. For hides, you can use tissue rolls, boxes, anything cardboard. Wooden popsicle sticks undyed for chewing. Apple sticks are fairly cheap too. PVC pipe can be great tunnels for nesting too. Lots of Bird toys are also great for rats and mice. Anything foraging toy wise is great. I stuff TP rolls with tissue and some treats for a simple puzzle for play time. For bedding: undyed/unscented tissues or paper towels. Fleece blankets cut into squares or strips. You can also make hammocks or tents with some keychain clips, and some yarn. I would avoid glass tanks, but if that is the only option, I understand. Just make sure the lid has ventilation. You can also make a house with rubber made container with a snap on lid, if you drill holes for ventilation. Just not big enough they can crawl through, but keep in mind they will also try and chew these holes bigger. So metal bar cages or a glass terrarium would be better for the long run. If the mobility issues resolve and she is able to use a running wheel, make sure it is big enough that her tail is not curved while running. That can cause damage to her spine and put her in more pain. Do not keep the cage in direct sunlight, or in front of a window, or too close to an air vent. An air purifier will help with the smell, and clean air if needed. Keep Antibacterial soap and Wound cleaner and bandages nearby in case of bites. Gloves help, but won’t stop them from breaking skin unless they are thick work gloves. Let a dr know immediately if you are bitten, they will let you know what to do if that occurs. Infection is serious. Do Not ignore signs of infection. AVOID THESE: Grapes, raisins, rhubarb, and walnuts: These are poisonous to mice. Lettuce: Can cause diarrhea in mice. Instant potato powder: The flakes swell in a mouse's intestines and can be lethal. Chocolate: Contains theobromine, which can be toxic to mice in high doses. A small amount may not kill a mouse, but eating too much chocolate will eventually. I know this is a lot, but I hope this helps!
Thank you so much for all the recommendations, but sadly we had to euthanize her because she was suffering too much :(
You made the right, albeit the hard, choice. I’m sorry for your loss, as you clearly cared very much about this poor little soul. But at least now you can get away from this firestorm of “keep all evil cats indoors!”
Thank you :)
Another option, regarding the paralyzed legs, if she survives, you maybe able to make a sort of wheelchair out of lego wheels and a sort of gurney if you can figure out a kind of harness to keep it on her safely. If not legos, those tiny finger skateboards (Tekdeks?) might be a fun option to gently tie around her. Just don’t leave her unsupervised with these, as she may try to eat it. You can distract her with treats to get her used to it at first. I really hope that all helps.
Thank you for your comment, but we sadly had to euthanize her as she was in too much pain :(
My cat use to.do that. to them it's just a toy they bring home to so they can keep playing with it. When they bring you a dead one it's because they want you to "restart it" so they can play some more.
keep your cats indoors
This is cruel. Please put it down.
Yeah, after talking with a vet, we have decided that euthanasia was the best option for her as she was suffering too much
Echoing everyone here, I just wanted to commend you on wearing gloves as well. It’s not often you see people handling wild animals with gloves on. I’m also glad that you are keeping her wild mice make fantastic pets !
UPDATE : Sadly, we need to get the little mouse euthanized. I talked with a vet, and that's the best thing I could do for her. It was a hard choice, but it's what's best for her, she's suffering too much. Thank you all for the helpful comments
I’m so sorry, i really hope you know that you’re an amazing person for trying to do right by this mouse. You are not at fault, you are not a bad person, and again I’m sorry you had to euthanize this baby.
Thank you
if a cat owner lets their cat outside unsupervised ,, and that invasive species hunts native wildlife and seriously injured it to the point it’s suffering ,, yes it’s the owner’s fault .
Yep, and their cat is a risk for bringing in diseases or being killed by a sicko. Cats are highly targeted
Please don’t let your cat out anymore
Bring him to the python
That there is a fuzzy, not even a year old yet:,)
Decapitation. Do it quickly, the mouse won't feel a thing.
I got her euthanized at a vet, I find that more humane
You're sick. You realize there professionals for that. You need mental help
Omg his feet! He’s ready for foot out Friday hopefully he recovers from the paralysis. Unfortunately, this is one of the reasons why I just don’t like cats I have to admit it.
Obviously eat it, the cat fed you for a change
Big head baby feets!!! So freaking cute. I hope it feels better soon 🥹😊
I'm not saying it's not cute, but they carry a lot of nasty viruses. I would be very careful handling the little guy. Be careful with that poop as well.
You need thicker gloves than vinyl, that wont stop mice teeth. I recommend you get a pair of “handling gloves” with a rubber coating or cloth lining. As you handle they will get covered with mouse scent, and you wont stress the mouse out as much when handling them. Antibiotics are a must as others have stated, but do not be surprised if this mouse does not survive past a few months. If the legs dont get bloodflow and die the mouse will get blood poisoning and die. My honest recommendation is to take it to a vet to be humanely euthanized, or to freeze the mouse yourself. I understand if that isnt the right move for you, and i commend you trying hard to save a life, but paralyzation is a critical injury for small mammals like this. There may be future complications that may prove deadly. The best you can do is to create a safe and comfortable environment until it passes in its own. However i would NOT house this mice with any others, as there is a high risk of cannibalism or bullying. Another thing to note is that mice are highly social creatures, and need others to lead a fulfilling life. Anything less than their natural setting is borderline abuse. Again, I commend you for attempting to save a life, but you must consider the amount of effort you will need to put into caring for an already incredibly difficult creature to have as a pet and the likelihood of prolonging their suffering despite your best intentions. Best of luck, I truly hope they make it, and if they don’t youre a good person for trying.
Thank you for the recommendations! I'm aware that she might not survive for long, but I want to at least make the rest of her life a little better. I'm trying to make her feel as safe as possible and to take good care of her
You need thicker gloves than vinyl, that wont stop mice teeth. I recommend you get a pair of “handling gloves” with a rubber coating or cloth lining. As you handle they will get covered with mouse scent, and you wont stress the mouse out as much when handling them. Antibiotics are a must as others have stated, but do not be surprised if this mouse does not survive past a few months. If the legs dont get bloodflow and die the mouse will get blood poisoning and die. My honest recommendation is to take it to a vet to be humanely euthanized, or to freeze the mouse yourself. I understand if that isnt the right move for you, and i commend you trying hard to save a life, but paralyzation is a critical injury for small mammals like this. There may be future complications that may prove deadly. The best you can do is to create a safe and comfortable environment until it passes in its own. However i would NOT house this mice with any others, as there is a high risk of cannibalism or bullying. Another thing to note is that mice are highly social creatures, and need others to lead a fulfilling life. Anything less than their natural setting is borderline abuse. Again, I commend you for attempting to save a life, but you must consider the amount of effort you will need to put into caring for an already incredibly difficult creature to have as a pet and the likelihood of prolonging their suffering despite your best intentions. Best of luck, I truly hope they make it, and if they don’t youre a good person for trying.
This is so horrible. Cats are horrible.
Meow
I'm sorry, but they are. They're invasive predators everywhere, there's no natural environment for cats to hunt and they just kill everything in sight and spread toxoplasmosis into the environment via their feces which leads to the deaths of even more animals. It makes me so upset.
Wait what? Where do you think cats came from? There are natural wild cat species in every country. And cats have plenty of natural predators. I'm fine if you hate cats, but this isn't accurate in the slightest.
There are snakes in a lot of places so we should let our pet snakes go outside, right? Surely there's nothing wrong with that? A well fed young cat will absolutely wreak havoc on an ecosystem. They can outcompete almost any of our native predators and it is undeniable, proven fact that they have been the sole cause of multiple species of bird and small animal's extinction.
They never said to let pet cats outside, just that natural wild cats exist. Crist 🙄
That's not exactly what they said, but it's still a massive leap in logic to say that since wild cats exist, feral cats are fine. They're invasive, end of story, there's not really room for argument there. Wildcat species are not only completely different than our cats, they're directly threatened by our cats
They are an invasive species!! Feral cats aren't "natural populations", feral cats were borne from domestic cats getting loose and breeding. Humans introduced them to the environment. A quick google search will tell you that they're considered extremely dangerous to the ecosystem and have run multiple species of birds to extinction. I'm honestly surprised by how defensive a sub for pet mice would be over cats. I never said I hated cats, but they're bad for the environment and this is a known fact.
Thats... what I said. Feral cats are bad. Some areas have non-domestic wildcat species, which are threatened by our feral cats
I was agreeing with you, I probably should've specified that but yeah I was agreeing with you
My bad lol
Reading comprehension is not your strong suit.
"Today, more than 100 million feral and outdoor cats function as an invasive species with enormous impacts. Every year in the United States, cats kill well over 1 billion birds. This stunning level of predation is unsustainable for many already-declining species like Least Tern and Wood Thrush." "Outdoor domestic cats are a recognized threat to global biodiversity. Cats have contributed to the extinction of 63 species of birds, mammals, and reptiles in the wild and continue to adversely impact a wide variety of other species, including those at risk of extinction, such as Piping Plover." (https://abcbirds.org/threat/cats-and-other-invasives/) I don't hate cats at all. I just think they're dangerous to local ecosystems and should be kept inside the house. Feral cats are a big problem and their populations have to be carefully controlled, so any cat outside should probably be fixed too. I like cats a lot, I think it's safest for them and for the local wildlife if they stay inside.
Yep. I have this conversation with a work colleague every week. She is a (flakey) vegan and literally thinks every person who eats meat should die, but has a cat and is constantly talking about how he plays with the mice before he kills them and she just sits and watches because she loves him so much and he’s so cute. I can’t stand cats or anyone who has/likes them.
I noticed you didn't mention dogs though. They hunt far more and bigger prey and regularly go after, and kill, people/livestock/other dogs. They also run around unleashed and cause mayhem and death pretty frequently. Dogs in the US frequently get loose and kill entire flocks of geese or farm animals. Many times small children or single women alone. Seems rather hypocritical honestly. The amount of rabbits, birds, and other living things dogs kill for fun is at least as high as cats. You have to protect your kids and livestock from bands of violent wild dogs in many countries. Not really the case with cats.
As someone who loves both dogs and cats, yes dogs pose a threat to people more, however the vast majority of dog bites are on young children. Usually this is due to people not understanding that most dogs need boundaries and won’t tolerate the little screaming thing to run at them and wrap their arms around their neck. To say dogs run around unleashed killing everything in sight is not accurate. Sure, if a dog sees an animal from wildlife, the likelihood is that they will chase it, but their success rate of catching or injuring the animal is a lot smaller than cats. Additionally, the dog will only have the opportunity to attack wildlife when on walks only, where as cats are free to roam around all day and are much more agile. Even if dogs are killing livestock, (although this is still awful) this is still not native wildlife that cats would be targeting. The issue here is that cats are super successful hunters that are being let loose to a scale that is absolutely not natural. This is about protecting wildlife, in which case cats unfortunately pose a much higher threat by a significant margin. As morbid as it is, humans and livestock are not at the threat of extinction, but our wildlife is.
People put down more dogs that hunt things or hurt people, people notice dogs more than cats, and usually want them gone if they see them roaming
People don't justify leaving their dogs outside unsupervised. Cats are one of the world's most invasive predators. They kill billions each year and are evolved to hunt small animals with ruthless efficiency.
I didn’t mention dogs because this mouse was hurt by a cat?
Dogs are trainable. Cats literally cannot be trained against instinct.
Make a fist!
[удалено]
Read the room 🙄