Will a cat keep mice away?
Written by the Hydra Pest Control team, Arizona-licensed (license #9790)
Last reviewed:
Short answer
Not reliably. University of California IPM says some cats and dogs will catch and kill mice and rats, but there are few situations where they control a rodent population. Mice can hide and raise their young where a pet can't reach, and a cat can make rodents more secretive, which looks like fewer mice when they are still there. UC IPM calls sealing entry points the most successful and permanent form of mouse control.
Arizona context
Whether your home is in the Gila Valley, the White Mountains or Sierra Vista, a cat can't close the gaps mice use to get inside. UC IPM says mice can enter through openings as small as 1/4 inch, and they seldom travel more than 30 feet from their nest and food supply, so a few mice can live inside walls, cabinets or storage areas without ever crossing a cat's path.
What actually keeps mice out
- Look for droppings, fresh gnaw marks and tracks to find where mice are active
- Seal every gap and opening larger than 1/4 inch, using wire screen, coarse steel wool, metal or concrete that mice can't chew through
- Don't plug holes with plastic screening, rubber, vinyl, expanding foam or wood, which UC IPM says are ineffective
- Make sure doors, windows and screens fit tightly
- Clean up and declutter to remove food, water and shelter
- Set snap traps close to walls, behind objects and in dark corners, about 10 feet apart, where children and pets, including your cat, can't reach them
- Skip ultrasonic and other sound devices. UC IPM says there is little evidence they drive mice out of buildings
What the research shows
One peer-reviewed study on this looked at rats, not mice. In a 2018 study published in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, researchers used cameras and microchipped rats to watch feral cats and an active rat colony at a waste recycling facility in Brooklyn, New York, from late December 2017 through May 2018. They recorded 306 videos, 20 stalking events and only three predation attempts, two of which were successful.
Rats were less likely to be seen on days when more cats were around, and they were more likely to move toward shelter, but they stayed in the area. The authors say the drop in rat sightings may explain why people believe cats control rats, even though the cats killed very few. They also note that feral cats cause widespread loss of native wildlife in cities.
Mice are smaller than city rats, which the authors say often weigh about 10 times as much, and feral cats tend to prefer smaller prey. So a cat may catch more mice than rats, but this study didn't measure mice, and it doesn't show that a cat can clear them out.
Why a cat isn't a mouse control plan
UC IPM says the presence of predators can make rodents more cryptic, giving the false impression that the predators have reduced the population. Around most buildings, mice can find many places to hide and rear their young out of a predator's reach.
UC IPM says there is no simple and easy fix for house mice. Getting rid of an infestation almost always takes some population reduction, such as trapping, combined with sanitation to remove food, water and shelter, and exclusion to keep mice from getting in.
When professional service is warranted
Call if you keep finding droppings or gnaw marks, hear mice in the walls or attic, or trapping isn't keeping up. UC IPM says house mice carry several diseases, including leptospirosis, salmonella and lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCM). If you have questions about a possible exposure, contact your healthcare provider, or call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. This is general information, not medical advice.
How Hydra handles it
Our Service Pros find where mice are getting in, seal entry points, and set up trapping and monitoring. To talk it through, call or text your local office to reach an Office Pro, or ask for a free custom quote.
Frequently asked
Do cats keep mice away?
Not reliably. University of California IPM says some dogs and cats will catch and kill mice and rats, but there are few situations in which they will sufficiently control rodent populations. Around most buildings, mice can find many places to hide and raise their young out of a pet's reach.
Does having a cat just make mice hide?
It can. UC IPM says predators can make rodents more cryptic, giving the false impression that the population has dropped. In a 2018 study of feral cats and rats at a recycling facility in Brooklyn, New York, rats were seen less often on days with more cats around and moved toward shelter, but they stayed in the area.
Is it safe to use mouse poison if I have a cat?
Be very careful. University of California IPM says all rodenticides are toxic to people, pets and wildlife, so baits must be kept away from children and nontarget animals, and there is evidence that bromethalin can pass through the food chain to predators that eat mice that ate the bait. In homes with only a few mice, UC IPM calls trapping the preferred method. If someone may have swallowed rodent bait, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. This is general information, not medical advice.
What actually keeps mice out of a house?
Sealing them out. UC IPM calls exclusion the most successful and permanent form of house mouse control: close every gap and opening larger than 1/4 inch, seal around pipes, vents and utility lines with metal or concrete, and make sure doors, windows and screens fit tightly. Pair that with good sanitation and trapping any mice already inside.
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