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Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!hao!noao!terak!suze
From: suze@terak.UUCP (Suzanne Barnett)
Newsgroups: net.pets
Subject: Re: Better mousers??
Message-ID: <686@terak.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 26-Aug-85 12:58:47 EDT
Article-I.D.: terak.686
Posted: Mon Aug 26 12:58:47 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 29-Aug-85 20:53:01 EDT
References: <247@drutx.UUCP>
Organization: Calcomp Display Products Division, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
Lines: 53

> I am considering getting a couple of cats from the dumb friend's
> league to use as mousers. My questions are:
> 	1) Which is usually a better mouser - male or female

Nix (female) frequently brought in garter snakes.

Graedgeon (male) frequently brought home squirrels and
rabbits. I once saw him with a mouse.

Snowy (female) caught LOTS of birds.

Weasel (male) catches lots of birds, possibly other critters.

Tabitha (female) catches and eats all the household insects.
Flies and crickets are her specialties.

Blackie, Tanya and Hagar aren't inclined to hunt. (Though
Blackie will play with insects.)

> 	2) Does the fact that a cat has been spayed or neutered
> 	   effect its hunting ability/desire

Snowy started catching birds only AFTER having a litter. As
soon as they got new homes she was spayed. She hunted from
then till she died ~ 14 years later.

Weasel has been fixed as long as I've known him. I would guess
from the amount he's grown, he was less than six months then,
making him about 1 year now. (He claims us, it's not really
reciprocal).

> 	3) If I obtain 2 animals, will I be better off obtaining
> 	   one of each sex or two of the same. If two of the same
> 	   sex, which sex (this question refers to compatability
> 	   of the animals)

Are you going to fix them? Then sex doesn't matter. If not, it
may. (Unless you want LOTS of kittens :-).) If you're going to
get two, you might want to get littermates. They don't need to
get used to each other and don't display jealousy as much.
However, not all cats have this problem, and if both start as
young kittens, being littermates may not make a difference.

> thanx!
> 	Mark Longo	AT&T ISL Denver

Good Luck!
-- 
Suzanne Barnett

uucp:	 ...{decvax,hao,ihnp4,seismo}!noao!terak!suze
phone:	 (602) 998-4800
us mail: CalComp, 14151 N 76th street, Scottsdale, AZ 85260