What can I do to keep my cat away from mice?
Toys and games can help your cat fulfill its hunting needs without needing to catch live prey. However, most cats will still stalk and catch live prey if given the opportunity, no matter how well-fed they are at home. Throughout history, people have used cats to keep rodents away.
Can a human be infected with hantavirus from a cat?
Several types of rodents are known to carry hantavirus. Cats can be infected by hantavirus but will show no symptoms, therefore the virus is not dangerous to them. In addition, cats cannot transmit hantavirus to people. However, humans can be exposed through contact with infected rodents.
What kind of diseases can cats get from mice?
There are several ways your cat can be harmed by exposure to rodents. Mice and rats may carry viruses, bacteria, parasites, and even toxins that can affect you or your cat. Toxoplasmosis is one of the most common parasitic diseases in cats. This infection is caused by the Toxoplasma gondii parasite.
Is the deer mouse a carrier of hantavirus?
Although it is the primary carrier, the deer mouse is not the only carrier of the disease. The hantavirus is also carried by other rodents: the white-footed mouse, the cotton rat, and the rice rat.
What kind of rodents carry the Hanta virus?
The hantavirus is also carried by other rodents: the white-footed mouse, the cotton rat, and the rice rat. White-footed mouse: Closely resembling the deer mouse, it is found in many areas of the U.S., including the eastern coast from the South up through southern New England, the Midwest and the West, as well as Mexico.
Where can you find white footed mouse hantavirus?
No, Hantavirus is also carried by: The white-footed mouse – closely resembling the deer mouse, it is found in many areas of the U.S., including the east coast from the South up through Southern New England, the Midwest and the West, as well as Mexico.
What kind of habitat does a deer mouse need?
Deer Mouse. Deer mice are a particular concern because they spread hantavirus, which can be deadly to people. Because deer mice prefer forests, grasslands, and agricultural crops, they aren’t normally found within urban and residential areas unless fields, forests, or other suitable habitats surround those areas.