Mouse proof cat feeder?

[BK911]

Been occasionally seeing a stray cat around the house.
Really shocking since I have over 300 pounds of dog running around the yard.
But I found it digging in the garbage bags in back of my truck a few times.
Want to keep it around to help with mice in the shed.
Decided to start putting out some cat food in the shed and leaving the roll up door cracked.
Foods been disappearing, but not sure if cat or mice are eating it.
Any ideas on how to mice proof a cat food bowl?
Thinking maybe a 4 sided glass enclosure the cat can jump in but too high for mice?

[cabmandone]

Don't worry, the cat feeder that turns mouse feeder will turn back to a cat feeder given the time. Meanwhile, get some of those bait traps that the mouse goes in, eats then goes out. That'll thin the herd a bit.

[mattdavis11]

There is a problem with your logic. The stray cat will find the mice, but once it figures out you will feed it, it no longer becomes a mouse killer, it becomes an outside pet.

Ask me how I know. We still have plenty of strays around, but the one we took in could not give a crap about a rats ass now.

[WPOZZZ]

I agree with Matt. They get lazy, real fast!

[sc_rufctr]

This is my chicken feeder. (Made in the EU)

- The girls step on the treadle (the lower green platform) and the lid opens up in the trough.

Do they have something similar that could be used for cats?

[Bill Douglas]

I'm just pleased cat is getting fed.

Haha, a couple of weeks later "He likes this food, but won't touch this..."

[BK911]

It will get a little food, but not enough to survive.
Just enough to keep it around.

Rethinking this, maybe a containment vessel that the mice can get in but cant get out?
Maybe a med sized fish tank?
Cat has easy Pickens and nothing goes to waste!

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by mattdavis11

There is a problem with your logic. The stray cat will find the mice, but once it figures out you will feed it, it no longer becomes a mouse killer, it becomes an outside pet.

Ask me how I know. We still have plenty of strays around, but the one we took in could not give a crap about a rats ass now.

Not true in my experience. We have two outdoor cats that we feed. They bring us at least a daily mouse to "prove their worth". Cats don't just kill mice for food. They do it for sport too. Both of our outdoor cats are tame. Both are older cats as well.

For the mice, make a rolling log trap. They work.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by cabmando

Don't worry, the cat feeder that turns mouse feeder will turn back to a cat feeder given the time. Meanwhile, get some of those bait traps that the mouse goes in, eats then goes out. That'll thin the herd a bit.

You have to be careful about that. A well fed cat probably won’t eat an already dead mouse but if it were to eat a poison mouse - mort.

Our stray would kill birds even though we fed her. Caught her playing with mice too, but she never ate them.

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

You have to be careful about that. A well fed cat probably won’t eat an already dead mouse but if it were to eat a poison mouse - mort.

Our stray would kill birds even though we fed her. Caught her playing with mice too, but she never ate them.

I read about that and it's not "supposed" to happen. I guess the stuff only kills the mouse that eats it. Plus my outdoor cats don't really eat the mice. They just kill them. Now baby bunnies! That's an entirely different thing. They'll eat those suckers every chance they get and leave a foot or two by the door. Thanks for that!

[cstreit]

Feed them less - they'll eat the mice?

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by cstreit

Feed them less - they'll eat the mice?

Really doesn't make me any difference if they eat them or not. As long as they're killing them... they're good in my book.