My cats are not doing their one and only job...
By Suzieqmom
@Suzieqmom (2755)
United States
January 8, 2013 2:20pm CST
Ok, I have 4 cats, three of whom are young and very healthy. Two are male, and two are female, and all still have their claws. They do a wonderful job of ripping apart their toy mousies, my couches, the rugs, and everything else. They "hunt" their food--from time to time, one or more will pull a piece of dry cat food out of the food bowl, and knock it around on the ground, until they "conquer" it. And they certainly stalk and hunt each other in play (mostly).
So, when one of those nasty stink bugs wanders into the house, you would think one of the four fierce hunters would kill it. Or at least try. But no, they all just sat in the kitchen looking at it as it made its way across the floor right in front of their noses....they didn't even do anything when it climbed onto their climbing house...two of them actually hopped up there and went to sleep while the stink bug was still on it!!!!
They are the most pampered, well-cared-for cats ever, and all I ask in return is that they help keep my house bug-free. Is that too much to ask???? Today, at least, they all failed miserably at their one and only responsibility...
They are the most pampered, well-cared-for cats ever, and all I ask in return is that they help keep my house bug-free. Is that too much to ask???? Today, at least, they all failed miserably at their one and only responsibility...1 person likes this
9 responses
@hereandthere (45645)
• Philippines
9 Jan 13
all along i thought their main job was sleeping - anytime, anywhere. 
stinking and spraying sounds scary. 
stinking and spraying sounds scary. @Suzieqmom (2755)
• United States
9 Jan 13
Except at 5 am--then their job is to poke at me and sit on my husband's head to wake us up--or, if they are outside one of the bedroom doors, to start meowing piteously to remind us that they haven't been fed in at least 6 hours....
Hi ElicBxn, I looked at the link and I saw there are many different varieties...maybe we have one of the less harmful ones here. Anyway, just to be safe, I guess I will have to do the squooshing of stink bugs from now on.
Hi ElicBxn, I looked at the link and I saw there are many different varieties...maybe we have one of the less harmful ones here. Anyway, just to be safe, I guess I will have to do the squooshing of stink bugs from now on.
@hereandthere (45645)
• Philippines
9 Jan 13
i don't know what a stink bug is and it's mentioned above that it smells awful when killed. "spraying" makes me think of a skunk (though i'll never see one also) and they seem to have the same "mechanism." they sound pretty dangerous.
1 person likes this
@Suzieqmom (2755)
• United States
9 Jan 13
I dunno--I've never heard of a stink bug spraying--they only "stink" when they are squooshed. At least the variety that lives around here. Maybe there are different types of stink bugs?
Still, they can probably smell the odor even before they squoosh it, so they are smart in that respect.
But really, I think they just wanted to make it their new "pet." They were very friendly towards it....besides, they never kill any bugs, even the truly harmless ones. They just look at me as if to say "you do it!!"
But, they are all convinced that if I would just let them outside, they would have NO trouble tackling that squirrel, or bird, or deer....
Still, they can probably smell the odor even before they squoosh it, so they are smart in that respect.
But really, I think they just wanted to make it their new "pet." They were very friendly towards it....besides, they never kill any bugs, even the truly harmless ones. They just look at me as if to say "you do it!!"
But, they are all convinced that if I would just let them outside, they would have NO trouble tackling that squirrel, or bird, or deer....1 person likes this
@Suzieqmom (2755)
• United States
8 Jan 13
No kidding. I told them very firmly that they weren't going to get their treats tonight unless the bug was killed off--one of them yawned at me; the others didn't even move! LOL! Luckily, my husband came home and stepped on it...
Luckily, my husband came home and stepped on it...
@yanzalong (18988)
• Indonesia
10 Jan 13
Maybe cats are not reliable nowadays. There are rats around the yard, and the cats around my house just sit there ignoring the rats. It is said that cats are much smarter than dogs but dogs are quick to act upon order.
@Suzieqmom (2755)
• United States
10 Jan 13
I know what you mean--this new generation of cats...just unreliable and lazy, too. How will they ever amount to anything? Just not the hard workers that their parents were...LOL. Sounds like your cats are equally unworthy...or maybe they are just exceptionally smart, like mine seem to be!
Sounds like your cats are equally unworthy...or maybe they are just exceptionally smart, like mine seem to be! 
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
10 Jan 13
I don't know about using the cats to keep the house bug free as we've never really had that issue in our home. However, I can certainly tell you that in the time that we've had cats, we've actually been able to keep mice out of the house.
You see, we have three cats, all female, all pretty young and very healthy. We allow our two older cats to go outside and the youngest one still stays in the house. We haven't seen but one mouse in the house in the last couple of years and I have to say that the reason for that is because of the fact that we have cats. Oh, we also have dogs as well that are breeds traditionally used to hunt rodents.
@Suzieqmom (2755)
• United States
10 Jan 13
Honestly, our cats are great at keeping the house mice-free. They are also pretty rough on toilet paper, paper towels, napkins, pillows, tablecloths and other serious household pests. They have also subdued one of the chairs in the living room...LOL!
The problem is, it is winter, but we are having a warm spell (60 degrees today) so all of the little bug critters are waking up and coming to visit--there is a lady bug flying around my dining room at the moment. The cats actually like to pounce on lady bugs, maybe because they fly? But I don't mind having a lady bug around--they eat other bugs and are supposed to be good luck, too, so I would really rather have the cats take out the stink bugs...
The problem is, it is winter, but we are having a warm spell (60 degrees today) so all of the little bug critters are waking up and coming to visit--there is a lady bug flying around my dining room at the moment. The cats actually like to pounce on lady bugs, maybe because they fly? But I don't mind having a lady bug around--they eat other bugs and are supposed to be good luck, too, so I would really rather have the cats take out the stink bugs...
@timetravel (1425)
• United States
9 Jan 13
Tell your cats, "Do NOT kill the bug - do NOT kill it!" - while looking at them very firmly - and point to the bug. Then walk away. They'll do it. lol...
My cats think bugs are their special friends/toys. Rook likes to follow them around, and only grabs for them if they start to climb up a wall. Stormy likes to catch anything that flies. The smaller the better - they prefer those teeny tiny ants or gnats.
We don't get mice - the cats keep them away. For some reason, mice stay away when they smell cat urine in a litter box. My neighbors have those rodents but we don't - because they have dogs.
@wilsongoddard (7291)
• United States
8 Jan 13
My cats would be all about the bug. They would likely follow it allow, swat it, maybe tear a few limbs off it, try to eat it... Then, I would have to either kill the maimed bug or wrestle away a bug that one of them is trying to eat.
@Suzieqmom (2755)
• United States
8 Jan 13
I know--that's what I expected! I would have been ok with having to rescue it or even finish off the job...I think they have just gotten lazy....
@savypat (20216)
• United States
8 Jan 13
Do you know what one of those bugs smells like when you kill it. No self respecting house cat even wants to play with the thing. Now is you would let a mouse or two into the house we cats could at least play catch the mouse and maybe even kill it. But not to worry we will present it to you as our gift, while you are in bed. signed your cats
@Suzieqmom (2755)
• United States
8 Jan 13
Yes, I do know what they smell like when you kill it--that's why I wanted my cats to do it!!! LOL. And yes, I have gotten a couple of mouse presents (although not in the bed, thankfully). The mice now seem to know that they should stay away. I want the stink bugs to learn the same lesson....
And yes, I have gotten a couple of mouse presents (although not in the bed, thankfully). The mice now seem to know that they should stay away. I want the stink bugs to learn the same lesson.... @Nikhil2111 (5)
•
8 Jan 13
Well to be honest cats or dogs are not that interested in bugs. I have 4 dogs myself, and while they may be ready to chase birds or lizards they just sit and stare at any bugs that they see. I wont expect your cats to be keeping your house bug free anytime soon
@Suzieqmom (2755)
• United States
8 Jan 13
Yes, but I hate bugs...inside, at least....and they were interested in it at first--I think they were hoping it would be a new friend for them!
