Oil of Peppermint

[PeterDevonMocha]

We live in a manufactured home and have started to have mice make themselves to home under our house. We have set traps, both in and out of the home, and nothing is happening. We have read that Oil of Peppermint is a deterrent for mice and thought about using some of that around the house. I have found online that it is toxic to cats, but I would imagine that is only if ingested, not necessarily by smell, is this correct? Thanks!

 

[carfurby (GA)]

Devon, peppermint oil is harmful to cats if it is inhaled. Here are two articles you may want to read.

http://cats.about.com/od/housekeeping/a/aromatherapy.htm

http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/ask-the-expert/ask-the-expert-poison-control/peppermint-oil.aspx

I think you may want to give the traps a little more time.

 

[Misty&Bast]

maybe try sprinkling dried peppermint?

 

[knolet]

I tried peppermint oil in an apartment I once lived in... I put it on cotton balls around where the mice were noticed.... I think they actually liked it! I caught one once trying to pull the cotton ball into the opening that they were getting in at. Nasty little things! Good luck with getting rid of them!

Have a good day,
Kathie

 

[PeterDevonMocha]

Thanks you guys .. The mice quieted down with the oil of peppermint cottonballs in the heat ducts .. but I'm not willing to risk the cat's safety!

 

[MommaOfMuse]

Devon,

If you can find where the mice are getting in, stuff the holes with steel wool, it is the one thing they can't chew through...then tell Mocha and Twix to start earning their keep but having a raw snack... :lol: :lol:

Even living in a very rural area we have no rodent problem except for the occassional stray bat that gets in and even that is short lived (I've gotten really good at using a butterfly net to catch the flying mousies), but then again we also have an army of rodent cops here. ohmygod_smile :lol: :lol:

Mel, Maxwell, Autumn & The Fur Gang

 

[PeterDevonMocha]

Thanks Mel .. we know the mice are getting in from under the skirting .. there are lots of little holes between the skirting and the grass, much larger then what a mouse needs to get in (from the research I've read) In the spring I think we might pay a company to come out and install the metal mesh around the base of our skirting, it's just a matter of getting these guys out in the meantime ..