It's an extreme mouse year!

Even old host can't remember anything like this, the mice are dashing around even on broad daylight. They're everywhere. Hot almost stepped on one today in the garden. The cats are old and seem to have lost interest in hunting them. They just observe them running around. Haven't seen them catch one in months, they also haven't brought any. But I saw a Golden Retriever on the sidewalk who caught and ate a mouse while walking by our garden gate with his owner.

So far the mice are not causing any problems and aren't coming into the house. They're actually cute but they spread disease.

Luckily we don't have your deadly New World Hantaviruses that cause severe cardiopulmonary symptoms. Only Puumalavirus that is much more harmless though it can cause renal damage. Several hundred cases are documented in Germany each year, most are mild. It is carried by different rodents however.

The critters here are Common Voles, called Field Mice in German. But yes, they're voles, not mice. They may carry Tulavirus which also causes renal damage but there is only one documented case in Germany so far.

I live out in a canyon with all the wild creatures, everything from tarantulas to mountain lions. One thing we don't have is cats and dogs roaming around, the coyotes take care of them easily. Our rodents get taken out by the owls, but they do stop by and snack on the bird seeds that drop from the feeder, rats mostly.

Coyoet > Wofl

Heh, what the hell?

We had real catnip in the garden, the cats eventually gnawed it off and dug it out without much visible effect except rubbing on it.