We are being over run by mice, gophers and roof rats, help! We need to get a cat, before the winter rains set in.

Cats, possums, raccoons, skunks, and gophers, look out mice, gophers, and rats.

  Early this morning I noticed more Gopher tunnels over the top of the levee, I went on my scooter to take a look. Not only are the Gophers on the levee, they are everywhere, in the garden, on lawns in the empty spaces under the trees. This time of year is busy for the wild animals getting ready for winter to set in. The moles and gophers dig tunnels that are evident by the exposed semi-circle patches of dirt rising above the lawns and weeds, at the end of some is a hole dug by a predator. (More information on the California Kit Fox, aka San Joaquin Kit Fox Link.)

Small pretty animals, the San Joaquin Kit Fox,
or also known as the California Kit Fox.

It may be a fox, a California Kit Fox, maybe, I've seen one on the other side of the river. A neighbor had a bushel of apples on their porch, every morning they would wake up and find an apple core that looked like it was eaten by a human. Somehow they caught the villain, it was a Kit Fox, he would visit them every night, go to the box and get an apple, settle in a corner of the deck and eat it. We call her the "Rabbit Lady", she saves domestic rabbits that people take to the island and "set free".
  Riding down the levee I came across what appeared to be a lightly roto-tilled area, Raccoons, digging up grubs and worms, they tear old terra firma apart in their quest. I see a lot of holes about 2 inches in diameter, normally skunks, they dig for grubs and worms as well, but they are a little neater than the bandits are. I also came across holes in the 4-6 inch diameter range, I'm pretty sure those are possums, although sometimes squirrels will dig holes just like that, The reason I think they are possums is that there are few of them, squirrels will dig many, they get into those kinds of moods. (Expand your knowledge of possums Link)
  The smaller mammals are out of control now, mice have invaded the house already, normally it doesn't happen until the first heavy bout of rain, a spell that lasts a few days. As I said the Gophers are doing well, as the tree rats are, I've seen plenty of mice, a few gophers but no rats. Why are they so prevalent now in relation to other years? I don't see any cats around here any longer, we had at one time a healthy population keeping the mice, rats, and gophers in check.

There they are now! Dang old gophers, get that smirk look off of
your mugs. 

  I have a neighbor (the one that saw the snake I have been trying to find for over a month) who spoke with me this morning, they are not year-round residents. Her concern is the mice and gophers, she is wondering why they are out of control. I told her my idea about there being no cats in the area any longer and how the animal environment has changed so drastically in the past year. She told me she had been thinking of getting a cat, she actually was thinking the same thing as I  am, she said the cat would have to stay here all of the time. (Do you see where this is going?). Her idea is a "community cat", we have had them before, everyone feeds them. I told her I would make sure it is fed while they are gone, I feel it would be a good thing. (This link is explaining "feral cats")
  We have resident owls, each one will consume 30 mice every night when they have chicks in the nest, I am sure they are doing their part I see one fly past my window at 8-8:30 pm every night. The Chicken Hawks (actual name is Coopers Hawk) do their part as well, we have a permanent resident now, he must be getting plenty to encourage it to stay. Skunks, Raccoons, and Coyotes will take mice and gophers as well, but it has to be convenient, they eat a variety of things.

Remember Foghorn Leghorn? That's his nemesis the Chicken
Hawk.

We had a lot of cats around here at one time, a lady North of us had about 20, yes too many. The house they lived in burned down, the cats stayed, then they became a problem, the population exploded unchecked. Every day between 1-1:30 pm a big Red Tailed Hawk would come hightailing it from the East, circle the burned-out structure a few times and then diving down, coming up with something. The cats were disappearing, but the Hawks were not the only predators, there were humans as well by setting out Rat and Mice poison. I suspect other things were laid out for the cats only, but that's a heavy lift to prove, instead, I make people aware of my concerns. Our cat died from being poisoned, he was a good guy, he was my buddy, I thought the world of him, he was a tough guy. I suspect he ate a mouse that was poisoned or came across something set out to get the cats, my buddy died a miserable death, I miss him. (Link to the dangers of rat and mice poisons)
  Near the end of our 3-mile road live two ladies that feed the feral cats, I have mixed feelings about it, but they do a very good job, I will never criticize commitment or passion. They capture the cats, have them neutered, then they find homes for them, I gave them a donation it must get expensive, to say the least. Cats have become a very important part of our environment on this island. With the disappearance of the Cats another new bunch have started a very robust community, we now have uncontrolled numbers of Rabbits, cute little Bunnies.
  So we do need about three cats again, the rancher across the road doesn't have any hanging around, which is strange because ranches always have a healthy population taking care of business. I suspect there is a lot of poison out for rats and mice, maybe gophers as well, if people stopped doing that and got a cat we would have no little critters. Cats explain the lack of snakes as well, gopher snakes, Gardner snakes, and those black water snakes have been rare in the past, we will see if they make a recovery next spring.

He's doing what comes naturally, that's what we need.

  My wife and I have been stalling, neither of us wants to have another cat die of poisoning, it was hard to take. A community cat may work, I will take care of it, it pays real dividends they are hard workers. Some people suggest keeping the animal in the house, but that defeats the purpose, we need them outside, they must be tough resilient cats, with one other quality, they have to like me.
  Thanks for reading and sharing, cats are important to our well being and self-reliant lifestyle, poison free vermin control, heck yes I'm all for it. We have a very nice emergency kit for cats, at this link. Thanks again for reading and sharing.
jacquesandkate  emergencykitsplus.com