Cats

I'm in a debate with myself.  We have mice.  I hate mice.  We need a cat but I'm not fond of cats.  It wouldn't be so bad except that their pee really stinks.  And I won't have an indoor cat at all.  After our lovely (insert major sarcasm) experienced at the rental I'm not sure about having any cats.  And I hate when they dig in gardens or sandboxes and use those as a litter box.  Ugh!

On the flip side though I really hate mice.  They chew on everything.  They poop and pee on everything (and they stink almost as badly as cats). 

So I'm stuck.  Do I hate mice badly enough to get a cat?  Or would I rather set traps that the kids have the possibility of getting into?  Speaking of the kids... They would love to have a cat. 

I was just thinking too that a cat would help keep birds out of the garden.  We have lots of birds that will be thinking my garden is a great smorgasbord of goodies. 

For the most part I like cats and their personalities.  I like that they take care of mice and other rodents.  It is just that they can get so stinky so fast, and that overrides most of the good stuff.  Plus we have travels coming up that will have us gone for quite awhile.  Cats are pretty self-sufficient but I don't know about the length of time we'll be gone.  And there is no way I am road tripping with a dog and a cat.  I've done a road trip with a cat.  Not fun.

Maybe like the rest of the critters I'm waiting on we'll wait on a cat as well.

Speaking of critters.  I'm trying to decide what we are going to do about a chicken coop.  I'm seeing from all the wildlife activity here we are going to have to give the girls a secure coop.  It is windy here too so we'll want them protected from the wind and the blasting summer sun.  I'm thinking we'll use the east end of the house for a location.  This way the house will take the brunt of the wind.  The downside to that location is that any commotion the girls make is liable to bug the kids since it would be right out their window.

At least we have some time to assess the property and make decisions.  Most of what we want to do can be changed pretty easily if we don't like the first decision.