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I have  a wildlife pond in my garden and have lots of lovely frogs. I also have 3 cats, 2 of which like to catch them, bring them indoors and then let them go. Im not sqeemish but my daughter has said that you shoudldnt touch the frog with bare hands as it hurts them. After chasing around a frog with an envelope does anyone know the rights and wrongs of it. Just off to catch a mouse that Ellie cat has brought in

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  • If I was a frog, I really would not like to be caught by a cat, even I was subsequently 'released'.

    You might think that the cats and frogs are just playing, but I don't think that the frogs see it quite like that.

    I have plenty of frogs, and there's a cat around. But there's no trouble. The cat really does prefer to spend its time patiently waiting to try to catch mice. Cats love to catch mice more than anything else.

    You need some mice.

    Maud is in the garden wrote (see)

    ..Just off to catch a mouse that Ellie cat has brought in

    Oh, you've already got those too, have you imageimageimage

    I would not have thought that being picked up by a human was more detrimental than being picked up by a cat.

  • FloBearFloBear Posts: 2,281

    Maud, if you wet your hands before picking frogs up it is supposed to be better than using warm dry hands. I'm not a frog so can't speak from experience!

  • imageFrogs will scream and make something of a racket if still alive when brought in by the cat.When you have got the cat a way  with  a tin of tuna,get a tub  with a lid and gentle with a nudge push  said frog into tub and deposit frog into pond or near pond.Then you have to try and convince the cat you like frogs but not rats. 

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  • My cat also brings em in for sport. Not one ever has a mark, despite being arried in the cat's mouth. I guess an injured frog's not as entertaining. He'll just pat them (claws stowed) to make them hop about. He loves it. I just boot the cat out, pick em up, and pop them back in the pond. I can't imagine being able to keep hold of one with wet hands and imagine being dropped and ending up dehydrating in the hidyhole behind the fridge would be worse than being carried 10 paces in a dry palm...

  • Cats are able to carry their own kittens by holding them in their mouths, and presumably without using their teeth.

    Here's a video, on YouTube, of a cat playing with a frog...

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SL-2H1xBXco

    And here's another; in this case the frog seems to have attacked the cameralady...

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLFl9-CQlys

  • Jean GenieJean Genie Posts: 1,724

    My cats are actually terrified of frogs and toads. They discovered one in the garden a few years back . I heard this unearthly noise and went out to investigate and as F. Rose says ,  the poor thing was screaming. The cats were just staring at it , then it made a gigantic leap and I've never seen them move so quick . They wouldn't go near that part of the garden for days.  Didn't know until that point that frog and toads did scream.  They have very big voices for such tiny creatures.

  • I have at least 2 frogs living in my pond area. Also have a cat who just sits and watches them come out at night, if they stay still she just nudges them with her paw to make them move but shes never actually chased one or caught one so fingers crossed shes hapy just watching. A mouse however is a different story .........

     

  • WelshonionWelshonion Posts: 3,114

    Hollie-hock, it is very common for froglets to leave the pond on wet evenings. They often find their way into the house. They can travel a long way from water.

    Just out of interest, what did your friend do with the little frogs when she had swept them up?  Did she perhaps put them out in the garden, or did she kill them?

  • I had to rescue a little frog from the drain where my downpipe is today. I thought i heard a few "plop" noises last night but put it down to the pond. On hearing it today i removed the 2 covers to find a frog unable to get out. I have placed him in the shallows of my pond and have now placed both covers back and a pile of stones on top so hopefully he wont go down again. image

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