Opened the hood on my Mustang the other day to find this.

[wtd]

The guilty championship cat here....

Loves chewing on wires.

We have so many cats running around outside, it would be hard to pin down the guilty one if it was indeed a cat. Which ever cat was under the hood had grey hair and we have quite a few grey ones.

 

[JHZR2]

Every other car that I've seen with wiring damage from mice and rats, there were other signs that they were there under the hood and that is why I still question what caused the chewing. I'm probably going to wait until I get back from vacation to set a mouse trap under the hood.

I decided to not do the poison thing because we have free ranging chickens that would probably eat a dead mouse and if it was poisoned, I don't want them to die. Plus the fiancé is also not on board with the possibility that the cats might have caused the damage so she wouldn't want any of them to eat a poisoned mouse/rat.

I’ve had mouse problems. On one car they made a home and you could tell. On another, they just are rubber bits and left no other signs.

Poison for something that could die inside the vehicle is asking for trouble.

 

[Dave Sherman]

I’ve had cats all my life, and yes, some cats have an affinity for wires and cords. I’ve had to replace a wall wart for a cable modem after the cat chewed up the wires and shorted it out. Also have a couple of line cords that have some teeth marks. Haven’t had the cat shock itself, but smearing dish soap on the wires seems to discourage it.

 

[bbhero]

I’ve had mouse problems. On one car they made a home and you could tell. On another, they just are rubber bits and left no other signs.

Poison for something that could die inside the vehicle is asking for trouble.

True ^^^^^^^^

And one heck of a smell...

I had a terrible, terrible smell coming from the left rear of my old Sentra... Couldn't figure out where it was coming from. Had the rear brakes done and the guys told me a mouse had died inside the wheel. That explained the horrible smell that lasted a while on the left side of that car.

 

[wtd]

Back from vacation and checked the mouse traps under the hood and nothing in them and they were not tripped.

 

[exranger06]

Typical mouse damage. I've never known a cat to chew on wiring. If they don't make a nest in the engine bay you won't see feces. Mice were there and attracted the cats. You saw the cats but not the mice.

 

[Snowflake White]

The best solution is to have the cats owners STOP allowing them to run loose!

I'm sick to death of these selfish inconsiderate people that believe their mangy cats are entitled to run at large on other's property,
and as a result, crapping, screeching, spraying, and scratching the heck out of car paint, all day, every day and night by the way.

Also these are the same irresponsible people that do NOT neuter and spade their cats to prevent unwanted cats from being born.

 

[odie]

Sprinkle fine ground pepper on ground where the car is to be parked so it's beneath the whole car or engine . Dry weather is best .

 

[odie]

Fine black pepper helps . Spread on area under and around the vehicle .

Just did this tonight because we spotted a chipmunk heading towards the car . I think I jinxed us by the posts .

 

[Astro14]

This has gone off topic and ended up in bickering. Lock time.