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Hearing the scurry of tiny claws across the kitchen worktop can produce feelings of disgust and despair in home owners.

Now an animal welfare charity claims to have a solution to help households rid themselves of mouse infestations - lending them a cat for the day.

Wood Green animal charity has teamed up with a cleaning and DIY app to offer customers a cat fostering service.

Wood Green animal charity has teamed up with cleaning and DIY app Handy to offer customers a cat fostering service. Cats will not just catch mice but the scent they leave behind can also discourage rodents from returning

The north London-based charity say that the presence of a cat and the scent it leaves behind will often be enough to scare away unwanted rodents.

Juliette Jones, animal welfare consultant at Wood Green, said: 'We have more than 200 cats in need of good homes, some of which will benefit from being cared for temporarily in a home environment, until they find their forever homes.

'We hope this unique service will open people's minds to the positive impact - both practical and emotional - of having a loveable feline in residence.'

The service is being provided through the Handy smartphone app, which allows users to book cleaners and handymen for home repairs.

The app allows householders to choose the cat they want to visit their home and offers photos and background for each member of the feline mousing team.

Those looking to borrow a cat to help rid their homes of a mouse infestation are asked to be 'flexible, patient and caring towards the animals'.

The charity provides litter trays, feed and bedding to help foster families look after their pet. 

The service is only available in London within driving distance of Wood Green for now.

Rodent infestations are a particular problem in the winter months when mice move inside to escape the colder weather.

However, once established, a mice colony will often stay in a home for generations and can be difficult to be rid of.

They are not only considered to be unhygienic but also can cause damage by chewing through wires and furniture to make bedding.

Few insurance companies will cover damage caused by pests.

The most common way to tackle a rodent problem is with traps, but home improvement shops also sell electronic deterrents.

Natural plants such as mint and basil are also said to keep rodents away.

Pete Dowds, Handy's UK manager, said the new scheme had been created as a result of an increasing number of requests from Handy customers for cleaners to bring in cats with them in order to help scare away mice.

Pearl (above) is one of the cats who is being offered for free as part of a cleaning service to tackle mice. Those looking to borrow a cat to help rid their homes of a mouse infestation are asked to be 'flexible, patient and caring towards the animals'. The charity provides litter trays, feed and bedding

Photos of the cats, like Dash (left) and Peppy (right), appear on the Handy cleaning and DIY service app along with details about the animals' life stories. Homeowners can then book them to foster them for a few days

'Mice are unwelcome residents in homes across the capital.

'In the past, our cleaners have been asked to bring in moggies to scare rodents, so we were delighted to take the unusual step of being able to offer 'foster-able' felines from Wood Green alongside our more typical cleaning and DIY services.

'Naturally, this is all about the cats, and we hope that Londoners will fall in love with some of the attractive mousers that come to stay: potentially turning temporary residences into permanent ones as a result.'

Rodent infestations are a particular problem in the winter months when mice move inside to escape the colder weather. The smell of the cats, such as Chico (left) and Elsa (right) is said to scare rodents away but is hard for humans to detect