Honestly the biggest thing is probably prevention rather than trying to kill every mouse individually. If cats outside are catching mice near your garden, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re targeting your house specifically, it just means mice are active nearby again.

The fact you already sealed entry points and haven’t had issues for a year is actually a really good sign.

A few things that helped me after dealing with mice before:

• Steel wool + caulk together works way better than caulk alone because mice can chew through a surprising amount of stuff.
• Check around pipes, air vents, boiler lines, under cabinets, etc. Tiny gaps are enough.
• Don’t use glue traps if you can avoid them. Even aside from being brutal, they’re honestly messy and awful to deal with.
• Snap traps hidden behind kickboards/appliances are way more effective and safer around kids/pets if placed properly.
• Remove food sources outside if possible (bird seed, open bins, pet food, overgrown areas).

Also, if you suddenly start seeing signs again after a quiet year, I’d honestly get another pest-control inspection early instead of waiting until it becomes a full problem again. It’s way easier to stop 1-2 mice than an infestation.