Rats

[cjsmith]

Apparently my house has an infestation of rats. I have found droppings once, and Rob says stuff in the garage is getting chewed.

Previous owners warned of this. I figured if our cats handily removed the entire rat population in and around our apartment, they'd do fine here, too. But Dizzy, who vanished shortly after the move, must have been the big hunter. In three years I have found no evidence whatsoever that Jackie (or Duchess, who arrived later) has been catching anything bigger than bugs. This is embarrassing. Two cats and we still need rat exterminators. I oughtta cut down on the cat food.

So we have to figure out what to do: ignore, bait, or trap. *sigh*! We get an estimate today. I hope the traps kill instantly.

Comments

ICK!

[eeyore74.livejournal.com]

Oh man! I am so sorry you are having this problem! I would just go out of my mind if it were me! First sign of droppings, and I'd be outta there!
cassidyrose , on the other hand would probably collect them as pets! =op

Good luck, and I hope the traps kill instantly too!

Re: ICK!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I don't particularly hate rats, so I'm not freaking out. But they're not good houseguests. I definitely don't want them nesting in wiring and chewing it up and potentially starting a fire.

Sigh. Hate to have to kill 'em, but if it's them or my house, it's gonna be them. :-/

Good luck, and I hope the traps kill instantly too!

Thanks!!

[portia.livejournal.com]

The cruelty-free way to get rid of your houseguests would be to buy some humane traps (http://petacatalog.com/peta/product.asp?dept%5Fid=2&pf%5Fid=HP200), relocate them to a different area, then find all holes and plug them up so they can't get back in. You don't have to kill them.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

That's an idea! But I wonder where I could relocate them. Putting them in the yard in my very-citified area is obviously a poor choice...

[lesliepear.livejournal.com]

My cats probably wouldn't help with rats either.
Moxie'd just sniff the rat - if it isn't canned cat food or dry treats he usually won't eat it.
Inky might have more of a get the rodent instinct - she used to chase my hamster when she (the hamster) got out.

Leslie

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I figured Jackie might do it. She chases feathers and ping-pong balls and strings and little leather mice. So it's not like she doesn't NOTICE small moving objects. But I guess she's not much bigger than a rat, so maybe she gave up. :-)