Rats everywhere !

sootie

Uggghhhhhhhh ! Yup, the lads have invaded. despite my spaniel and cat and neighbours cat the rats have taken over. I spent the bank holiday in a morbid fascination both looking at them, not looking at them, screaming, setting traps, calling Rentokil and landscape gardeners.

right next to the back door was an overgrown flowerbed. this served as a hotel for a whole family of rats ewwwwwww. cheeky buggers I might add. I was amazed at how I got over my initial freak and became a killing machine myself. I caught loads in traps and in the end - when I saw new babies ( literally overnight) I called in the experts.

I'm thinking of getting a semi feral cat- I asked in my local shelter for a cat that no one wanted... like not a pet...and she was horrified lol I just wanted a cat on the payroll to patrol the garden. the boom is back lads, no cats are interested in this work. :rolleyes:

beer enigma

Normally something draws them in, unusual if its just an overgrown flowerbed.

Anything rotting in the area ? Nothing buried there ?

Knine

sootie wrote: »

Uggghhhhhhhh ! Yup, the lads have invaded. despite my spaniel and cat and neighbours cat the rats have taken over. I spent the bank holiday in a morbid fascination both looking at them, not looking at them, screaming, setting traps, calling Rentokil and landscape gardeners.

right next to the back door was an overgrown flowerbed. this served as a hotel for a whole family of rats ewwwwwww. cheeky buggers I might add. I was amazed at how I got over my initial freak and became a killing machine myself. I caught loads in traps and in the end - when I saw new babies ( literally overnight) I called in the experts.

I'm thinking of getting a semi feral cat- I asked in my local shelter for a cat that no one wanted... like not a pet...and she was horrified lol I just wanted a cat on the payroll to patrol the garden. the boom is back lads, no cats are interested in this work. :rolleyes:

You need a lend of a good terrier. No rats in my garden.

Hoof Hearted2

Yeah remove the food source, no food source=no rats, killing them like you're John Rambo is so passe.

Shefwedfan

Is there a vacant house nearby? It sounds like you are in neighbourhood.....

I would guess there is a huge food spot nearby which is bringing them to you.....

Brendan Bendar

You say right near the back door.

Is there a sewage pipe system there.

Check for holes between the concrete and the 'garden / flower bed'

They may be coming from there.

As others have said, remove any food source and clear off any brush and weeds and stuff that might give them cover.

Good luck.

koumi

I got a cat from a rescue last year, semi feral for same purpose. I got two actually but the actual rat chaser (female) decided to go live across the road, the Tom stayed but I don't think he's interested in rats at all. I built him a fully kitted out home to live in, complete with straw bedding and hot water bottles and it turns out he's a bit of a pussy, cat. Just likes to get fed, lay in the sun and wants rubs all the live long day. So not sure the cats would do the trick even if you did happen to get one :P

docst

Get yourself a Jack Russell or a terrier, superior to any cat imo

Hocus Focus

When I saw the title -"Rats Everywhere", I thought  -"How true"!
I read somewhere that in an urban environment we are never more than six meters from a rat. And in the rural environment, thing are not much different.
Do you have a compost heap/bin? If you do, ensure that the material going into it is purely fresh (uncooked) vegetable waste, absolutely no cooked food, meats or even fresh veg waste that has been in contact accidentally had meat juice or similar.

kylith

Any building work in the area? We had a bit of an infestation when the demolition of a house in the neighbourhood destroyed their home.

I second the suggestion to at least borrow a good terrier. Unlike cats they're indefatigable killers and will also track down where the rats are coming from so you can lay traps there.