Any suggestions for stopping rats using the garden as a thoroughfare presumably to their nest.?

We see rats crossing the garden but are afraid to use pesticides as we have a cat and would not want to harm her or other wildlife.





Any suggestions?

Any suggestions for stopping rats using the garden as a thoroughfare presumably to their nest.?
You can use poison without worrying about your cat. If you call the pest control dept of your local council they will bring bait boxes that are enclosed, so your cat can't get at the poison.





The only thing you need to do to protect other animals is check daily for bodies - although they tend to go into their burrows to die.





To ensure that they eat the poison, give your garden a good tidy up and make sure there are no other food sources around - like overflow from bird tables, bin bags (they can chew through thin plastic), open compost bins etc. The less clutter there is, the less they'll like running around there. The pest controller will give you specific advice over any particular problems that may be attracting them to the area.
Reply:Rats can be a big problem - and if they are in your garden it won't be long before they attempt to enter your house. I note you have a cat ? Do you have a cat flap as well?? ? This is a common method of entry for rats. You need to start blocking up all possible methods of entry more than 1 centimetre wide. Yes one centimetre. Half an inch if you prefer. Start with the larger gaps first, but progressively block the 1 cm ones as well. Review when and how and where you feed your cat. You're probably feeding the rats as well at the moment.


Have you got neighbours? It's better if you get together to deal with this, as one house in a row, for example taking measures is less effective if either side do nothing but encourage through food supplies/rubbish.


You could follow them to the nest - then destroy the nest. They tend to follow the same routes every day and forage up to 100metres from nest. This might be going against your principles but If they are rearing young ones - your problem will get worse. They can multiply very quickly. . Around 8-10 in a litter and each female has 4-5 litters a year. The young ones start having litters from the age of 3 months. More and more mouths to feed means they search harder for food


The alternative might be to follow them in the other direction and see if they are visiting a food source. Then destroy that. But - that does mean they now go in search of alternative food - which might be your house. However these are fairly tame measures.


The best approach is to get rid...........elimination. And the most effective method, if you're not getting professional rodent control in, is (1) contact your local council for support and (2) try a combination of measures to work simultaneously . You'll find trying one thing followed by the next, is less effective. Do several things at once and keep on top of it, make it a mission, for 10-14 days. Your mission is to destroy/disrupt all sources of food, water and shelter. That'll mean going out 3 times a day at least and tending the measures. If your'e thinking of using traps for example - don't just buy one - you need to put quite a few in (hard to judge - depends on colony/size of garden/number of rat runs).


In addition to whatever measures you prefer to use, you'll need a good supply of rubber gloves, disinfectant and strong plastic bin bags for disposal of dead rats.
Reply:I believe that there are sonic devices which will deter small creatures such as rats, squirrels, moles and hedgehogs. Whether these are adjustable for frequency so as not to deter your cats as well, I do not know, but it might be worth investigating. Other types claim to effective in deterring constant barking by neighbours' dogs.





I looked briefly on the Internet and there are hundreds of devices and reviews of their performance. One I noticed is listed below, after typing in 'sonic deterrents' into Google. Lots of reading for you! Hope it helps.
Reply:Call your local council and speak to pest control, alternatively employ a contractor to come and sort it out. Clear all rubbish in the garden and leave clean and tidy.


Fill in rat burrows, hole in the ground and if there is a manhole in the rear garden check that it is sealed. Check your neighbours garden, could be coming from them, especially if it dirty and full of junk.
Reply:Put rat traps at each end of the run they are making, it's easy to see where they are coming in and out. We had them in our garden, we got so annoyed my hubby sat in the garden with an air rifle and shot the daddy.


Make your garden as rat unfriendly as possible, like removing all overgrown areas where they can nest. They used to go under our garden shed so we squirted a bottle of bleach underneath and then power washed under it. that cleared the little b***ers out.
Reply:I don't know about your cat, it's not really doing it's job, is it? it should kill all rodents on sight! But a pet carpet python would solve your rat problem for you including your cat if you let it out in the yard! Have a great day!
Reply:Clean up around your trailer and feed your cat inside. Get more cats to hunt the rats.


It's the cycle of life.
Reply:I'm in the mood for the Caddyshack approach.


Bill Murray can come out and lay dynamite all over the garden and...


next thing you know it's a hole-in-one!
Reply:Get several boxes of D con rodent bait. I will cause them to have internal hemorrhage, and death. They love the stuff.
Reply:Land mines and a shotgun I hate rats.
Reply:Put rat poison in the garden and you get rid oy all the rats
Reply:Buy yourself a wee cairn terrier they were bred for rat catching. They are good %26amp; very efficient.


Good luck.
Reply:Make sure there is no garbage left out or compost available to them. Good luck
Reply:sit in the garden with a air pistol and shoot the little bu**ers
Reply:call the council if there is 1 there will be more
Reply:buy a cat
Reply:rat traps
Reply:put a metal walk way where they usually wakl then when u know cats inside house turn it on zapp the dirty things