Rat Poison Question

[miller]

We have a couple of rat holes next to our garage - one of our cats has caught on adult and the other a young one but at the rate rats reproduce I don't think this is going to stop them

Farmer over the road has given us a chicken proof poison feeder tube BUT before I put it out, is there going to be any problem if the cats catch a rat that has been poisoned - cats don't tend to eat the rat (only kill it and bring it into the conservatory

) but I'd hate for them to become ill - the farmer says he's never had a problem with his cats/rats but his cats don't tend to catch them.

Any other ideas short of sitting OH outside overnight with the air rifle

 

[Nailed]

Dun the air rifle thing.. was goign swimmingly till nextdoors cat appeared and got away by a whisker...

Weve jsut had rat poisen put down, and im taking ma feeds home cause i dont want th poison anywhere near them, I think if the cats are only killing them it wnt be a problem, but if they eat them then it will be!

Lou x

 

[Nosey]

When I last bought some rat poison was told it was perfectly safe if cat caught rat...but can't remember the reason why.

Our yard cat is very treasured and spoilt so we wouldn't have put him at risk. Does it have instructions on packet or a helpline number you can call?

 

[BigRed]

I had a problem a couple of years ago. I bought a pellet form of poison. I had a cat at the time who was a prolific mouse killer. The poison company said the cat would have to eat a bucket load of dead mice/rats before the poison had any effect on them. That was neosorexa. If in doubt look up the product on the internet.

The problem with chickens is that they don't have taste buds, so they eat anything and are not bothered by the taste of rat poison that should deter other animals from eating it.

 

[miller]

The chooks won;t be able to get at the poison - got a chook proof feeder and will be away from where they go - was the cats I was worried about - will check online to see if the poison looks like any on there - farmer gave us a load

 

[The Bouncing Bog Trotter]

Will find out for you - I am at home waiting for the rat man now and I am going to ask exactly that question as next door have some very beloved moggies that enjoy our garden too. I am concerned that either one of their cats or my dog could get hold of a poisoned rat......

I'd prefer the terrier and air rifle option but not sure our urban neighbours would cope...........

Will come back once I've spoken to him.

 

[The Bouncing Bog Trotter]

Rat man has been - was very blase about the poison and said that it takes a lot to kill a cat, dog or small child. Even said I could try some and see.........

He said that he's never had a case of a cat or dog being ill after getting hold of a poisoned rat. Will keep my fingers crossed that the cats from next door aren't his first case!

 

[hellybelly6]

I had a mouse man out for some mice and he said that the poison dehydrates the rodent rather than causing it to bleed to death. So perhaps it is something similar?

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

There's a fabulous chicken-proof (and thus cat-proof and dog-proof too) bait thingy you can buy. Miller sent me the link (thanks again hun) and they are only a fiver each. They are sort of a plastic tube and at each end of the tube, set back a bit, are baffles that allow a rat to squeeze past but not a chicken or cat or dog. Or Rubyred! You fill the tube from a vertical clear thing a bit like hamsters in cages drink from. I've ordered 2 - watch this space and will post if they work or not.

Rubyred - gotta know - did you taste the ratbait????

 

[miller]

Well poison went out last night in the dispenser the same as Box of Frogs has ordered - will report back.

Cats both bright eyed and bushy tailed this morning but no rats brought in for our brekkie

 

[The Bouncing Bog Trotter]

Didn't taste the rat bait - was wheat covered in a blue dust. We had fish with tomatoes and garlic instead!

Our bait is easy to put down as the rats live under our decking. The rat man just poured the bait through the cracks in the floor and I swept to make sure it had all gone through. I guess we'll have smellie decking fairly soon!

 

[miller]

That's the same stuff as ours by the sound of it!

Our garage is detached and next to the muck trailer so doubt we'll notice any smell

 

[hellybelly6]

Sounds like the stuff I had too, it was very very blue.