Rats!!!!

[snowstormII]

For the last 14 years I have seen literally the odd 1 rat a year at our yard but have been putting poison down and so I have never even seen a rat poo, never mind any rat damage. Last May I took on a rescue cat, Minnie the Mouser, who catches roughly 1 mouse every other day , more in the summer, fewer this winter. However, I have noticed rat nests, poos and lots of chew damage to the wooden pallets in my haystore. Does anyone combine the services of a Minnie the Mouser and rat poison, or is that a complete no-no? How do those with yard cats manage their rat population?

 

[Flora]

You can put poison in bait boxes and cats cant get in. Can buy online, not expensive.

 

[EternalVetBills]

Jack Russell Terriers! We've always found cats are useless with rats (brill for mice though). Our Jacks come to the yard twice a day and each of them catches about three rats per visit! Some people hire their Terriers out if you rat problem is that bad? Hope they're gone soon, I hate rats!

 

[Sandstone1]

No! Don't put poision down if you have a cat, if she catches a rat that's eaten poision or gets hold of the posion in any other way it will kill her.

 

[rara007]

As above - if a cat eats a poisoned rat it too could be poisoned!

 

[Shay]

Cats very rarely eat an already dead animal. But it is a risk to poison with cats - or dogs - on yard. Might you be able to find a local ratter who hires out Jacks? They can clear out a rats nest in a matter of days. But do also be aware of the cat - you don't want her decamping and moving home because of the dogs!

 

[JillA]

Will a good cat kill an adult rat? Or will a barn owl? I have had a barn owl nest box installed, not occupied as yet but I wondered if they would just kill any juveniles? Anyone know? (And birds of prey are another good reason not to have poisoned carcases around, buzzards eat carrion I am told)

 

[Passtheshampoo]

Our stable cat caught a huge rat a few months ago. It ran passed me straight into path of puss and she caught it. She's only quite a small cat but manage to hang on to the rat and kill it. I use large rat traps ( stronger than mouse traps) to catch my rats. The traps are set away from any livestock and I bait them with corn. Have stopped using rat poison since we got our cat.

 

[s4sugar]

You can use Eradibate when you have cats or dogs (or owls etc.) as it is safe for predators.

 

[stencilface]

Poison. I had to get my dad (how brave of me) to finish a rat off that our stable cat was nose to nose with and having a chat, useless beast, if he did his job in the first place we wouldn't need the poison.

Incidentally since we got rid of the stable cat - he now lives with my parents after someone shot him in the face at the stables - we have far less rats than we used to. They used to mainly eat the cat food he could never be bothered to finish