Cats and Birds and Rats, Oh My!
I'm in my living room sitting at my computer looking out our big window with Dargai and Whatbay (my cats) next to me and I'm actually in a blog fog so we are just staring out the window watching the birds eat as they drop seeds along with seed hulls on the back porch while the rats dash up from the home they have made in my plants for a quick bite. We acquired a family of rats which have multiplied into a village over the past year. We believe they relocated to our backyard from the house next door which is under renovation. We stopped feeding our birds a few weeks ago in an attempt to force the rats to relocate. That seemed to work and we hadn't seen the rats for a while so we commenced bird feeding again. Well, there’re back. Yes, my favorite little birdies are back and so are the RATS! I'm not too crazy about the rats but I am not going to set out rat traps; I definitely could not deal with dead rats. I think I will ask Mr. Red Molly to purchase some rats cages and try collecting them and depositing those little critters in the woods far away.
If anyone has a better way to get rid of rats let me know. No, I don't own a gun.
BTW, I live in an older established neighborhood without piles of rubbish so I'm not sure why we have rats. I guess they like us.
5 Comments:
Molly I think you answered the question at the end of the post with the starting sentence which had Dargai and Whatbay looking for something to do with their day. I know it sounds messy and cruel, but it seems to be designed that way here on earth. The cats may never catch one of the rats, but the rats will be thinking of relocating after a threat or two. You might even think of placing some of the cats poop between where the rats live and the bird feeder. I have heard of folks placing lion and tiger poop from the zoo around the garden to keep deer and rabbits from eating the veggies.
Thanks N.N., maybe the next time you come over to make dinner you can capture the rats and take them to Live Oak...that should be far enough away. lol
Thanks T.Jed and B.Don for dropping by. I wish I could put my cats on rat patrol but they are indoor cats. I did a foolish thing when they were kittens and had there front paws declawed. I wanted cats that stayed inside since our previous cat was killed by a large dog so I had these guys declawed. I will try the cat poop idea.
Well if the cat poop works, my daughters and I will all be fascinated. Please be sure to update!
I have no suggestions on the rats, only sympathy.
Thanks Beth,
I will definitely give you an update.
I have a friend who swears peppermint oil (essence) keeps mice out of her house. She just puts a few dabs of the oil on some rags and leaves them by her radiators. So maybe you could try something similar on the ground around the birdfeeders?
Health food stores (such as Whole Foods, if you have them) or co-ops should have peppermint oil. Good luck!
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