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Our cat got attacked by one the other night actually. He might be too old to be useful.Cats. Female cats are perhaps nature's most perfect predator.
Eh, they haven't damaged anything yet. A real problem would be like what was described a few posts back with the garage hazard situation.From OP's post "So before this becomes a real problem, " ---> um, um, um, you have a real problem!
Cats are great. Just make sure they are all the same sex if you have several...
It's elevated quite high up. The floor is like 3' off the ground. They don't seem to go up in the coop that we can tell. But I'm sure they love the treats we throw in there on the ground. They have the coop where they lay eggs and sleep, then a fenced run that spans the whole yard.Is your chicken coop sitting on the ground or elevated? When we had chickens, the coop was built up on railroad ties, I enclosed the bottom and set traps so the hens and our cats couldn't accidentally get caught in the traps. I used the old Victor spring traps. And once a .22 (we lived outside the city at that time). Good luck.
Our cat got attacked by one the other night actually. He might be too old to be useful.
More like cat made a move and the rat fought back. Cat screamed and ran off.If these are some special rats that attack cats then you should probably call the pros….
Here in Whatcom County you can talk to farmers and get feral cats. This is a breed of cat that will not like people and will not come inside and it will kill everything in its sight and stick around if you put food out for it. My friends with chickens and rat problems have gotten some of these cats and it was very effective.
Make sure you don't miss or that will be the most educated rat on the block. They got so weary that the slightest muffled click of the safety switching off sent them running.The .177, headlamp and six pack (optional) are a valid option.
I've had some fun nights from up in our second floor sniping those dirty fuckers. I may or may not have been fully dressed in camo with face painted. I also may have whispered "this is war fuckers" after taking a few of them out.
Fun fact, if you miss, they sometimes jump straight up in the air with all four legs moving quickly like they are trying to run, but they're up in the air so they don't go anywhere until they hit the ground. It's hilarious.
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I've had good luck with this type of bucket trap outdoors to keep mice out of the vehicles. I did have to redesign it a couple times (metal bucket with lid, etc..) to keep squirrels out. I use the pink RV antifreeze in the water which also serves as a sort of embalming fluid since I don't empty the trap very often.You can try one of these…if the rats aren’t very big these traps work well. I have several in the garage/shop and pump house.
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We have different rats. You've got smart rats, I had dumb rats. I had nights I'd shoot 4 or 5 within the span of a minute and a half. One would pop out, I'd drop it, then 10 seconds later another would pop out. Was a bit like whack a mole, but with rats and a pellet gun. Picking them up afterwards in the dark wasn't fun....Make sure you don't miss or that will be the most educated rat on the block. They got so weary that the slightest muffled click of the safety switching off sent them running.
I have not gone to collect them in the dark a few times, and they are gone in the morning, something comes and eats them (maybe possums, stray cats?). That's the primary reason we don't bait. Kinda goes with our no pesticides in the yard.We have different rats. You've got smart rats, I had dumb rats. I had nights I'd shoot 4 or 5 within the span of a minute and a half. One would pop out, I'd drop it, then 10 seconds later another would pop out. Was a bit like whack a mole, but with rats and a pellet gun. Picking them up afterwards in the dark wasn't fun....
Like 10yrs ago when I hired a pest control guy to take care of a rat problem, he explained that more often than not, the rats will go to their burrow when they start to feel sick from the poison, and that's where they'll die most the time. Made me feel a little better. Not sure how true it is.I have not gone to collect them in the dark a few times, and they are gone in the morning, something comes and eats them (maybe possums, stray cats). That's the primary reason we don't bait. Kinda goes with our no pesticides in the yard.