My rodent problem

[Tarlo Farm]

Rats are a whole 'nuther issue, as my mother would say. I had barns at three different farms and never had a rat problem until I built a fourth barn with a cement floor. The neighbors called them "slab rats" and they definitely tunneled under the cement slab. Ick! Went to the pound and adopted the biggest, baddest looking cat and named him Goliath. Turns out he would never deign to dirty his paws with any food source that didn't come directly from me. He was a FABULOUS cat and lived to a ripe old age - but not one that included catching rats. Since then folks have told me dogs are way better ratters. I used a snap trap one, an electric trap once, and then went to dropping poison down the tunnels and covering the opening. That worked. Every couple of years or so, I'd see evidence of new rats and get out the poison. I never saw a body, never had any issues with my dogs or cats or horses getting into the poison, and it was the only thing that worked consistently. Good luck - rats DO freak me out.

[M&M]

Cats will definitely leave parts of mice on your floor. Definitely.

[Canyon]

Thank you for the suggestion of electronic mouse traps. I bought one at Tractor Supply and seem to have eliminated the mouse family in my feed room and am slowly making headway against the family that lives under a bird feeder. It is so much easier to use than a snap trap! I have the electronic trap in a cardboard shoe box with a hole cut in the side of the box, which seems to protect it from the elements. I will bring it inside before watering the lawn or if a storm is predicted.