What can I use to get rid of rats and not harm my cats?

I have cats and dogs and the uninvited rats. My cats do catch and eat them some but I still have them and I need to get them gone fast due to my over whelming fear of mice and rats. I can't afford to move nor do I want to since I live in the house my grandparents owned.What can I use to get rid of rats and not harm my cats?
Try an exterminator. Or use D-Con rat poison.What can I use to get rid of rats and not harm my cats?
Thank you all I was hoping to not have to use traps but this seems like the best way. The reason I wasn't wanting to use traps was fear of my animals getting caught in them. The woods across the street where taken down and now the neighborhood is dealing with this problem and we have all using traps

Report Abuse

Get more cats and a dog like a Scottie or Rat Terrier (both are bred for catching rats).





You can also put traps in places the cats and dogs can't get to. They do make safety traps made so cats don't get caught so easy, but they might be too small depending how big your rats are.





Also, make sure you don't have an easy food source for the rats. They won't want to stick around if there is nothing to eat.








Do not use poison because you don't want your other pets to either eat the poison directly or eat a poisoned rat.
Please don't use D-Con like someone else suggested since you have pets, if your pets eat a rat that has ingested the poison it will poison them too, or they can possible get into the poison too.





Effective, humane methods of rodent control do not target the animals themselves but instead target the conditions that attract the animals to certain areas. Taking away their sources of food and shelter is the only sure way to deter these animals. Killing them will only cause others to move into the newly formed “vacancy.” The problem of rodent intrusion is largely preventable by maintaining clean, sanitary conditions and plugging holes or cracks where mice or rats might enter a building. Here are a few simple tips that you can follow to prevent rodent infestations


*Deter rodents from places that can't be mouse- or rat-proofed with a mixture of salad oil, garlic, horseradish, and cayenne pepper. Let this sit for four days, then strain it into a spray bottle and spray it on the desired area. Cotton balls soaked with peppermint oil work well, as do moth balls.


*Keep counter surfaces, floors, and cabinets free of crumbs or food droppings.


*Keep piles of wood, bushes, and other plants about 1.5 feet away from the house in order to allow a clearing between them and the building.


*Restrict rodents' access to other sources of food, such as birdfeeders, pet food, garden seed, and fertilizers.


*Seal holes larger than 0.25 inch in diameter, cracks in the walls and floors, and spaces around doors, windows, and plumbing fixtures.


*Store all food and garbage in well-sealed containers made of materials that can't be gnawed through, such as metal, ceramic, or glass.





Of course the best route would be a professional exterminator
First you need to know how bad the infestation is, you can do this by sighting of the how many rodents or the amount of droppings. Either way if you see more than 2 rats or new fresh droppings everyday then you have a problem.


D-con or another type bait is OK to use if you get the bait boxes and tie wire them with bait inside for safety. the draw back is the rodent can die inside the home. but most try to make it out side.


Glue traps can be used also, the draw back is a big enough rat can take it with him.


Traps are also one of the options, the draw back is usually you can only use the trap one time.


An exterminator will use all or at least one of the methods above. Getting rid of rats does take some patience and perseverance The exterminator would be my choice. but then I was one for years.