Spent most of the evening chasing a rat the cat brought in..
Discussion
About 3pm, noticed our cat acting a bit strange around the Hi-Fi, so investigated only to find he'd brought in a rat which was now hiding between the CD player and amplifier.
Now this rat really wasn't happy at being brought in. I wasn't happy the rat had been brought in. The cat wasn't happy he couldn't get the rat.
We were all unhappy.
There was a stand-off which continued for an hour or so. The rat was making quite a lot of noise and I didn't fancy trying to grab it. I was trying to 'persuade' it out from behind the Hi-Fi in the hope it would run into the kitchen and out through the back door I had left open. It wasn't cooperating.
Eventually, between the cat and myself, we dislodged it but it then ran under the sofa. This sofa is very heavy. Too heavy for me to lift on my own, so I decided to go back upstairs in the hope it would just run out of the back door without any further intervention from me.
How wrong I was.
About 6pm the OH arrives home.
"Don't panic" I say "but there might be a rat under the sofa". So, naturally, she immediately begins to panic.
Anyway, eventually she calms down and together we invert the sofa only to find that the thoughtful sofa manufacturer has left a nice gap in the base where rodents can enter the interior and set up residence. Naturally, ratty has taken full advantage and we can hear him scurrying around in there with absolutely no intention of coming out.
We try shaking the sofa, thumping it, sending the cat in. Nothing works. Ratty is in there for the duration.
It's now about 7pm and we're beginning to despair. Are we destined to have a rat living in our sofa from now on?
But then - a brainwave. The sofa is constructed from two halves bolted together. The plan is to unbolt the two halves and take the half containing ratty out into the garden where I can cut away the material covering its base and hopefully coax him out.
Another hour later (I eventually find the 4th 'secret hidden bolt' securing the two halves) we manage to squeeze half a sofa through the back door onto the patio and I remove the lining to reveal ratty. After threatening it with a large Maglite, it scurries out and away into the night.
So, now I tack the lining back on with a staple gun, squeeze the half-sofa back into the house, bolt the sofa back together, clean everything up, vacuum the lounge, put the covers and cushions back on, rearrange all the furniture and have some dinner at 10.30pm.
Bloody cat!
Now this rat really wasn't happy at being brought in. I wasn't happy the rat had been brought in. The cat wasn't happy he couldn't get the rat.
We were all unhappy.
There was a stand-off which continued for an hour or so. The rat was making quite a lot of noise and I didn't fancy trying to grab it. I was trying to 'persuade' it out from behind the Hi-Fi in the hope it would run into the kitchen and out through the back door I had left open. It wasn't cooperating.
Eventually, between the cat and myself, we dislodged it but it then ran under the sofa. This sofa is very heavy. Too heavy for me to lift on my own, so I decided to go back upstairs in the hope it would just run out of the back door without any further intervention from me.
How wrong I was.
About 6pm the OH arrives home.
"Don't panic" I say "but there might be a rat under the sofa". So, naturally, she immediately begins to panic.
Anyway, eventually she calms down and together we invert the sofa only to find that the thoughtful sofa manufacturer has left a nice gap in the base where rodents can enter the interior and set up residence. Naturally, ratty has taken full advantage and we can hear him scurrying around in there with absolutely no intention of coming out.
We try shaking the sofa, thumping it, sending the cat in. Nothing works. Ratty is in there for the duration.
It's now about 7pm and we're beginning to despair. Are we destined to have a rat living in our sofa from now on?
But then - a brainwave. The sofa is constructed from two halves bolted together. The plan is to unbolt the two halves and take the half containing ratty out into the garden where I can cut away the material covering its base and hopefully coax him out.
Another hour later (I eventually find the 4th 'secret hidden bolt' securing the two halves) we manage to squeeze half a sofa through the back door onto the patio and I remove the lining to reveal ratty. After threatening it with a large Maglite, it scurries out and away into the night.
So, now I tack the lining back on with a staple gun, squeeze the half-sofa back into the house, bolt the sofa back together, clean everything up, vacuum the lounge, put the covers and cushions back on, rearrange all the furniture and have some dinner at 10.30pm.
Bloody cat!
Sounds like the night my little cherub bought a rat in (one of a number that night, not unusual) and distressed rodent managed to get under the washing machine and through a crack between two tiles into the wall... Rat never came out as I glued a bit of wood over the hole.
Did hear a bit of random scurrying for a few days after mind.. Drove the cats mad too!
Did hear a bit of random scurrying for a few days after mind.. Drove the cats mad too!
ker hiding under the coffee table instead.
Rats are the worst ones to deal with. Generally ours don't bring too many in, and when they do they've already killed them. Birds/ducks/rabbits/mice will be caught and releases, rats get dealt with by spade! I won't pick them up at all. Quick bop with the spade and then launch it into the field at the bottom of the garden.
They make a hell of a noise too.
They make a hell of a noise too.
FWDRacer said:
Defective cat - Get a new one - yours need plugging in for diagnosis to try and understand where its killing machine function has disappeared to.
Mine brings in the occasional vermin (mice/rats)- usually and thoughtfully bitten clean through the neck.
HTH.
He could kill them first, but I think he believes we enjoy the game of 'chase the rat/mouse/bird around the house', so he thoughtfully brings most of our presents in alive.Mine brings in the occasional vermin (mice/rats)- usually and thoughtfully bitten clean through the neck.
HTH.
I can cope with the mice, but that rat was a nasty piece of work.
And as for cleaning, the OH was all for burning the sofa, carpets and anything else it went near, so there was plenty of cleaning done after the event...
Haha, sounds familiar. Ours went through a phase of bringing in live toys. They have now realised that their fun will be over as soon as I spot it so they bring in sections of animals instead. I'm not sure what is more annoying, chasing terrified mice round the house and taming 2 cats at the same time or cleaning up guts from the floor...
trickywoo said:
fivesixseven8 said:
Rats are the worst ones to deal with.
A live stoat isn't great either. Have you ever smelt one?I think the current list stands at:
Mice (all kinds)
Shrews (tought little buggers, make a right noise!)
Rats
All sorts of small birds
Live rabbits
A fully grown Moorhen (that was a shock on a Sunday morning)
A couple of grass snakes
I recall reading this:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Yes, it's Emsman.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Yes, it's Emsman.
Edited by soad on Tuesday 9th March 10:36
Best rodent carrying device - a welly!
Seriously, if you know where you recent gift is hiding put a welly near it to corner the fanged beast, bonk about a bit with a stick and the little creature will bolt for the dark inside of the welly. Pick up welly whilst covering the top and take outside. Repeat again after the cat has re-caught the critter...
Seriously, if you know where you recent gift is hiding put a welly near it to corner the fanged beast, bonk about a bit with a stick and the little creature will bolt for the dark inside of the welly. Pick up welly whilst covering the top and take outside. Repeat again after the cat has re-caught the critter...
RVVUNM said:
Mine brought a bat in a few months ago. I has up the pub when wifey rang screaming "A BAT....A BAT.AHHHHHHH WHAT DO I DO", calm down dear the cat will recatch it and eat it/take it out, poor girl couldn't go in the kitchen all night.
Best advice. Lock the cat plus prey in a room. The prey will eventually come out, the cat will win.
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