Risk of disease from rats?

[Weehopper]

I never heard of cats or dogs catching anything from rats. Mine kill them when they can. I just trade them a cookie for the dead rat and toss it in the trash. No telling how many get eatin when I am not watching. I had a cat who was a real hunter. He was living in the barn eating mice and rats for at least six months before I coaxed him to come up by the house. Eventually he came inside, but never stopped hunting. He was very efficient. I fed him too. So don't let anyone tell you they won't hunt unless you don't feed them. Not true. What is true is either they are hunters or they are not. Bottom line. I have three dogs, had a cat (died of old age a few years ago), and still didn't get all of the rats and mice. But, made a serious dent in their numbers. Saw my weasel two days ago. Never stops running. Busy guy. Good luck.

 

[jools2014]

Yes we'll never get rid of all of them, especially as like I said we live right next to a wood-and a field right at the back of us. We used to have a cat years ago who was a very good hunter-even brought a live rabbit into my bedroom when he was not much older than a kitten! (we are overrun with wild rabbits too but of course they don't cause any problem-except dig the garden up and eat our plants!) Wish we still had that cat now but unfortunately he got ran over on one of his nightly hunting excursions.

At the moment I'm trying to get the rats in the humane trap, and then if I don't decide to get a couple of cats I'm going to have to resort to poison.

Oh and one of my Buff Orpingtons just went broody, found her in the nesting box last night-another reason to get the rats under control.