the sound of small feet in the attic

I’m afraid I cannot tolerate mice or any vermin in my home. They have to go. If left, they breed at an alarming rate, and your home would be quickly over run with them. They spread disease. If they remain outside, fine, but when they come indoors, action has to be taken, and is.
However, I’ll even qualify the outdoors comment because a few months ago a rat came into the garden. I didn’t hesitate to contact the council to deal with the issue. Weils disease (Leptospirosis) can be spread by infected rats along with infected mice, cows, pigs and dogs. It is spread via the urine of infected animals. Mice and rats in particular, urinate frequently and if they invade your home, then they will urinate on any surfaces there. You won’t know whether the vermin in your home have it or not, so in my opinion, it’s not worth the risk - they have to go. On top of that, of course, is the other serious damage they can cause in the home which could have fatal consequences at worst and serious, expensive to resolve, inconvenience at best.
I’m sorry, but I am in the camp of “get rid of them” if they enter my home, by whatever means necessary.

It is illegal to release mice, or any other pest, on other peoples land. Grey squirrels must be "disposed of" as they are a foreign species

Dogs kill sheep for 'fun', not just to survive and other animals show empathy and care.

It is not, a question of compassion or empathy, it is a question of predation. I do not disagree with what you say nor does it conflict with what I said.

But other animals kill to survive Monica whereas only humans seem to take pleasure in killing. Shouldn’t we be able to use our superior intelligence to find better ways of living, and our human gifts of compassion and empathy to treat other species more kindly?

Bluebelle, as you say animals predating other animals is part of the natural order. Humans are animals.

BlueBelle have you ever had mice or squirrels in your home?

You're a mere youngster Annodomini.

It would be just my luck to get a lazy cat!

I can think of a few verminous humans, in the animal world, those that cause harm or spread disease, rats, mice, cockroaches, flies, slugs

When do wildlife become vermin? Are they like weeds, which are flowers in the wrong place, simply animals in the wrong place? In which case, shouldn’t we help them to find somewhere else to live, away from verminous humans?

“You sound so proud of killing something katie59 so very sad”

I take no pleasure in destroying vermin but when it they are in the house spreading disease and mess action is needed, each to their own if you are happy in their company carry on.

henetha,don't get your hopes up. Some cats just can't be bothered catching vermin. Both the ginger boys I've had in the past were decidedly indolent. And I'm happy to add: you and Alexa are both older than me, a mere 80.

Hello Alexa. I'm delighted to find there is someone older than me on GN. Your remark about the oak tree made me laugh. I do hope for a cat one day, but that would be wishing Miss Wiggy's life away so it's a dilemma.

You sound so proud of killing something katie59 so very sad

Why is a dog or cat so important and a rat or mouse so hated would you kill a cat if it was a nuisance to you
I can never understand how anyone can happily kill a cow for meat but go beserk if someone speaks of killing a horse it doesn’t make sense

A cat killing a mouse is nature and that is how the world is but a human killing badgers, foxes, rats, mice is not understandable to me
Find a way of removing them without killing them it’s a sad sad world when anything that doesn’t suit us or out lifestyle is killed

She was threatening to Rehome him after standing on one of his smaller “gifts” this morning , in bare feet

Aggie, hire out the cat to people who have rats . Lock up the cat in the ratty place.

DD has a cat that brings in a steady supply of decapitated mice , birds and even the odd squirrel ! She has tried keeping him in at night , locking him out , but the procession of corpses is just then limited to his moments of stolen freedom ! The children help her clean up and still love him .
What to do ? He has a collar with a bell

I couldn’t agree with you more BlueBelle but I’m afraid we are in the minority in this society. So ironic in a country of so called ‘animal lovers’, whatever that means.

I have some sachets of mouse poison about the size of tea bags they are brilliant in the loft, OH gets them so don’t know the brand.

I hope the people who are feeling sorry for the mice don’t eat meat, because that’s rather hypocritical in my opinion
No buttonjugs I dont eat meat .
I have no problem with mice existing, as long as they stay in their place, which is NOT in my house and I have no problem with wild life provided it does not encroach onto my property and remains where it should be - in the wild!!!
Somewhat ironic when man has trampled its way through the world smashing every living things space/ home to bits
I bet the same people feel sorry for the oranutangs losing their homes to mankind or the birds and fish with plastic in their bellies and moan about the songbirds diminishing from our hedges that are constantly chopped down for roads or paths
I m surprised no ones maligned the foxes in urban areas or as in my town the noisy seagulls who have come inland after
we ve overfished their food

I ve got no problem with removing mice from your house I would too but there are humane ways to do it there are even humane pest control companies now poisoning an animal so freely cannot be the right way in my opinion

We had rats in the loft and elsewhere. They ate through the cables of the washer, dryer, central heating, the worst one being in the condenser at the back of the fridge the smell was unbelievable. The ones in the loft was so bad we had to take down the kitchen ceiling. We had to bring in a rat catcher he put lots of traps outside. We were told the reason we had rats was because we had a bird feeder outside the back door. It was all very discussing.

There must be employment opportunities for a terrier man who comes to kill rats for you.

Rats need an enthusiastic terrier .

we have plug in deterrents but they do not work . I've looked at youtube too and not many work. No idea of what attracts them as nothing is stored in the loft - just the insulation.

I had squirrels in my attic a few years ago and quite enjoyed watching them run in and out. I'd get quite anxious if they weren't in by dark! My kids weren't so keen on me feeding them though! However I then heard they were a huge problem in the area and one lady started with hearing a few, but called the council who came and got rid of more than 40 of them! I didn't want them poisoned so found a man who caught them in humane traps and released them somewhere near the New Forest.
It'd been a particularly cold winter but I had some gaps in the eaves blocked and they haven't returned. Most councils can deal with them though....

I read somewhere they can get up to the loft space through the wall cavities.