Cat brought in live baby rat-help!

[Milly2016]

I am currently sitting in the living room listening to the sound of a baby rat moving about the room.
The cat keeps bringing them in live from the woods opposite.
I am so pissed off about this.
She brings them in, plays with them for a while and just f*ing leaves them.
There is no attempt to finish the poor creature off.

The sound of it scuttling about is very unnerving and , while I am not phobic, I obviously want it gone because it can spread disease and chew wires etc.
I'm recovering from covid and the last thing I want right now is another illness!

Any tips on how to get it to go outside?

Please help I have no idea what to do. The cat has utterly and totally lost interest in it.

P. S. Please no comments about me knowing better about cat behaviour because this is my dp's cat and I would never have got one because this is the sort of thing they do and I know it's their nature but I can't be doing with it.

God, this is why I don't have a cat. It would be my absolute worst nightmare!

Apparently you can get cat flaps which detect when the cat is bringing in a present, and won’t open

And be very careful if trying to sweep a rat out the door with a broom - I only did that once, and the large adult rat leapt at my throat! I ducked, and it flew over my shoulder.

This happened to me once when I was trying to get a large, lively mouse out of a dc’s bedroom. My scream was worthy of a Hitchcock movie! With hindsight, I think it was actually not going for my throat, but making a leap for freedom over my shoulder, as I had it cornered. I did get it in the end! Repatriating rodents to the woods has become part of our (at least weekly) routine. You kind of get used to it, but you do have to be in thrall to the feline perpetrator. (Luckily, we are!)

Could you try a large cardboard box on its side with tasty treats scattered inside, op?

Get a humane trap if it keeps happening.
Lock the cat flap.

It is getting me down.
I'm recovering from covid and the thought of catching something from it and being ill again gets me down.
The cat was found in the woods and rescued by a friend of our's girlfriend.
She (the girlfriend) got pregnant and we took her in as my DP adores cats.
Before that she (the cat obviously!) had ahistory of killing gerbils and local wildlife.
I feel bad as she is a cute little cat but driving me up the wall.
My DP will never part with her. Honestly I'd think less of him if he did. So it's a hopeless situation.

I don't want to approach the rat but DP is going to get a rat trap.

Needless to say the cat is not the slightest bit interested.

I use my long-handled dustpan and brush. Corner it and sweep it in to the pan and trap it in there with the brush and then take it outside.

Can you not catch it in a bucket or something and pop it outside?

I catch mice by putting a plastic box over them and then shoving a rigid piece of card underneath.
Lock the catflap then you won't have this problem.

Aww he must be so cute. I'd keep him as a pet😂. Sorry not helpful

I know, baby rats are adorable once they're furry 😍 I saw one that can't have been much more than a couple of months old poke its head out from halfway up the trellis at the back of our garden once, sitting watching us eat dinner with a wistful look on its face. (I don't worry about them too much if they're not coming close to the house.) But… not exactly the ideal houseguest.

SavingsThreads · Today 11:10
MrsSkylerWhite · Today 10:59
Grab a towel. It will appear at some point. Throw the towel over it, wrap it up and put it outside.
alternatively, leave the door open and put a big blob of peanut butter outside, the smell should entice it out.”

Or entice others in 😉

yes, hadn’t actually thought of that 😁

the pb on the doorstep has worked for us countless times though and we’re rat free, far as I know. Or maybe our four just ate them?

Note to self: remember to buy wormer tomorrow 😁