@neil I was woken up from a deep sleep by SWMBO on my one day of sleep-in this week to the news that a rat had gotten into the kitchen and had broken into the brand new loaf of bread and eaten all the crusts from it.

I think it came in through a hole in the soil pipe, meaning that it must've swum up through the downstairs toilet.

I'm used to mice in the garage (previous owner used to keep fish and stored the fish food in the garage), but a toilet rat in the house is a step too far.

The dog slept through it all.

@neil Peanut butter?

I had a mouse in our loft a while back, so trapped it and released it in a field about 1/4 mile away. A couple of nights later, more scratching, and I do the same again. Then again.

I think it was on the fourth time, my OH said we should take it further away this time. So we drove a couple of miles into the countryside and released it there. Never heard from it (or any others) again.

Could it really have been the same mouse returning?

@neil five cats. not an issue. 😁

@neil Can you explain how the "Humane trap" works?

You catch it alive and keep it terrified for a while. You can't keep it as a pet that would be inhumane for a wild animal. It's vermin so you can't release it on public land. Likewise no private landowner will be willing to accept it.

Just asking.

We let them be where we can. But when we can't use scissor or snap traps for a quick humane kill.

Smaller rodents if easily caught are subjected to the overarm fling from the patio.

@neil My experience of catching rodents in the house is that it involves quite a lot of screaming on the part of all involved.

Plus patience, a blanket that you can throw over it, and a long stick to wiggle behind radiators and under cupboards.

I say "The Mouse", but it could be "A Mouse and their Merry Men"...