question about city/town rat traps/baiting programs

[vipers_rule]

I'm in Ontario,Canada. Imwondering what types/names of rat poison that most cities use for their local rat baiting programs and how it really works. Couple years ago I belive one of my ferals died from rat poison. I am dealing with a very upset person and his crazy gf about the many rats in his area including his yard. The rats are eating much of the food up. There are about 4 regulars there, all fixed. My favorite girl I have been feeding for around 7 to 8 years. I made a deal with them, ill slowly move the feeding station about 500 meters down the road. The feeding station is across the street from him, no houses on the side i feed. But I want them happy and they promised me not to throw food away or bother the colony if i move the food down the road some. Im worried the rat baiting will affect my cats getting into the rat traps etc. hurting them also.

 

[vipers_rule]

i was thinking of giving him a printed sheet of the program with contact numbers for the city so he can get the traps soon, but like i said i worry about the cats getting hurt. anyone know how those big black/grey box looking traps work?

 

[Margot Lane]

You might try asking Raptors are the Solution (RATS) located I think in California. I’d bet they’d have intel.

 

[vipers_rule]

You might try asking Raptors are the Solution (RATS) located I think in California. I’d bet they’d have intel.

IM IN Canada...

 

[Margot Lane]

Hey, I know, just trying to help. Sounds like a really stressful situation. A quick Google actually lists the different kinds of outdoor poisons used legally in Ontario. Most of them seem like anticoagulants. I would ask a local rat trapper -if you can bear to- if cats can get in those boxes. The good news is raptors, specifically I think in your case OWLS, come free of charge, without poison, and one barn owl can eat 1,000 rats in a year. There are many local ornithology groups which will happily supply you with owl boxes, or instructions on how to make & install them. You’d be surprised how many owls exist, even in urban settings. Perhaps your neighbor (or neighborhood!) could be convinced to use poison free owl boxes! And owls are interested in rats, not cats. It might help you too, if you don’t already do this, to feed your ferals at a certain time each day. That way, they know when to come, and are more likely to scarf the food, rather than leave any for the rats. I know this doesn’t immediately answer your question, but raptors are everywhere! Perhaps it’s a win-win.