Cats are natural predators of rats but so are snakes and dogs.
Roof rat predators.
They have muscular front legs that make them efficient diggers and they have strong jaws that enable them to seize prey.
All rats can show aggression when they feel threatened.
These predators have little effect on the control of the black rat population because black rats are agile and fast climbers.
While other rat species dig burrows roof rats live high above the ground in the yard residents may spot roof rat nests in trees firewood piles shrubs and vines.
Roof rats are long and thin rodents that have large eyes and ears a pointed nose and a scaly tail.
In addition to agility the black rat also uses its keen sense of hearing to detect danger and quickly evade mammalian and avian predators.
Dogs usually kill rats by shaking them and breaking their neck.
Contrary to popular belief cats and dogs do not maintain control of rats.
They may bite or chase you.
Cats are usually the best option because they re agile and can reach places that dogs and other natural predators may have a hard time getting to.
Keeping roof rats out is therefore a difficult task.
In less urban settings rats are preyed on by weasels foxes and coyotes.
The roof rats usually enter a house or a garage to seek shelter from predators and don t need a large hole or place of entrance since they can gnaw their way in through metals such as aluminium wood plastic and even drywall or climb their way in through foliage wires pipelines etc.
A bite from a roof rat can transmit disease to you including rat bite fever which is spread to humans through a bite or scratch.
They can kill the rats in your walls attics cellars or garages.
They belong to the same family mustelid as wolverines otters and badgers and they are in the same genus mustela as ferrets and mink.
Are roof rats dangerous.
Roof rat predators include hawks owls ferrets weasels coyotes skunks raccoons and snakes.
Adult roof rats measure 6 8 16 20 cm when combining their head and body length.
True to their name roof rats prefer to build their colonies in attics and roofs where they are less likely to be disturbed by people and potential predators such as feral neighborhood cats or barn owls.
Mice and roof rats will try to gain access to your home for several reasons.
Roof rats have soft and smooth fur that is typically brown with intermixed spots of black.
Rodents construct their nests in sheltered places away from predators.
Where do roof rats nest.
Whether escaping the frigid cold predators or the extreme heat once you have them inside your house it is important to identify this issue before it is too late.
Weasels are also natural rat predators.
Their undersides are often white gray or black.
