They say you are never more than six feet away from a rat.
(Authentication required).

Through my first floor window overlooking our herb garding, I've been
watching this rat who now lives under my neighbour's greenhouse.

He would very nervously creep out through the hedge and feed himself on
the droppings from our bird feeder.

But now he is getting bolder, nonchalant almost. He'll come right up to
the downstairs neighbours door, cos that is close to where they keep the
bulk bird food.

But another neighbour's black and white cat is stalking him. They were
only out once at the same time when the rat was cornered under the bird
feeder and the cat sat close by, on the rat's route home, but facing the
wrong way, sniffing the air, and thinking, "Hey! Rat!"

Ratty ran home behind the cat, who jumped around, tool ate of course,
but then spent a lot of time sniffing around his escape route. He then
hid behind a plant pot and waited, but Ratty was wise to him and stayed
at home.

The cat has now sussed that Ratty is getting bolderer and is patrolling
where he has been. It will be interesting to see how this resolves.

Who will win at, the 'C' or the 'R'?

Tone

On 18-Jan-24 15:32, Hymermut wrote:
> They say you are never more than six feet away from a rat.
> (Authentication required).
>
> Through my first floor window overlooking our herb garding, I've been
> watching this rat who now lives under my neighbour's greenhouse.
>
> He would very nervously creep out through the hedge and feed himself on
> the droppings from our bird feeder.
>
> But now he is getting bolder, nonchalant almost. He'll come right up to
> the downstairs neighbours door, cos that is close to where they keep the
> bulk bird food.
>
> But another neighbour's black and white cat is stalking him. They were
> only out once at the same time when the rat was cornered under the bird
> feeder and the cat sat close by, on the rat's route home, but facing the
> wrong way, sniffing the air, and thinking, "Hey! Rat!"
>
> Ratty ran home behind the cat, who jumped around, tool ate of course,
> but then spent a lot of time sniffing around his escape route. He then
> hid behind a plant pot and waited, but Ratty was wise to him and stayed
> at home.
>
> The cat has now sussed that Ratty is getting bolderer and is patrolling
> where he has been. It will be interesting to see how this resolves.
>
> Who will win at, the 'C' or the 'R'?

Dunno.
Some cats are determined ratters and will spend hours waiting for the
right moment.
Other cats will chase if one happens to run, but not be happy if they
actually caught the thing.

We don't have any cats of our own, but lots of local cats like our
garden - and we get both types.

--
Sam Plusnet

It will probably be the cat or a fox, if some human does not finish him off
first. Can you be sure its just one Rat? They breed so readily there could
be loads under the greenhouse.
Brian

--

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"Hymermut" <tone@email.com> wrote in message
news:uobgb2$2ksim$2@dont-email.me...
> They say you are never more than six feet away from a rat. (Authentication
> required).
>
> Through my first floor window overlooking our herb garding, I've been
> watching this rat who now lives under my neighbour's greenhouse.
>
> He would very nervously creep out through the hedge and feed himself on
> the droppings from our bird feeder.
>
> But now he is getting bolder, nonchalant almost. He'll come right up to
> the downstairs neighbours door, cos that is close to where they keep the
> bulk bird food.
>
> But another neighbour's black and white cat is stalking him. They were
> only out once at the same time when the rat was cornered under the bird
> feeder and the cat sat close by, on the rat's route home, but facing the
> wrong way, sniffing the air, and thinking, "Hey! Rat!"
>
> Ratty ran home behind the cat, who jumped around, tool ate of course, but
> then spent a lot of time sniffing around his escape route. He then hid
> behind a plant pot and waited, but Ratty was wise to him and stayed at
> home.
>
> The cat has now sussed that Ratty is getting bolderer and is patrolling
> where he has been. It will be interesting to see how this resolves.
>
> Who will win at, the 'C' or the 'R'?
>
> Tone
>

On 19/01/2024 11:07, Brian Gaff wrote:
> It will probably be the cat or a fox, if some human does not finish him off
> first. Can you be sure its just one Rat? They breed so readily there could
> be loads under the greenhouse.
> Brian

I've only seen one at a time if there is more than one.

Great Spotted Woodpecker on the feeder yesterday! Young one with a red bum.

Tone