Once you understand a rat's natural instincts and their motivation for entering your home, you'll be in a better position to get rid of them and to prevent them from returning. The information here will help you see things more from a rat's point of view. Once you do this, you'll increase your chances of winning the battle with those nasty little invaders.
Rats have an instinct to get out of harsh weather conditions
Rats don't want to fight to stay warm in the freezing cold or be out in the scorching heat, unable to get cool. Therefore, when they walk around the edges of your home and feel the inside temperature penetrate through the walls or come out of the small gaps and cracks around your house, they are going to want to come inside where it is a comfortable and healthy temperature. Seeing things through this perspective, you want to properly and completely seal up any of those cracks and crevices that would allow a rat to come in.
Rats want to be near a good food source
Rats can find food quite easily. They can go through garbage cans and eat a lot of different foods. However, if they know they can always get food by going to the cat bowl on the porch, then this will make them want to have their nest nearby. Then, once they decide to come inside for some of that wonderful human food they smell, they will be determined to come inside for the food in your cabinets, as well as the crumbs they may be able to find in your kitchen and dining room. Rats are quick and their natural instincts can kick in and lead them to the inside of your home through many entrances. If you have sealed up the cracks as suggested above, then they will take advantage of an open door, an open window with a small hole in the screen, a vent they can squeeze through that leads to the attic, etc. Picking up the pet food bowls, keeping the bags of pet food in closed containers, regularly cleaning, sealing up all foods in good containers, and making sure you look around for vents rats can squeeze through or any other surprising areas can help.
Rats want water nearby
Just as how rats are very food motivated, they also want to know they have easy access to water. This is why it's common for homeowners to find rats in their pools or in the bottoms of buckets that have water in them. Make sure the pet's water is picked up from outside at nighttime, and have any outside tap leaks or other water issues fixed so there isn't always a source of water close to your home.
Conclusion
Once you have rats in your home, a pest control company can help get rid of them. But, if you don't take care of the issues that allowed them to come in, then you will end up with more. To learn more about rat control, contact a pest control company in your area.
Most pest infestations can quickly get out of hand if you do not address them. There is a reason people joke about "breeding like mice." You can go from having two mice in your home to having hundreds in a matter of weeks! When you think there are pests inside your home, you need to take control, and quickly. You take control by calling in a pest control professional. They can use a combination of trapping, poisoning, and cleanup methods to eradicate the pests. Learn more about these methods and about other pest control topics on this website, created to educate people like you about the pest control industry.