I must have posted a reply to this in another thread. :o
But yeah, I couldn’t find anything to support my recall.
S’cuse me, I need to do a “user” search.
I recommend an arsonist.
Good luck, man. Now I’m not gonna sleep tonight.
Oh yeah: cats. Get some cats.
Some might have said “recollection”. Not me. Nor do I waste my time with previews.
Getting old is cool. 
Yep, rats are tough to eliminate. Smart, even cunning, adaptable, wary-- just like us. And their urine does certainly stink. But the idea that rats have no bladder control is bogus.
Rats kept in a cage will designate one corner as the “facility” and use it exclusively for elimination, keeping the rest of their quarters quite clean. The smelly “runways” they create around your house are deliberate, not accidental. They are scent trails, providing complex and important information to other rats.
Rats “mark” both their ingess and egress paths. Apparently they can tell which is which, somehow imparting directionality along with urine. “Happy trails” leading toward worthwhile destinations (food, shelter, etc.) are reinforced. The first rat visitor investigates an unmarked route with considerable trepidation, marking as he goes. If he (or she) encounters something unsafe (a known brand of rat trap, say) an “away” trail will be clearly marked. If instead a food source is located, that too will be indicated as a potentially worthwhile destination. But the rat will taste the food with equal trepidation, eating only a small portion before moving on. If he becomes ill, the trail will not be followed by that rat again.
Such a minimally marked trail may be encountered by another rat, who adds his own bits of scent. Over time, a complex communication system is created that can easily be “read” by any rat who happens along. Some places are safe and rewarding, and the trails to such are heavily marked. Other places are unsafe and/or unrewarding, and those trails convey their own information. The result is that every rat in the colony knows exactly where to go, and where to avoid.
Removing those scent trails will help you eliminate the remaining rats, by removing much of the database the rats are manipulating to stay safe and well fed. Rats forced into new explorations are far easier to trap.
Look for these runways along walls, along pipes, and anyplace you hear the scurry of little feet. Well used trails will be visibly stained, both from the urine and the dirt that inevitably sticks to it. Soap and water with a bit of bleach, plus elbow grease, is called for.
Brett Patrick back with an update on Rat Infestation. I have eliminated all of the rats using Tomcat Baits and trapping. Though they may have fled the House of Death, there are no rats here at the moment.Have started to remove the smell by elbow grease and pouring plenty of paint over the affected area. May need a few coats,but one coat has cut down the smell by about 80%. Thanks to all who offered advice. We have success. Brett Patrick.
It will cause dehydration and drive the vermin from your home in search of water (unless there is a ready source available) and they will die outside. Source: My Terminix guy.
As I’ve said, I do use d-con.
But it is a hell of a way to treat an animal, isn’t it.
Peace,
mangeorge
De-con is the worst product i have ever used.
We get mice in the hunting shack, and i have learned to use prducts like de-con outside.
I use "the better mousr traps"inside but not while i am away. I have also used a bucket with prestone in it (top on) with an arrow through it biated with butter or cheese. the little critters fall off the arrowas it turns in the hole, They ealy don’t last very long in the preston, less that 5 min. and thats a lot longer than decon takes to kill. also a bad catch with a trap can last a long time.
AS for rats, if you think you might have one, just leave a pice of raw bacon on the floor(as long as you don’t have pets). its a good test.
1+ to the poster about rats being clean.
We had oats hay in the barn when i was young. the rats kind of like that stuff, and they took up residence. when we got down to the John bail we could hardly likt the stinking things.
How i miss the old days of shooting Rats at the local dump. just isn’t anything quite like it.
Nuke it from orbit. It’s the only way to be sure.
I’m glad I have two indoor cats. I’m reasonably confident that, if there were rats in my apartment, they would find and kill them. Everyone else should be glad, too- if I did see a live rat in my kitchen, the OP would probably hear my screams from Australia.
I guess it could be worse- it could be a rat in your coffee…
That…was amazing. Good info. I did not know any of that, and I used to keep rats as pets. Of course, they didn’t have the opportunity to make anything but HabiTrails™.
A few months back I walked into the kitchen and saw a rat poised motionless by the skirting board. Sitting watching it in mute contemplation was our ginger tomcat, Rumpole. “Go get him, boy”, I whispered. The response was swift. He got to his feet, cast a last benign look on the rat, and sauntered lazily out of the kitchen, leaving rat and man staring in mutual puzzlement at his retreating back.
Ah well, he is an old cat, and it was rather a large rat. 