Kloppie8
Member
I need advice on caring for a wild baby rat. My cat killed 5 of them but I found this one in the yard still alive. I have no idea where the cat got them so I could not put him back. I have had him about 36 hrs and he is still alive. I a, unsure of age but his eyes are not open yet, so I am assuming not 2 wks yet. My plan is to care for him until he is old enough to let go back in the wild. All the vets and wildlife places have told me to dispose of him because rats carry diseases, but my point is he lives in the yard so likely my dogs and cats have come in contact with their feces and other stuff and they are around us all the time. Last month my cat brought in an adult rat and dropped him on the kitchen table, I caught him and released him outside the fence, we live on a creek.
Please any and all advice is welcome, I know nothing of rats and I am just trying to do what is best for this baby...but I also have 4 dogs, 2 cats, 1 rabbit, and 2 small children...I don't want to put them at risk. I use to care for wildlife when I worked for a vet, so I know the precautions to take...but everyone seems to think rats are extra diseased, true??
Please any and all advice is welcome, I know nothing of rats and I am just trying to do what is best for this baby...but I also have 4 dogs, 2 cats, 1 rabbit, and 2 small children...I don't want to put them at risk. I use to care for wildlife when I worked for a vet, so I know the precautions to take...but everyone seems to think rats are extra diseased, true??