Spent the morning plugging up gaps under the garden fence to stop a rat from getting in from nextdoor's untidy borders. It's the same rat, he has a kinked tail and one eye. I call him One-eyed Willie.
Our fence consists of 6x6 foot fence panels slotted into concrete uprights, with a concrete gravel board slotted horizontally beneath. The little bugger keeps tunneling under the gravel board.
I can't put down a spring trap because the Mrs puts out nuts for the squirrels, which in turn attracts the rat.
I might have to shoot him, but I must be going soft in my old age. If it was a nondescript rat I'd shoot it with no hesitation, but he looks like he's had a tough life so far and survived, so I'm reluctant to do the deed.
I might just keep plugging up the holes with bits of stone to annoy him.