[darkbrowneggs]

I often find that the bait station has the beginnings of a nest, and also they will carefully cover any food source they cannot easily move.  I think we have a fair few field mice and wood mice round with us so it may be those that tend to have that behaviour. 

[Fleecewife]

I wouldn't put cats anywhere near fibreglass insulation - horrible stuff.  Our attic is stuffed with it so no cats up there, but it quickly becomes contaminated with mouse droppings and pee, then it's a horrible job to rip it all out.  I wish we could afford wool insulation 
 
We put down bait when the clog dancing from upstairs gets too noisy as the weather turns cold and the rodents move in.   We have also looked carefully around the bottom of the stone walls of our house and concreted any access routes - that has reduced numbers significantly.

[Reg henderson]

Yorkshire lass , I tend to think that proofing is good and keeping what the rats need at bay helps , but think if they want in they will get in , rats teeth are one scale below steel , this means they can know through any thing that is below that , concrete , wood and softer metals. tend to think you have just prolonged them and baiting will finish them off for good

[Reg henderson]

fleecewife , filling holes around your house at ground level up to around 6 inches is the best solution and will stop mice no problems , any hole bigger than the thickness of a pen mice can get into , remember and check your air bricks as meny of them are bigger that that, best thing to do with them is to put a fine mesh over them to reduce the hole size but keep the air flow to the walls . mice and rats can only see around 2-3 meters and shadows after that , why they tend to follow wall edges , they feel safe (can only get attack from one side )and they have long feeler hair on the side of the body , think like a blind mouse feeling its way around your walls and if it can find a hole it will go in so fill it , As I said they can know through anything up to the strength of steel , but tend to keep on the move in the open . Any hole you have problems filling use steel wool and pack in as this will mold to any shape , hope this helps , thanks Reg

[Clarebelle]

Great advise Reg, and really interesting. I don't have a problem with mice/rats in my rented terrace but its nice to know the best ways to prevent vermin. And it is actually really facinating to learn about the lives of these animals and how they tick!