Do Rats Like Dog Poop?

There are a lot of conflicting facts regarding rats and one of the hardest topics to get information on is whether they like dog poop. Most experts and websites will tell you that yes, rats are attracted to dog waste. Some, however, may say that this is actually a myth. Since the information is conflicting, it is best to just make sure there isn’t any dog feces around to attract rats.



Why Rats Like Dog Poop
The most common response is that rats do in fact like dog poop and this is for good reason. The feces provide rats with nourishment as it contains minerals, carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. All of these things are important to a rat’s diet and they see the waste as a reasonable source of these things. Of course, the poop will also likely contain small quantities of food that made it through the digestive system. Since rats are small, they don’t need much of this undigested food to make a meal from a pile of waste.

They Will Choose Something Else
While it is true that dog poop is attractive to rats as a source of food, they are likely to choose another option if it is available. This is why rats are more common in dumpsters than in the middle of the dog park. It makes sense that rats will choose an item with more concentrated nutrients over dog feces if they have the option. That being said, if they don’t have another choice or many of them, canine waste is a reasonable choice for a rat.

What Else Do Rats Like?
It is important to understand what rats like as knowledge will let you remove attractants from your property so you can discourage rats from making your yard their home. The most common attractant is going to be a food source of any sort. This may mean pet food, leftover food sitting out on the counter, an unsecured garbage can, or something else. If you have a garden or fruit-bearing trees on your property, these are also prime rat attractants.

Other than food, rats are attracted to properties that offer them shelter. If your living area is cluttered, the rats will have plenty of areas to hide, making them more tempted to choose your home over others to invade. The same is true of cluttered lawns or piles of wood or other objects. If a rat notices shelter and food on your property, it is likely to move in, whether or not dog waste is present.