Do Your Pets Attract Pests?

Having a pet can bring joy and comfort to your life. However, pets can also be the reason why your home is infested with insects or rodents. Let’s take a look at the role that your favorite animal plays in attracting pests to your property.

Animal Droppings Can Attract Rodents

Chicken droppings can attract mice or rats to your property. This is because there may be remnants of food left in what the chicken has eliminated. It is also possible that the rodents can’t find anything else to eat and will eat the droppings themselves. There are many steps that you can take to prevent rodents from overwhelming your yard or home after buying a chicken. For instance, you should clean up the droppings on a regular basis and make sure that chicken coops use strong wire.

Some Pets Attract Creepy Crawlers

Your dog or cat can be a prime carrier of fleas, ticks and other small insects. This is true whether they spend time outside or not. A cat could acquire fleas or bed bugs by laying on an old blanket at a neighbor’s yard or by being in close proximity to another animal that has them.

If you notice the signs of a bed bug infestation, contact a bed bug removal company immediately. Signs of a bed bug infestation may include red marks on the skin, fatigue or little brown dots on your sheets and pillows.  Remember, even nice hotels get bed bugs. It’s not a reflection on your hygiene, but being in contact with something that has them. Always inspect your pets when they come back from the groomers, play dates, dog park or being around other animals.

Your Pet Could Prevent Pests

While cats can bring fleas and ticks into your home, they can also play a role in making sure that mice stay away from your home. If a mouse does come into close proximity to a cat, the feline will likely chase or eat it. This is because it has a high prey drive and has specifically evolved to consume small animals like a mouse. Mice in your house doesn’t mean you’re untidy. They may want to come in just because it’s warmer in your house than outside. Having a cat however, could be a bonus deterrent.

Typically, mice will avoid any areas where cats have made their presence known. For example, they will avoid basements or other rooms where a litter box is present. This is because they smell the cat’s urine and are repelled by it.

The next time you see a bug, a mouse or other pests in your home, it may be worth looking to see if your pet has caused it to be there. If you do find a pest make sure you don’t get too hard on yourself. Act swiftly to protect your health and that of your pets. Remember, most of the time your pet is just a carrier. Don’t get rid of them.  Think how or why the pest got to your property and try to take action to avoid it in the future. This doesn’t mean you need to get rid of your precious, but rather be proactive in protecting them and you from future pests.