Animal Feces Near Cat Litter Box: Likely Rat, Not Squirrel

Tubular feces (~1/2 inch) in/around cat litter box on patio. Moved box inside. Asks if squirrel or rat.

Assessment

Rat more likely than squirrel. But positive ID needs more data.

See ICWDM scat guide—many factors: shape, size, contents, location, frequency.

Keep cat indoors. Outdoor cats bring diseases, parasites, and wildlife conflicts.

Pests: How Underground Sprinkler Valve Boxes Stay Securely in Place; Chipmunks Undermining Flower Bed: Natural Deterrents and Live Trapping; Grey Fox Under the Shed: Risks to Cats and Deterrence; Zeuzera pyrina: Not a Wildlife Issue; Identifying and Managing Worms in Garden Soil; Gardening with Cats: Soil, Plants, and Deterrents; Deterring Cats from Garden Beds and New Grass Seed; Cat Urine on Cactus: Damage Control; Keeping Cats Out of Garden Beds and Seeded Areas; Keeping Cats Out of Raised Beds: Repellents & Barriers

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