After the flooding, Pierrefonds residents coping with unwanted rodent house guests

Pierrefonds resident Michael McGregornoticed he might have some unsolicited roommates a couple weeks ago when objects in his kitchen were being "moved around and things were coming out of my garbage."

Since the borough has a composting program, there wasn't much food inMcGregor'spail, but the parchment paper soaked in oil he'd used to roast had been pulled out.

He thought it was mice,"but when Iput out a large sticky trap out, it disappeared, so Iknew Iwas dealing with a larger animal,"McGregortold CBC Montreal's DaybreakWednesday morning.

On Saturday, after he laid traps,McGregorsays hecaught two rats that were almost a foot long.

"I wasn't impressed," he said.

What to do if you have them, too

The rats' new frontier also includes three other homes in the des Sources Boulevard area, McGregor said. His home did not flood.

He doesn't think they came directly from the sewer because of a recently installed clap in his system. He suspects they came in through vents from his furnace or dryer.

McGregorthinks the critters settled into hisPierrefondshome after escaping the area's flooded sewers, a theory Montreal exterminatorSteveBilodeauagrees with.

"[The rats] are going to search for sources of food and they will find some. From what Iunderstand, they've already found this gentleman's house," he said, referring to McGregor.

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If you encounter a rat in your home, get away,Bilodeausaid, adding rats don't typically attack humans but could jump at usif they feel threatened.

"Do not provoke it."

He said to follow McGregor's method and set traps, and to then dispose of the rodent in the garbage.