Conflicting messages ?

We have had visitations from the Vahana of Ganapathi periodically, but it is the first time I had an eye to eye contact with the mammal! A couple of days ago I opened the shoe rack to pick up my sneakers and saw it hiding behind my shoes. While I am not scared, rats do give an ugly kind of feeling and you react!
It hid behind the shoes and I shouted for a broom and our maid boldly chased it away even though she claimed she was scared. As it scurried out of the open main door, she said  it must have come in from the door, as according to her, the rats go back the way they come in. They must also have heard the proverb 'Bandha darige sunkavilla!' (No tax if  the same road is used to get  back!)  I was amazed that a big rat could squeeze thru such a narrow opening between the door and the floor !                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Today, it was there again and I could see it in its full glory and it was as big as my fist. As I was all alone at home, I rushed to get the broom and made sounds and rattled the furniture. Before I could say 'devare' it had vanished. This time it was thru the small gap in the screen. I wish I had the presence of mind to take a picture before I responded to my adrenaline rush! More importantly it worried me that this fellow took a different route to exit, even though the main door was open. If our maid is right there are two of them. A family!   
                                                                                             

Normally, the solution to these unwelcome visits is to get rid of them. In my younger days I would thrash them, but desisted after I grew up. I remember we used to catch them in a trap and let them free in the open grounds. Probably it could still be done, but we have to drive a longer way to find open fields. I understand that you can feed it with a type of chocolate to get rid of them.  I don't  think it is right to kill a rat with the Ganesh festival round the corner. Better still, we could just rat-proof the apartment. Easier said than done! 
They can come from the door or if adventurous climb the window!

                                                                                    

 The rats have been active here for a while and it has been a loosing battle. They come in from anywhere.                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

                                                                                                                                                                                

 

They chewed thru the kitchen pipe and we have just replaced it, hopefully with a stronger pipe!

I was wondering what to do when the solution dawned on me today. I had seen these pug marks of a cat on the car just yesterday. It could perhaps be a message from a God we do not even know. I am not aware of any Hindu god with a cat as his vehicle. Could be even a Chinese god. Anyway I guess a cat could solve the problem unless of course it is from the family of Garfield. 

 But I suppose it is better to wait till after Ganesh festival.  It could be that lord Ganesh is much more powerful than the god who rides a cat. And we need his blessings! No point in upsetting him.

If indeed the message is from a Chinese god it may become even a bigger problem. I suppose we could just move to our small bubble apartment which is easier to seal!