Some time back I posted about the rats digging under my azaleas. I did not want to kill them - I would hate to have to deal with dead bodies or the smell. I tried a repellant called Shake-Away and it works. It is supposed to smell like bobcat and fox urine to the rats and they will leave. They did. I am sorry for the next person who got them but at least I don't have them any more. Every once in a while, I will see one and I just sprinkle the Shake-Away out again and I don't see a rat again. Easy.