# German roaches - cat food?



## miamicuse (Nov 13, 2011)

I have a single family home that's a rental and occasionally (once a year, once every 18 months) would have a German roach issue.

It's been the same tenant for 5 years, and year 1 had no issue, prior to year 1 with other tenants no issue.

The exterminator who I hired told me that German roaches are "brought in" usually by people in grocery bags.

Once the exterminator sets their baits the problem goes away.

Then it comes back may be a year later, may be 9 months later...

This last time I noticed a pattern. The roaches seem to come after the tenants took a long vacation - a week to 10 days.

This time they called and said roaches are back was right after a vacation, last time they had the issue was also after a vacation, and I think the time before that. So I am wondering what could cause that? This is what I know that could be related:

(1) When they took vacation, the house is vacant except for a cat. They use those wet cat food in a can. They have a friend who stop by every day or so, and empty a new can or two on the plate and fill a water bowl. The plate basically lay on the kitchen floor. I don't know if the cat eats all the food right after to a clean plate, or not, and if left over cat food sat on the plate 24/7 for two weeks. Would the cat food and water at the same spot attract German roaches?

(2) Or could it be the roaches can detect human presence and when they notice the place is vacant they intrude? It would seem when vacant there is no trash and therefore no food it's less likely to have roaches coming in?


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## Gregsoldtruck79 (Dec 21, 2017)

#2 imo....


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

#3, The tenants are bringing them home from their vacation spot, in their luggage.

ED


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## Guap0_ (Dec 2, 2017)

Roaches don't care if people live there even though they will run from them. Even if the remaining cat food is the only food available, the roaches suck water off the pipes. I knew some people who had a roach problem. One winter the pipes froze & broke. The valves were shut & all the roaches left. If your tenants can afford long vacations, they should be able to afford to pay that same person to take the cat somewhere else. That way you can shut the water in their apartment. That will solve the problem.

Edit: de-nagorg has a point too.


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## DR P (Dec 16, 2017)

de-nagorg said:


> #3, The tenants are bringing them home from their vacation spot, in their luggage.
> 
> ED


Especially if they go same place every year ???
curious if it is immediately once they return or - if there is a delay as eggs have to hatch... that said - 
ever try inspecting right before they get back to see if roaches were already there - & before they returned?

Peace


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

Having lived in fla, I'm not sure you can be totally roach free. Keeping a clean house AND spraying every month helps a lot!


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## Guap0_ (Dec 2, 2017)

You don't even need to spray anymore. A gel is available. In my building, they put 3 small dabs of the gel on the hinges of kitchen cabinets & one dab under the sink in the bathroom. No odor. It's like Brillcream, "a little dab 'ill do ya". Who remembers that?


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## maddog1 (Aug 21, 2012)

I've had at least two house cats in my home since the 1970's. They eat wet & dry cat food. I have been away on business & vacations for as long as two weeks with a neighbor coming in every day to clean the litter box, feed the cats. The empty food tins were washed out & placed in a bag clean for recycle. The food dishes would also be cleaned & any leftover food discarded & refilled fresh. Never ever a roach problem. I am inclined to think your tenants are bringing in the roaches with them either as adults or the eggs of the roaches. They are very invasive, rapid growing. 

A neighbor of mine had her house infested by roaches AFTER she was away but allowed a friend to use the pool & feed the dog. On the very fist day she returned from her trip the roaches were there. So I would say they are being brought in by your tenant unknown to them or by someone who has entry to the property. Once in there they may start feeding on the cat food & the water. But I really doubt that the cat food started the problem. If the cat food is the cause of the problem, then how come its not an all year round issue?


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

Roaches are a LOT more prevalent in the deep south! Monthly spraying is pretty much a necessity ..... and the less there is for roaches to eat, the better. I've had them eat the cloth out of speakers when there wasn't another food source.


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## PestGuy (Jan 15, 2018)

If they are indeed german roaches then they must be being brought in by somebody. There's a possibility they may be wood roaches, which look very similar to german roaches minus the 2 black "racing stripes" on their head. Those live outside in wood piles or leaves around the home and occasionally get in through small cracks or gaps.


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