luckily there are several outside cats next door, and they have already brutally murdered a rat in our yard a few months ago.

I caught the third rat since posting that, it's now gone (off to the dumpster & more kitties haha). I've poured bleach all over the floor where they were pissing and leaving pellets.. I haven't heard any more scurrying around - so hear's hoping that's the last of them.