Rodents dislike the cold weather as much as humans and now is the time when rats and mice take refuge from the cooler weather in loft spaces and other warm areas of buildings, particularly places where there is a food supply.The furry creatures will scratch, gnaw and rip items apart to make nesting materials but they will also chew through electrical cables. This can cause fires, as well as cause structural damage, not to mention the urine and droppings they spread over large areas.