Rats and Mice

We get mice in the loft in winter and last year they ate the shoulders of my carrots (note to self to earth up carrots) we only get rats being a problem near the house when next door throw all their left over food on the lawn 'for the birds'. I've told them time and again that it attracts rats and isn't good for the birds but to no avail. Occasionally get them in the open composts which I can cope with, but having a rat stare at me when I opened the 'kitchen waste' bin was a bit unsettling. Not sure who was most startled