Squirrel problems

We've had rodents in the cottage before, but for some reason they weren't a big problem last time. I know we've had a little vole and maybe even a squirrel, but somehow the problem just seemed to go away on its own. Then a few days ago, while cleaning up the lower level, I heard scuttling above me. Shirra was upstairs, but as I expected, she wasn't scuttling. Sure enough, the rodent man who came by today confirmed that we have a squirrel or even a squirrel family. I went to check on the cottage later, and as I walked in, I spotted a puffy tail scurrying up the stairs. There wasn't much I could do, so I left the windows and door open and hoped that the little creature would skeedaddle on its own. There were many scuff marks by the windows in the lower level, and clearly the squirrel was trying to burrow out of the house, so perhaps it will clear out on its own.

If not, there's option B: Pay the rodent folks. They offered, for $700, to close up the chimney vent with mesh covers top and bottom and to bait some live traps that they'd check on for four days straight. Sounds like that might do the trick. Option C is to allow the squirrels to chew thru some wires and burn the cottage down. I'm hoping we can avoid that option.