What Attracts Eastern Gray Squirrels to Your House?

Gray squirrels don't treat a tree cavity and a leaf nest as interchangeable options — cavities are strongly preferred whenever one is available, because young raised in a cavity survive at a much higher rate than those raised in an exposed leaf nest. Alabama Cooperative Extension System is direct about the consequence of that instinct indoors: "This cavity nesting instinct causes squirrels to nest in the attics of homes or secure locations in garages and barns." North Carolina State University Extension describes the same underlying biology.

An attic satisfies every requirement of a natural cavity and then some: it's fully enclosed, insulated against weather, dry, and difficult for predators to reach — arguably a better cavity than most hollow trees available nearby. Squirrels typically gain access by way of a tree branch that overhangs or nearly touches the roofline, then gnaw through a soffit vent, fascia gap, or other weak point to get inside. That access route is the specific, checkable condition worth naming, rather than a vague sense that the house "offers shelter."