[yodapete]

I had three sturdy red cabbage plants at the end of a row of other cabbages, all covered with chicken wire cloches to protect against the pigeon menace.  One day I noticed the leaves of two of the plants cropped off at the top of the stem.  Some of the leaves were near nearby.  Slug damage I thought, despite the area being dosed with slug pellets.  Then I noticed a leaf, poking out from under a corrugated sheet laid nearby.  I lifted the sheet and found some of the cabbage leaves had been pulled underneath.  The following day the the leaves of the remaining red cabbage had been nipped neatly off, same as the other two.  I've seen rabbit, pigeon, slug and mouse damage in the past but nothing like this where the leaves are neatly nipped off and carried away.  Only the red cabbage plants have been attacked up to now!
Anyone have any ideas?
Yodapete

[Flump]

Rats with a liking for red cabbage?

[Brassica Blaz]

I had three sturdy red cabbage plants at the end of a row of other cabbages, all covered with chicken wire cloches to protect against the pigeon menace.  One day I noticed the leaves of two of the plants cropped off at the top of the stem.  Some of the leaves were near nearby.  Slug damage I thought, despite the area being dosed with slug pellets.  Then I noticed a leaf, poking out from under a corrugated sheet laid nearby.  I lifted the sheet and found some of the cabbage leaves had been pulled underneath.  The following day the the leaves of the remaining red cabbage had been nipped neatly off, same as the other two.  I've seen rabbit, pigeon, slug and mouse damage in the past but nothing like this where the leaves are neatly nipped off and carried away.  Only the red cabbage plants have been attacked up to now!
Anyone have any ideas?
Yodapete

I planted 6 at the end of march that i'd sown in january ,hoping for some summer red cabb.they were covered well but they were all nipped off at the bottom.i was growing through black plastic as an experiment.wont be doing that again! there were loads of slugs underneath thought it was them but i'm sure they dont carry them off!.i think covering each plant with alarge bottomless plant pot can give a bit off extra protection from mice but not sure about rats.lessons learnt.

Edited as reply was within the quote