A water-soluble rodent-repellent composition is coated onto a material, e.g., a cable, which is laid into the ground. Ground moisture dissolves the composition, forming in the earth surrounding the cable a rodent-repellent barrier thus preventing contact of the rodent with the cable or material. Any rodent repellent in a water-soluble or water-dispersible composition can be used. Specifically mentioned in the disclosure as nowpreferred effective rodent repellents are N,N-dialkyl sulfenyl dithiocarbamates, e.g., the N,N-dimethylsulfenyl dithiocarbamates, N,N-dimethyl-S-methylsulfenyl dithiocarbamate and N,N-dimethyl-S-tert-butylsulfenyl dithiocarbamate.