Thread: A great idea!
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Old February 25th 17, 10:33 AM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
John Kasupski
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Posts: 112
Default A great idea!

On Sat, 25 Feb 2017 02:32:58 -0000 (UTC), Bastette
wrote:

Joy wrote:

About five years ago, Chicago resident Paul Nickerson turned to a trio
of cats to deal with a rodent infestation after higher-tech pest-control
methods failed. He figured he had nothing to lose.


"It got to the point where my neighbors and I couldn't walk out of our
back doors to throw the garbage out at night because rats would be
running over our feet," Nickerson said.


The cats came from a Tree House Humane Society program that places
animals that aren't suited for life as house pets in places where their
native talents as hunters are needed, such as warehouses and breweries.


[great story snipped for brevity]

Isn't it funny how these things that humans did for centuries are now
considered to be great new ideas?

Whenever I hear about rat problems, I think, "Why don't they just send
some cats?" It's always seemed obvious to me. No poison, rats are gone the
natural way, the cats love it, there's more room at shelters for adoptable
cats, everyone's happy. (Even the rats would probably prefer to be killed
by a cat than by rat poison, if given the choice.)


I have mixed feelings about this.

An infestation of mice is one thing. Rats are an entirely different ballgame. If
it's only a few in your back yard and you've got three cats to work together in
dealing with them, you'll probably get away with it...but I know for a fact that
there are countless buildings in New York City where if you send a cat alone
into the basement at night, what you'll find down there in the morning is one
dead cat, because dozens of rats will have ganged up on the cat and killed it.

I'll concede that three cats would have a better chance than just one - but only
because one cat by itself hasn't got a prayer in those buildings...or at least
not unless Bruce Lee has recently been reincarnated in feline form grin.

John D. Kasupski
Niagara Falls, NY