General Discussion

Hekate

(100,133 posts)

52. From the time humans began to grow and store grain, cats were invited to kill the rodents...

Wed May 12, 2021, 03:52 PM

May 2021

...that came in to destroy our food supply. Because in case you didn’t know, what rats and mice don’t eat they widdle all over, which makes it inedible for humans. In addition, rats and mice and their fleas spread killer diseases. Oh, and rats will nibble on sleeping babies, as happens in slums in America.

For the past century we have relied on poisons above all else, and we have turned our small hunters (cats & terriers) into pets.

The rats are still with us.

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1,000 feral cats released onto Chicago streets to tackle rat explosion [View all] brooklynite May 2021 OP

I hope that covers going after republicans JohnSJ May 2021 #1

they better make damn sure nobody in the neighborhood has left out rat poison eShirl May 2021 #2

That's the problem I'm thinking about also. secondwind May 2021 #3

The city puts down rat poison in all the city alleys. former9thward May 2021 #54

I used to collect those signs. They were on every post. They had a new design each year. nt Progressive Jones May 2021 #56

I've seen this before... lame54 May 2021 #4

Unfortunately, my money's on the rats ... marble falls May 2021 #5

Yeah. Give a few terriers a crack at it instead. alphafemale May 2021 #16

Yup, terriers are the ticket! IrishAfricanAmerican May 2021 #27

Not all of them dsc May 2021 #33

Mine has never come face to face with a rat... IrishAfricanAmerican May 2021 #44

I would have thought mine would be more competent dsc May 2021 #67

Our Cairn terrier was the apex predator around our home. BobTheSubgenius May 2021 #42

Boy howdy! I forgot about terriers! Great idea! marble falls May 2021 #43

Yep, Hermione knows best: Ilsa May 2021 #36

video says cats aren't expected to catch the rats. cats presence will be enough Demovictory9 May 2021 #49

So long as they don't kill birds Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin May 2021 #6

I have never seen a cat tangle with a full grown rat DenaliDemocrat May 2021 #7

I've seen one -- ours. Auggie May 2021 #9

Same here. Othello used to leave us the green wobbly bits on the front door mat... Hekate May 2021 #19

Our cat took one look at the giant rat hissing in the bedroom alphafemale May 2021 #65

that will probably take care of the HAB911 May 2021 #8

So in a year or so ripcord May 2021 #10

I don't know why she swallowed the fly CrackityJones75 May 2021 #24

I had a vinyl recording of that when I was very young! BobTheSubgenius May 2021 #45

Ha! Nice! CrackityJones75 May 2021 #60

Somewhere, I have my original Mickey Mouse Club ears. BobTheSubgenius May 2021 #68

I'd like to place some bets sarisataka May 2021 #11

As soon as I read it, the words "cane toads!" leaped to mind. BobTheSubgenius May 2021 #46

Oh hell yes. I grew up in Hawai'i, and those ubiquitous critters were everywhere... Hekate May 2021 #51

I'd have thought the cane toads were enough of a lesson. BobTheSubgenius May 2021 #59

They need Terriers For Rat Issues ItsjustMe May 2021 #12

Yep. Fast and efficient. Arkansas Granny May 2021 #14

Yes! They were specifically bred for that! Auggie May 2021 #20

They would be better off releasing 1,000 coyotes jmowreader May 2021 #13

Since coyotes have already been spotted in Central Park, NY City, I suspect they are in other cities Hekate May 2021 #25

I agree w/ you. A couple of times we've been driving in St. Louis city, and behold, a fox! SWBTATTReg May 2021 #37

This message was self-deleted by its author hamsterjill May 2021 #15

I agree XanaDUer2 May 2021 #30

If people put a little bit of food out for them it will help. roamer65 May 2021 #34

Edit to say: the new "owner" is responsible for feeding the cats. Hassin Bin Sober May 2021 #40

This message was self-deleted by its author hamsterjill May 2021 #61

If they get hungry enuff, they will eat it. roamer65 May 2021 #62

This message was self-deleted by its author hamsterjill May 2021 #63

I put food and have a double decker cat house out for mine. roamer65 May 2021 #64

There Once Was a Lady Who Swallowed a Fly... Beetwasher. May 2021 #17

What could go wrong ? CentralMass May 2021 #18

yup markie May 2021 #22

Many years ago at a Catholic retreat center janterry May 2021 #21

Then come the feral cats and rat terriers to Ilsa May 2021 #31

Cats are hunters who can go all kinds of places a dog can't.By the same token, working breeds of dog Hekate May 2021 #23

thankfully, they were all fixed. Javaman May 2021 #26

I've seen this done before, on a much smaller scale, of course... Wounded Bear May 2021 #28

How very medieval we've become pfitz59 May 2021 #29

From the time humans began to grow and store grain, cats were invited to kill the rodents... Hekate May 2021 #52

Just leave a little food out for them if they adopt you home or property. roamer65 May 2021 #32

Hermione knows best: Ilsa May 2021 #35

I hope that they give shots/vaccines too if they proceed w/ this attempt. I don't know if it's a SWBTATTReg May 2021 #38

Pizza rat ain't afraid of no cats! ChrisF1961 May 2021 #39

UMMM...this is dejavu-ish slumcamper May 2021 #41

Did the seafarers spade/neuter the cats? Hassin Bin Sober May 2021 #47

Having delivered in Chicago over the years, some of the rats are as big as cats. sarcasmo May 2021 #48

I'm relieved that they were all spayed/neutered. Buckeye_Democrat May 2021 #50

Tree House Humane Society is a top notch org. No surprise on the spaying/neutering. nt Progressive Jones May 2021 #55

Any responsible cat rescue would spinbaby May 2021 #57

They could have used Bummer and Lazaruss.. tonedevil May 2021 #53

Everyone keep calm! The rats are gone; the kracken too... sanatanadharma May 2021 #58

Pennsylvania SPCA offers working cats, too Deminpenn May 2021 #66