Cats VS. Rats

Cats VS. Rats

A Century-Old Feud

It’s a tale as old as time… cats chase rodents and have been used as a natural source of pest control throughout history. Ancient Egyptian drawings have even been uncovered that depict cats keeping rodents at bay. However, in more recent years, the effectiveness of felines in the abatement of rural rodents has been under scrutiny.

The Brooklyn-Based Study

In 2017 a study was conducted in Brooklyn, New York by a group of researchers led by Michael Parsons of Fordham University. The intention of the study was originally to delve into the influences of specific pheromones and, or airborne chemicals on the behaviors of cats. However, after noticing a curious relationship between the feral cats and rats, the study shifted focus. The data was collected over 79 days, at which time they determined that the area was home to approximately 150 rats. By the conclusion of the study, the team had documented only 3 cases of the rats even being attacked by the local feline population, and only 2 rats were killed. That is only a 1.333% rate of rodent abatement… a far cry from the fame cats have garnered for hunting these creatures. So, why is this?

Urban Rodents

The urban rodents of today are a far cry from the cute, small, cuddly rats you can adopt at your local pest store. These rats can be huge, weighing an average of 330 grams which, compared to the other prey of feral cats such as birds weighing 15 grams or mice at 30 grams, is notably massive. The two most common city rats are the Roof Rat (rattus rattus) and the Norway rat (rattus noevegicus). In areas that are highly populated with these rodents, there can even be a higher population of rats than people in a given location… making them a force to reckon with. Furthermore, these pests have become very brazen, and have even developed a tendency to be aggressive towards cats. Cats must’ve become wise to the fact that coming face-to face with these large, aggressive rodents could end in a nasty set of scratches of series of seriously painful bites. Shockingly, there has even been some more rare encounters between urban rats and humans where people have been targeted by particularly hostile rats. So, while ‘fluffy’ may be hardened by her life on the streets, she still doesn’t care to risk engaging with these dangerous pests on a regular basis. But that’s not to say that cats aren’t helpful with regards to pest abatement.

Cats as Pest Control

Just simply having cats can still help keep a variety of pests away, rodents included. Both rats and mice are historically prey animals, so the smell of a potential predator such as cats or dogs, can help deter them from targeting your home. Furthermore, cats still maintain a reputation of success when it comes to chasing off and catching smaller rats and mice. Many people that have a family cat also report far less insect problems in their home thanks to ‘Fluffy’s’ natural proclivity for hunting. So, while they may not be the most effective form of pest control for combating urban rats, cats are still very helpful natural exterminators.

Citations

Polan, S. and Sharma, U. (2018) Why Cities Can’t Get Rid of Rats, YouTube. Science Insider. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cD6eZrrcp1Y (Accessed: July 2020). Solly, M. (2018) Cats Are Surprisingly Bad at Killing Rats, Smithsonian Magazine. The Smithsonian Institution. Available at: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cats-are-surprisingly-ineffective-keeping-urban-rat-populations-check-180970428/ (Accessed: March 8, 2021).