Cats and Rats

[Grace56]

I live in a very old house which is divided into separate units. I can hear the rats running, scratching and squeaking behind the skirting boards mostly at night.

Recently, Dave has discovered a rat hole outside and, with a cats unwavering patience, lies in wait for the rats to emerge. And his patience has paid off a few times. But, twice now he has eaten his kills and I wondered if that could be harmful for him. (By the way, he is well fed at home )

I don't think anyone has put poison down and quite frankly I'm glad. I'd sooner the rats were killed by my cat. It's more natural somehow. But when it all boils down to it, Dave's welfare is more important to me than the rats. So.....what can I do? I've blocked the hole as best I can, but I'm willing to bet there are others.

If I report it, won't the vermin control put poison down? I'm in a quandary so any suggestions would be so helpful.

[Lilith]

Hi, I live in an inner city area - and we have rats! There's a big bakery in one direction and the main drag and a zillion pubs and takeaways in the other, so ratty prospers and foxes too. If it snows I see rat-prints in the backyard.

13 years ago I made friends with a blossoming feral colony and after neutering (the CP had its eye on them) several moved in with me. Rats are known to carry leptospirosis/Weil's disease for a start, but while these cats were still on the street often I would be brought a nice rat, which was usually laid in the gutter in front of the house and, after driven over by a parked car, would become a mummified flat rat...

The cats must have eaten some of their prey though, and poison must have been put down too on some premises, but mercifully I never saw a feline casualty, though by then the cats were coming to me for food.

I'm not sure if the rodent operatives would be sent out automatically if you reported the rats; on private property this might have to be paid for.

I agree with you about poison; it's obscene. I used to have a council allotment; they sent someone out with poison every so often and one evening after one of these visits I was working when a poor rat crept out almost from under my feet, half dead. Luckily I knew what to do (won't add details) and ratty never knew what had hit him.

We had an allotment cat though, a stray who'd been adopted by one allotmenteer - and she was fine.

Cats DO kill rats and see them as part of the food chain too...nowadays my garden's secured as this area is bad for cats so mine can't go hunting. Also I can't be sure who might have put poison down. I wouldn't want my cats hunting rats round here, but in a more rural area it could be different, though the worry about poison would still occur.

So...sorry if this is inconclusive, but I think a cat will know exactly what it's doing when faced with mouse, rabbit or rat...instinct is marvellous.

[Grace56]

Thanks, Lillith. I reckon it's as you say and Dave will know by instinct if the prey is tainted (I hope) I have mentioned the rat problem to the landlords agent, but nothing is done, and frankly the thought of ANY animal suffering a long, painful death is abhorrent to me.

I will just have to be extra vigilant and try to take any rats off Dave before he starts to eat them. That should be a lark. He's a big cat.

[Lilith]

Ah, sorry, I didn't mean that Dave would know if a rat was poisoned, just that cats know instinctively how to kill rats - although the rat may fight back of course.

However if you're liaising with your landlord you'll know if they do decide to use poison - in that case I really wouldn't let Dave go hunting, just to be on the safe side. Good luck - ha, my Molly's tiny and I can't rescue a BUTTERFLY from her!

[Crewella]

It's a difficult one, several of mine hunt and eat their kills (Daz catches rabbits too) but I live in a rural area and am pretty sure there's no poison about, and as they've all been such a lot healthier and happier since we moved here I leave them to it. I'd definitely be more concerned in a more built-up area where there's a chance bait has been put down.

By the way, if he's hunting and eating his kills you'll need to worm him more often.

[Grace56]

Thanks, Crewella. I will get the worming seen to this week. I've blocked the hole up and I think the rats have moved on as I haven't heard them moving around for a day or two. I hope they have anyway.

[Crewella]

Heh heh the rats have evacuated the area!!

When Daz and my gang arrived here you could practically hear the resident rodents all trooping off down the road. There were loads of old mouse droppings in dark corners of the house, but not a sign of them these days!