4 ms·

If only rats had a natural enemy: https://tenor.com/view/killer-upset-kitty-gun-meme-gif-8657367 https://tenor.com/view/killer-upset-kitty-gun-meme-gif-86573..

If only rats had a natural enemy: https://tenor.com/view/killer-upset-kitty-gun-meme-gif-8657367 https://tenor.com/view/killer-upset-kitty-gun-meme-gif-86573...

superchroma 4y ago
If only there was a natural enemy of rats that didn't spread toxoplasmosis and cat scratch fever.
- Cupertino95014 4y ago
  https://www.legalnomads.com/istanbul-cats/ https://www.legalnomads.com/istanbul-cats/ "In addition, the documentary looks into the history of cat domestication, and how in the middle ages the church tried to get rid of cats due to their association with witches" only difference is, now it's "toxoplasmosis and cat scratch fever" instead of witches. Do you have numbers on the prevalence of those ills? As compared to well-known rat-borne illness?
- Euphorbium 4y ago
  Those with toxoplasmosis are perceived more healthy and attractive, have more lifetime sexual partners[1], take more risk and start their own business more [2] . Seems like a symbiont to me. [1] https://peerj.com/articles/13122/ https://peerj.com/articles/13122/ [2] https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2018.0822 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2018.082...
  - AlbertCory 4y ago
    The cats start their own business? Plumbing, maybe? https://labs.openai.com/s/ytPYSwCC18wZnN2VSJEOZZgb https://labs.openai.com/s/ytPYSwCC18wZnN2VSJEOZZgb
asdajksah2123 4y ago
I'm pretty sure the rat killing nature of cats is way overstated. Also, in an urban environment where they can much more easily find food thrown in trash, etc., they are unlikely to make an effort to kill rats to obtain that food. Finally, a sufficient cat population that could eradicate a rat problem would likely eradicate the bird population first.
- Euphorbium 4y ago
  I let out my cat, and had to sweep dead mice around the house. Cats kill for fun.
  - midoridensha 4y ago
    Cats kill mice, not rats. Rats are too large and dangerous for cats. NYC rats are as large as small cats.
    - Cupertino95014 4y ago
      I was looking for contrary evidence to that, but it appears you're right: https://excitedcats.com/can-cats-kill-rats/ https://excitedcats.com/can-cats-kill-rats/ of course, the cats can induce the rats to move somewhere else. But if it's a big city, they're not going to move out of town.
    - Euphorbium 4y ago
      Use large cats then. Large cats definitely kill rats, I have seen it. But I also have seen rats that are larger than my current small cat.
      - midoridensha 4y ago
        Go read the other responder's article link. Cats can kill rats, but they generally don't bother, and are very inefficient predators of rats. Rats are just too large. Predators don't like to prey on animals that are a significant threat to them. Mice, OTOH, are easy prey for cats and they'll kill tons of them.
skorpeon87 4y ago
Dogs, like rat terriers, are much more effective for exterminating rats.
- huehehue 4y ago
  There's a group that does this, but supposedly has not made much of an impact on the city's rat population and the practice has stirred some controversy (content warning: dead rats) https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/dec/19/new-york-city-rat-problem-vigilantes-with-dogs https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/dec/19/new-york-cit...

If only rats had a natural enemy: https://tenor.com/view/killer-upset-kitty-gun-meme-gif-8657367 https://tenor.com/view/killer-upset-kitty-gun-meme-gif-86573...

superchroma 4y ago

If only there was a natural enemy of rats that didn't spread toxoplasmosis and cat scratch fever.

Cupertino95014 4y ago
https://www.legalnomads.com/istanbul-cats/ https://www.legalnomads.com/istanbul-cats/ "In addition, the documentary looks into the history of cat domestication, and how in the middle ages the church tried to get rid of cats due to their association with witches" only difference is, now it's "toxoplasmosis and cat scratch fever" instead of witches. Do you have numbers on the prevalence of those ills? As compared to well-known rat-borne illness?
Euphorbium 4y ago
Those with toxoplasmosis are perceived more healthy and attractive, have more lifetime sexual partners[1], take more risk and start their own business more [2] . Seems like a symbiont to me. [1] https://peerj.com/articles/13122/ https://peerj.com/articles/13122/ [2] https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2018.0822 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2018.082...
- AlbertCory 4y ago
  The cats start their own business? Plumbing, maybe? https://labs.openai.com/s/ytPYSwCC18wZnN2VSJEOZZgb https://labs.openai.com/s/ytPYSwCC18wZnN2VSJEOZZgb

asdajksah2123 4y ago

I'm pretty sure the rat killing nature of cats is way overstated. Also, in an urban environment where they can much more easily find food thrown in trash, etc., they are unlikely to make an effort to kill rats to obtain that food. Finally, a sufficient cat population that could eradicate a rat problem would likely eradicate the bird population first.

Euphorbium 4y ago
I let out my cat, and had to sweep dead mice around the house. Cats kill for fun.
- midoridensha 4y ago
  Cats kill mice, not rats. Rats are too large and dangerous for cats. NYC rats are as large as small cats.
  - Cupertino95014 4y ago
    I was looking for contrary evidence to that, but it appears you're right: https://excitedcats.com/can-cats-kill-rats/ https://excitedcats.com/can-cats-kill-rats/ of course, the cats can induce the rats to move somewhere else. But if it's a big city, they're not going to move out of town.
  - Euphorbium 4y ago
    Use large cats then. Large cats definitely kill rats, I have seen it. But I also have seen rats that are larger than my current small cat.
    - midoridensha 4y ago
      Go read the other responder's article link. Cats can kill rats, but they generally don't bother, and are very inefficient predators of rats. Rats are just too large. Predators don't like to prey on animals that are a significant threat to them. Mice, OTOH, are easy prey for cats and they'll kill tons of them.

skorpeon87 4y ago

Dogs, like rat terriers, are much more effective for exterminating rats.

huehehue 4y ago
There's a group that does this, but supposedly has not made much of an impact on the city's rat population and the practice has stirred some controversy (content warning: dead rats) https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/dec/19/new-york-city-rat-problem-vigilantes-with-dogs https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/dec/19/new-york-cit...