Do Cats Kill Rats?
WouterScientists at a recycling plant in Brooklyn, New York, decided to study the effects of cats on rat populations. They installed infrared cameras to monitor the rats’ behavior. In five months, the cameras recorded two successful kill attempts, but they also caught dozens of unsuccessful stalking attempts. While cats are an effective predator, their effects on rat population control were minimal.
The researchers found that cats kill only juvenile rats. As a result, they have no impact on overall population levels in an urban context. In fact, they found that even after removing half of the population, the numbers quickly recovered. Even in cases where cats killed up to 500 grams of rats, these kills accounted for a very small percentage of the population.
Rats are omnivores, meaning that they’ll eat anything they can get their hands on. While rats won’t always attack mice, they will eat them on occasion. In addition to killing mice, rats will also kill cats and dogs if they’re fighting over territory. In fact, cats and dogs are most at risk of rat attacks if they’re small. In addition, rats can easily subdue small kittens.
One way to control rat populations is to use rat traps. These devices have been around for decades. They come in both traditional and modern varieties. One popular type is the live trap, which allows you to capture the rodent without killing it. The live traps can be used over again to control the population. However, they are more expensive than kill traps.
