Cats Are No Match for New York City's Rats

[douglas9]

Despite popular wisdom, rats are too big and too fierce for cats.

In 2017, Michael H. Parsons finally secured a site to study rats in New York City. You would think that’s easy in Pizza Rat’s native land, but Parsons, a visiting researcher at Fordham University, says the process took “blood, sweat, and tears”: Since rats in New York invariably live on somebody’s property, that somebody has to let rats roam free for scientists to observe. Most people—if they’re going to let the scientists in—want the rats dead.

So it was a big deal when Parsons, a visiting researcher at Fordham University, managed to convince a Brooklyn recycling plant to host their research on rat pheromones, which are invisible chemicals that affect rodent behavior. Parsons and his team set up motion-triggered cameras around the plant. They carefully microchipped the site’s rats under anesthesia. And they set out pheromones to start collecting data.

Then, the cats came.

For scientists who try to control every possible variable in their experiments, the cats could have been a disaster. There were five to seven felines, all feral. Parsons thinks they were drawn to the pheromones the research team was using in the recycling plant. He didn’t want to scrap the research project, so he and his team decided to roll with it: They would now study how cats affect rat populations.


https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2018/09/cats-vs-rats-new-york/571414/

[hlthe2b]

1. these guys are (though I sort of cringe at their being used, but in NYC they are)

[TreasonousBastard]

2. Yup. New York rats are too big for the average cat to deal with. We once rented a loft for...

a movie and it was loaded with rats. One guy had a Doberman that we let loose in there at night and by morning there were dead rats everywhere.

When the Futon Fish Market was down by Fulton St, there was a resident one-eyed, one-eared alley cat name Captain who was reputed to be a ratter. No one knew for sure, though.

[PJMcK]

3. I've heard of Captain!

My ex-wife worked a block from the old fish market. She said the cat was legendary. It was quite some time ago, though.

[TreasonousBastard]

4. Yeah- back in the '70s and early 80s. I worked on Fulton and got one of the first apartments on...

Front, two blocks from the Market.

Should be a memorial to the great Captain, but it's all changed now.

At least his memory lives on.

[PJMcK]

5. At least his memory lives on!

Have a good weekend, inspire of all the shit we're living through.

[TreasonousBastard]

9. Ya know, I feel silly, but now that I think about it that cat may have been called "Pirate"...

It's has been a long time.

[PJMcK]

10. Who cares?

I'm pretty sure we're talking about the same cat. My ex worked at a company called Bache in the early 1980s and their office was a block from the fish market. I remember hearing the story about the cat from several different people.

As I said, at least his memory lives on. Ever wonder if we'll be remembered 35 years later?!

[meow2u3]

7. Some New York river rats are about the size of cats

I remember seeing them along the Hudson when I was a kid.

You need terriers, preferably pit bulls or rat terriers, to catch rats; after all, terriers were bred to catch vermin, especially the vermin too large for cats to catch, IMHO.

[The Mouth]

11. Rat terriers are exceptional

I have a friend who has bred them (although she was mostly deep into dog rescue work) and there is pretty much nothing short of an owl for deadliness per ounce.

I love cats, but those wharf rats are massive and fierce.

[iscooterliberally]

6. The cat that lives on my front carport killed 4 rats last week alone.

Granted they weren't the super huge ones that you see in NYC, but these weren't mice either. He decapitated every one of them and left them in my side yard. He killed two in one day. He is one fierce kitty. He's a stray neighborhood cat that decided to take over my place so I got him fixed and got him his shots. I guess he's returning the favor.

[CountAllVotes]

8. A Maine Coon

Any sort of Maine Coon (esp. one that is NOT a thoroughbred) will do the job nicely.

I had one and he lived to do one thing and that was HUNT.

He killed every giant rat around and got rid of the other pests where I was living (a hell hole!).

He ran off the skunks, the raccoons and the rats and a few other unwanted creatures that you sure don't want in your home.

Said cat became known as the Bully of the Block as he was in fact King Cat.

I miss him very much and would recommend a Maine Coon (or Norwegian Forest Cat sort) to do the job!

Not all cats are hunters. They are different as day and night!

[rampartc]

12. one cat will not corner an adult roof rat

but some cats pack up to take one on.

i occasionally become the proud owner of a dead heap of rat. when that happens they are all rewarded with catnip and sardines and we do the "dead rat dance" together.