Feral Cats Strike Back

Given all the flack my husband has caught for suggesting that feral cats aren’t unconditionally a plague and a pox on all the world, I found this story particularly interesting.

Basically a rescue group has been recolonizing feral cats in LA into places such as flower markets and police stations which have a big rat problem. They trap the kitties, spay/neuter them, and then give them new territories where they are fed, sheltered, and have one job: Keep the rats away. Most of the time they don’t even have to kill any rats to do it. Their very presence drives the offending rodents out.

This, to me, is a wonderful solution. While I appreciate the problem feral cats cause, it is hard for me to advocate them just being killed. Why should they pay for a situation we created? This is humane for the cats, humane for the rats, and safe, beneficial, and even enjoyable for the people. I understand this wouldn’t work everywhere, especially in islands or remote areas where the population of cats is spread out and truly part of the wildlife there, but in urban ecosystems this is perfect. My only worry is where the rats go when they flee the cats’ territory…

~ by lycaon on January 14, 2008.