Buzz
Researchers discovered that cats are far more likely to ignore rats than attempt to hunt them. This groundbreaking study is the first to document the interactions between wild cats and urban rats. Tracey Long/Getty ImagesHumans have tolerated the proud attitude of cats for over 10,000 years, largely due to their effectiveness in controlling vermin like mice. However, a recent study published in the journal Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution in September reveals that while cats are great at hunting small birds and mice, they likely have little to no effect on rat populations.
In 2017, Michael Parsons from Fordham University conducted a modern-day Pied Piper experiment, microchipping and tracking around 60 rats living in a recycling center in Brooklyn, New York. The team used rat pheromones to manipulate the rat population and observe how these chemicals influenced their behavior. The unintended result was that feral cats, drawn by the scent of potential prey, sneaked into the building.
Initially, the researchers, seemingly unaware of the futility of herding cats, attempted (and failed) to remove the uninvited felines. Eventually, they decided to turn the situation to their advantage by including the five cats in their study to observe the impact they had on the rat population.
Armed with hundreds of video clips as evidence, the researchers recorded only 20 stalking attempts, three kill attempts, and just two successful kills by the cats over the course of the 79-day experiment. Most of the time, the cats simply ignored the rats.
The kill rate was quite low. However, the researchers noted that each additional sighting of a cat made a rat 1.19 times more likely to seek shelter. They suggested that this could explain why people often believe cats are effective at controlling rat populations.
"People observe fewer rats and assume the cats have killed them — when, in fact, it's more likely because the rats have altered their behavior," said lead researcher Michael Parsons in a press statement.
Why were the cats not more aggressive in their hunting? Probably because feral cats instinctively recognize that a single bite from a hefty 12-ounce (337-gram) rat could lead to a serious (or fatal) injury. Other studies have shown that cats are far more likely to kill birds and small rodents like mice, which typically weigh only 1 ounce (30 grams) and offer less resistance.
"We're not claiming that cats won't hunt city rats, only that certain conditions need to be met for this to occur," says Michael A. Deutsch, co-author of the paper and representative of Arrow Exterminating Company Inc. in the same press statement. "The cat must be hungry, lack a safer food source, and often require the element of surprise."
In light of this, the researchers propose repeating the experiment in an area with less food availability than a New York City waste management facility.
In 2017, a program called Blue Collar Cats was launched in Washington D.C., where unadoptable feral cats are placed in rat-infested neighborhoods, upon request, to help manage rodent populations. While some questioned the wisdom of this initiative, the president of the Humane Rescue Alliance (the group behind the program) explained in a Washington Post letter that the purpose of the cats was "to deter rodents, not solve the city's rodent problem." The mere presence of cats, it seems, is enough to keep the rats on their toes.
