Chicago releases Feral Cats to control rat population

[Melensdad]

I wonder what will happen to the pigeon population? And there are lots of song birds and water fowl in the parks. But I suspect that all those are considered expendable? In any case, there are now mean rat eating cats roaming the alleyways of the city.

Do other cities do this?

I don't consider this, in any way political so please let's not go that way. But I am curious if this is a common solution. Or even a reasonable solution to the rat problem.

Chicago humane society touts program that deploys feral cats for ‘rat combat’

City reportedly has a persistent rat problem.

justthenews.com

Chicago humane society touts program that deploys feral cats for ‘rat combat’​

City reportedly has a persistent rat problem.​

An animal humane society in Chicago this week touted its anti-rat program that has deployed hundreds and hundreds of feral cats over the years to combat the city’s allegedly out-of-control vermin problem.&

Multiple media outlets this week reported that the Tree House Humane Society in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood had released 1,000 feral cats into the city “to combat a rat crisis,” as the Guardian put it.

On its website, the humane society clarified that its “Cats at Work” program was not releasing 1,000 cats “all at once.”

“We place approximately 10 – 15 feral cats each month, depending on safety and demand,” the organization said, stating that the 1,000 figure represents the total number of cats released since 2012.

The cats are “vaccinated against diseases like rabies,” the humane society noted, protecting them from such illnesses in the event that they do attack rats.

“While feral cats do kill rats, often their pheromones are enough to scare rats away,” the group continued.

 

[EastTexFrank]

It makes as much sense as anything else coming out of Chicago.

Our outside cat isn't feral but she is a mouse and rat killing machine. Of course, she also kills birds, lizards and anything else that strays in to her domain. If she was 25 pounds bigger I don't thing that I would go outside without a 20 gauge at least. Nah, she loves me and if a cat loves you, you can't be a bad person. At least that's what I tell myself.

From what I've read about the rat problem in Chicago, 1000 cats over almost 10 years isn't nearly enough.

The best rat killing animal I've ever known was a terrier. I don't even know what type of terrier he was. His owner would rent him out to farmers to clear rats out of their barns and outbuildings. Lock him up in the barn at night and next morning there would be a pile of 10 to 50 dead rats. He'd just grab them, shake them and throw them. He wasn't interested in eating them like a cat, just killing them.

 

[Ceee]

I don't live in the big city, but I do understand their problem. An overpopulation of rats can do a lot of damage to things that you would never even think of. Just read an article about the problem. The rats are chewing up hoses on their cars and running over their feet when they go outside...eek!

I don't think feral cats are going to attack people or anything like that. They just usually go on about their business and don't want to get near humans.

We do have feral cats around here. In fact I have one/maybe a batch of kittens too in my backyard right now. That seems to happen most every year about this time. I don't mind them. They may do some good in keeping down the rodents in the fields and keeping them from coming up into people's yards.

Here's the way I think it works around here: feral cats eat the rats/rodents, coyotes eat the cats, ranchers/landowners kill the coyotes. I'm an animal lover, so I know that sounds harsh for the coyotes. I figure it's just nature's way.

 

[300 H and H]

IMHO this will eventually lead to a huge feral cat population problem. Australia knows all about that. And their cats are dispersed over a wide area in the out back, and are killing off native species of small game.
My bet is they will end up in Chicago with feral pit bulldogs to clean up the ecological mess made.
I wonder what you have to get to clean up feral pit bulls??
I know, Mountain lions!

 

[Melensdad]

I am one who hates feral cats. They have decimated the bluebird, woodcock and pheasant population around me. 20+ years ago one of the neighbors, about a mile down the road, kept porch cats. The grew in population, became feral and spread. The coyotes do a reasonable job of getting the stupid cats but most of the cats just climb, breed and kill indiscriminately.

There are no natural predators in this area for the feral cats.

It is one thing to be have a spayed/neutered barn cat, but the uncontrolled populations of feral cats is something that I see as a potential huge problem. No clue if the Chicago feral cats are "fixed" or not, but I sure hope they are.

 

[300 H and H]

I have to admit I can be pretty hard on feral cats in my area. I make a pretty go predator at times.

 

[Melensdad]

I have to admit I can be pretty hard on feral cats in my area. I make a pretty go predator at times.

Sometimes a 22lr is the best way to control them.

Wisconsin, at one point, was ready to declare open season on them as an invasive species. Not sure what came of that but they were saying that feral cats were causing millions of dollars of economic damage to the state, destroying native animal populations, etc. Like I said, I'm not a fan of feral cats.

 

[300 H and H]

Current favorite, a 591M 5MM Remington magnum.
Otherwise and Anschutz 1516 22 WMR.

 

[EastTexFrank]

I wonder what you have to get to clean up feral pit bulls??
I know, Mountain lions!

Or a feral 12-gauge?

I must admit that I'm not too fond of feral cats either. For the longest time I used to see them off but lately I've become more tolerant and let them hang around for a while as long as they don't make a pest of themselves. They don't seem to stay around too long anyway.

All cats, both feral and domestic, are born killers. It's in their genes. They just can't help themselves.

Bob, somewhere in the article I think I read that all the cats released had been "fixed".

 

[Melensdad]

Bob, somewhere in the article I think I read that all the cats released had been "fixed".

Which of the 57 genders did they 'fix'

 

[FrancSevin]

Feral cats and, house cats, are the prime reason for the decline of many songbird species. It's criminal to release them for this purpose. But perhaps there is a silver lining.

I haven't seen any evidence of it however, is it remotely possible that some of the rats taken down will be holding public office?

Of THAT I could approve,

 

[Ceee]

I'm obviously the lone dissenter here. That's okay. It's not the first time I've walked down that lonely road kicking rocks.

There are no natural predators in this area for the feral cats.

That may be a big part of the problem in your area.
Occasionally you hear about a bobcat around here too. I know coyotes will kill cats, not so sure about bobcats though.

 

[Melensdad]

That may be a big part of the problem in your area.

By my area I was referring to North America.

 

[FrancSevin]

I'm obviously the lone dissenter here. That's okay. It's not the first time I've walked down that lonely road kicking rocks.

That may be a big part of the problem in your area.
Occasionally you hear about a bobcat around here too. I know coyotes will kill cats, not so sure about bobcats though.

For the record, I am a cat lover. We have five of them in our household. IN OUR HOUSE. Never outside, because outside is a certified bird sanctuary.
Part of me is sorta happy for the released cats who are not being put down.

That said,,,,;
Feral cats are not "natural" to our environment. I find it curious that radical left politicians in Chicago , who claim we must all bow to the power of the Green Movement, would allow, much less favor, altering the environment with the introduction of a new species to the natural world.

Feral Rabbits overrun Australia
Feral Pigs overrun the USA
Kudzu is a danger to our southern forest lands.
The Bradford pear is as well.

COVID-19, a man made, or manipulated, virus has killed millions world wide.


Have we not paid attention? If we don't start doing so, we will pay dearly for the mistakes.

 

[Ceee]

For the record, I am a cat lover. We have five of them in our household. IN OUR HOUSE. Never outside, because outside is a certified bird sanctuary.
Part of me is sorta happy for the released cats who are not being put down.

Both of my cats are indoor only. They don't even want to go outside. The feral cats around here, and there aren't many, would probably kick their butts.
If those released neutered/spayed/vaccinated feral cats can do something good for the city of Chicago, then I'm all for it. I've already said it, but I don't think they're going to hurt any people. I think they're more interested in eating whatever is available, in this case rats and rodents, and hiding out during the day.

Feral Pigs overrun the USA

Sometimes they do. That's why they have an open season for feral hogs when the population grows too big, at least they do around here.

 

[FrancSevin]

Both of my cats are indoor only. They don't even want to go outside. The feral cats around here, and there aren't many, would probably kick their butts.
If those released neutered/spayed feral cats can do something good for the city of Chicago, then I'm all for it. I've already said it, but I don't think they're going to hurt any people. I think they're more interested in eating whatever is available, in this case rats and rodents, and hiding out during the day.





Sometimes they do. That's why they have an open season for feral hogs when the population grows too big, at least they do around here.

Are you missing the point on purpose?

By your logic should we also hunt feral cats?

For the record, feral pigs do not belong in the North American environment. Period, Yet ,despite open hunting, they do and have for over 400 years.

 

[Ceee]

By your logic should we also hunt feral cats?

I don't think feral cats hurt people or cause property damage. Feral hogs do.

 

[FrancSevin]

I don't think feral cats hurt people or cause property damage. Feral hogs do.

Feral cats, Barn cats and house cats, are responsible for considerable damage to the indigenous songbird population across the country. That is not something I think. It is a fact.

However, they are not effective in control of urban rats.
Also a fact.

Scientists estimate that between 60 and 160 million feral cats roam the United States. A recent letter to the editor at NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune claimed cats are the "answer to New Orleans' rat problem," and suggested increasing their local numbers. Scientific studies, however, say otherwise.

Feral, free-roaming cats have been documented by dozens of studies to be indiscriminate killers of wildlife and the cause of at least 63 species extinctions, according to a 2016 analysis of invasive species impacts. But while the evidence of their hunting prowess is overwhelming, there is little proof that cats are effective at controlling urban rats, which studies have shown are not their primary prey.

Cats and Birds

Cats and birds are an unhappy combination. Instinctive hunters, free-roaming cats threaten birds and other wildlife.

abcbirds.org

Predation by domestic cats is the number-one direct, human-caused threat to birds in the United States and Canada. In the United States alone, outdoor cats kill approximately 2.4 billion birds every year. Although this number may seem unbelievable, it represents the combined impact of tens of millions of outdoor cats.

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FAQ: Outdoor Cats and Their Effects on Birds | All About ...	www.allaboutbirds.org
Why House Cats Are God's Perfect Little Killing Machines : NPR	www.npr.org
Booming feral cat populations are a disaster, science says ...	www.nola.com

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[Melensdad]

Sometimes they do. That's why they have an open season for feral hogs when the population grows too big, at least they do around here.

Sometimes? Seriously they are considered a nuisance species in every state were they have spread. They cost over a BILLION dollars in damages annually. Every state which has populations of them has open season on them, every single one. They trap them, and kill them. The hunt them. They use helicopters to shoot them from the sky. The have spread and continue to spread. There are literally not enough hunters to control them.

 

[Ceee]

Sometimes? Seriously they are considered a nuisance species in every state were they have spread. They cost over a BILLION dollars in damages annually. Every state which has populations of them has open season on them, every single one. They trap them, and kill them. The hunt them. They use helicopters to shoot them from the sky. The have spread and continue to spread. There are literally not enough hunters to control them.

Okay, so you obviously know more about the feral hog situation than I do.

I don't think feral cats hurt people or cause property damage. Feral hogs do.

I know feral hogs cause property damage.

 

[EastTexFrank]

There's a permanent open season on feral hogs In East Texas.

Feral cats can hurt people especially when they think that they have been cornered. When you hear that hiss, see that hunched back and the upright tail tip flicking, watch out because you are about to get a handful of cat that you don't want. I usually trap feral cats around the house when they become a pest. I caught this one tomcat in the trap, It was big, probably about 15 pounds. It just laid there docile in the trap, almost asleep, as I walked around it. I thought that it might be a domesticated cat that just came around for a free meal. I had almost decided to take it down back and release it, that was until I went to pick up the trap. That SOB just exploded and it wanted a piece of me real bad. No, I feel that all wild animals are potentially dangerous and they're best treated as such.

Franc, I agree with you about outdoor cats. Ours is a 5 pound ginger fluffball and the most loving cat that I've ever been around but, having said that, she is a freekin' killer. Her job is to keep mice and rats away from the house and she does an admirable job of it but she'll kill birds, lizards, voles, squirrels and rabbits just for the fun of it.

 

[Ceee]

Feral cats can hurt people especially when they think that they have been cornered. When you hear that hiss, see that hunched back and the upright tail tip flicking, watch out because you are about to get a handful of cat that you don't want. I usually trap feral cats around the house when they become a pest. I caught this one tomcat in the trap, It was big, probably about 15 pounds. It just laid there docile in the trap, almost asleep, as I walked around it. I thought that it might be a domesticated cat that just came around for a free meal. I had almost decided to take it down back and release it, that was until I went to pick up the trap. That SOB just exploded and it wanted a piece of me real bad. No, I feel that all wild animals are potentially dangerous and they're best treated as such.

I've never used a trap for a cat. I'm going to assume that you used a trap like a sweetheart trap (trap may be called something different now) because you said you thought about releasing it. We have used a sweetheart trap for an armadillo that kept digging up the yard. Surprise....no armadillo the next morning but a very angry possum that hissed, clawed at the cage, and showed his big friggin teeth.

So, I get it. Feral cats can be dangerous when they fear for their lives. I know from experience that possums can too.

 

[FrancSevin]

I had a possum in the greenhouse once. He, or she, was firmly attached to a big schlaffera plant. They do have awesome scary teeth. But are generally rather docile. So I put on my high voltage power insulation gloves and grabbed it by the body and back legs. I could not budge the animal.

It never hissed or growled. It just said, in body language I could understand, "I ain't moving!" The next morning it was gone and I fixed the hole where it came in. Never returned to the Greenhouse but does still come into the yard.

 

[Melensdad]

Possums are very beneficial but certainly scary/ugly creatures. They eat ticks and are resistant to rabies.

Any wild animal will fight for its life. Can't blame it.

Feral cats, however, are a serious danger to the ecosystem.

Feral Cat Predation on Birds Costs Billions of Dollars a Year

Photo: Wikimedia Commons/dr_relling Feral cats—domestic cats that live outdoors and are ownerless—account for $17 billion in economic loss from predation on birds in the U.S. every year, a...

www.audubon.org

Full article, from 2010 at the link above, but a snippet below:

Feral cats—domestic cats that live outdoors and are ownerless—account for $17 billion in economic loss from predation on birds in the U.S. every year, a new, peer-reviewed paper by University of Nebraska-Lincoln researchers finds.​

​

​

This is from another source, dated 2020, so much more contemporary, and honestly anyone who doesn't think this is a problem is simply unaware. I've seen it first hand on my property. They are not welcome here

Feral Cats and Wild Birds - Yolo Bird Alliance

A recent study by the Smithsonian Institution and the US Fish and Wildlife Service estimated that domestic cats kill about 2.4 billion birds and 12.3 billion small mammals each year […]

yoloaudubon.org

A recent study by the Smithsonian Institution and the US Fish and Wildlife Service estimated that domestic cats kill about 2.4 billion birds and 12.3 billion small mammals each year in the lower forty-eight states. This is far higher—and probably more accurate–than previous figures, and likely exceeds all other sources of human-related losses of these animals. That makes it a major bird conservation concern.​

​

 

[EastTexFrank]

Ceee, I don't know what you mean by a Sweetheart trap. Down here the are called live traps which are a cage with a pressure plate that slams the door shut once they enter. I also trap possums and racoons when they become a pest around the house. In my whole life I have only known one person who trapped an armadillo and he built a long funnel shaped entrance leading to his trap. He wished he hadn't. That armadillo tore the hell out of his trap with those front claws. Me? I shoot armadillos.

Bob, I don't know how they can put a figure of $17 billion on the economic loss due to predation of birds by feral cats. I don't doubt for a minute that they kill birds by the billion but I just can't see how they can put a dollar value on it. I read the reference that you posted and I'd question the figures that they quoted too.

 

[Melensdad]

Quail, Pheasant and others are game birds, they bring with them hunting tags, hotel visits, restaurant patronage, etc as hunters pay to harvest those birds. So they should be able to figure out an economic loss. There are also direct costs related to raising those birds as many species have required extensive breeding and restocking.

Not sure how to put the value on a Bluebird but I literally never see them anymore. Literally a couple decades since I've seen a bluebird due to cat predation.

Basically we introduce cats, let them roam free, they breed and multiply without natural predators and they destroy the ecosystem at the expense of other species, Cats are not a native species, they don't belong in the wild here. Anyone who believes they should be allowed to run feral is simply ignorant of the facts. People who want to protect them value one invasive species over all other native species.

 

[FrancSevin]

Bluebirds prefer to nest about 4 to6 feet off the ground in old tree snags, fenceposts and tree crouches. Thus making them easy prey for freal cats.

We had four ( two pair) this spring in our sanctuary. The first time we have recorded bluebirds in our yard in a decade. This despite 4 bluebird boxes and a small stump with a nesting hole at 4 feet, they didn't stay. Incredibly rare birds that were once in abundance.

 

[300 H and H]

Professional rat wrangler blasts Chicago mayor's plan for eliminating rodents

4:06 min


Fox News

7.3M subscribers
Jordan Reed says dogs would do a better job than cats on 'Tucker Carlson Tonight.' #FoxNews #Tucker

 

[Ceee]

Down here the are called live traps which are a cage with a pressure plate that slams the door shut once they enter.

That's what I'm talking about. I looked up some pictures and maybe the brand is Havahart?

Professional rat wrangler blasts Chicago mayor's plan for eliminating rodents

That's very interesting, several hundred rats killed by 3 or 4 adult dogs in several hours is very good. A field may yield a very different number of rats than than city streets, though. His compost pile must stink to high heaven. Of course, his price is not cheap.

There may be a run on terriers in Chicago before long.

 

[Melensdad]

There may be a run on terriers in Chicago before long.

I would be willing to rent out Walter, the original Walter Terrier, for the task.

I could make millions!