Cats versus ferrets as rat deterrents and killers

I was keen to write about comparing ferrets and cats as rat deterrents and killers after reading an article in The Sunday Times about a father and son's enterprise in using domestic ferrets to chase rats in Marseille out of their hiding holes, into the open where they are trapped and put in drums and euthanised with carbon dioxide!

My immediate thought on that by the way was that killing animals with carbon dioxide is highly distressing (for the animal and some people 😊) and I wonder whether this father and son enterprise are unwittingly in violation of the animal welfare laws of France. You might find that ridiculous because I am being concerned about the welfare of rats but I don't practice speciesism as some other people do.

In fact, even in Marseille where this couple operate, there are residents there who actually quite like rats and respect them as sentient beings living side-by-side with the Marseille residents.

Anyway, ferrets have a long history of being rat catchers or rat deterrents, more accurately. They rose to prominence during the Black Death when rats were thought to be spreading the plague. The ferret took on semi-mythical status in the 19th century when Victorian Britain was teeming with rodents.

Queen Victoria's official ratcatcher was Jack Black. He lived in south London and became a celebrity. He wore a scarlet waistcoat and a leather sash inset with cast-iron rats. He was known for being able to hide six rats beneath his green topcoat. Black's favoured method for killing rats was ferrets.

The father and son family I mention are the Raynals. They have a team of 20 ferrets dominated by females because females work harder than males. The Raynals ferrets don't aim to kill rats themselves. They just scare them out of their holes into a wide net at which point Alexandre, the son, "tackles them" by which he means he put them in drums and then kills them, as mentioned with carbon dioxide which suffocates them.

The newspaper tells me that "by last Wednesday afternoon, the Raynals had caught about 30 rats in Square Paul Mélizan where [they met the journalist], and in several other small parks and squares. He said he might have 60 by the end of the week. These may sound like modest numbers, but a female rat can give birth to 2500 kittens in a lifetime, which is about three years. If 60 rats means about 30 females, the Raynals will have stopped about 75,000 rats from being born."

Ferrets and cats both have hunting instincts, but they’re effective against rats in different ways, and each has its pros and cons as a deterrent:

Ferrets as Rat Deterrents

• Strong Hunting Instinct: Ferrets are natural hunters and have been used historically for pest control, especially in tight spaces where cats may not reach.
• Scent as a Deterrent: Rats often avoid areas where ferrets live, as the ferret's scent is a natural deterrent. They emit a musky odour that rodents find threatening.
• Aggressive Toward Prey: Ferrets are relentless when chasing small animals and can be very effective at hunting down rats. They’re also more likely to explore small areas where rats hide.
• Challenges: Ferrets aren’t as independent as cats and need more supervision. They can get into small spaces and may harm themselves if left to roam unsupervised. Also, they don’t necessarily seek out rats independently as cats might.

Cats as Rat Deterrents

• Natural Stalkers and Predators: Many cats are instinctual hunters and enjoy stalking and catching small animals, including rats. Their presence alone can make rats wary of sticking around.
• Lower Maintenance: Cats are typically more independent, requiring less supervision than ferrets, and are often content to patrol their environment on their own.
• Ongoing Control: Cats are often better at providing ongoing control since they tend to stick to their territory and are vigilant about their surroundings.
• Challenges: Not all cats are interested in hunting, especially well-fed domestic cats. Some cats might ignore rats entirely, making them unreliable if they lack the hunting drive.

In Summary

If you need a dedicated rat deterrent, a ferret may be more reliable in the short term for flushing out rats from their hiding spots. However, a cat may provide a longer-term solution due to its territorial nature and independence.

What about killing rats?

When it comes to actively hunting and killing rats, both ferrets and cats have distinct strengths, though one might be more effective than the other based on certain factors.

Ferrets as Rat Killers

• Instinctive and Aggressive Hunters: Ferrets are naturally inclined to hunt small animals and are known to be tenacious in tracking down and killing prey, including rats. They are quick, agile, and relentless, which can make them very effective at catching and killing rats once they locate them.
• Adaptability to Tight Spaces: Ferrets can maneuver into small, confined areas where rats tend to hide. This agility allows them to root out rats from burrows, walls, and other hiding spots that cats might not access.
• Focus on Smaller Prey: While ferrets are skilled hunters, some larger rats might put up more of a fight, and ferrets, being relatively small, might not always win against a particularly large or aggressive rat.

Cats as Rat Killers

• Larger Size and Hunting Skills: Many cats, particularly outdoor or semi-feral cats, have both the strength and skills to kill rats, even larger ones. Cats are stealthy and are adept at the "stalk and pounce" method, which can be lethal for rodents.
• Selective Hunting Behavior: Some cats are excellent hunters and will kill rats, while others, especially domesticated cats, might ignore them. Cats are more likely to kill rats if they have a strong hunting drive, but this varies widely between individual cats.
• Efficiency in Patrolling Territory: Once a cat establishes its territory, it will often keep it largely rat-free, hunting down any that wander into its domain. This is effective for long-term rodent control, as cats tend to "patrol" their area.

Who’s Better at Killing Rats?

If the goal is a consistent, proactive rodent killer, a ferret might excel at flushing out and killing rats in a targeted manner. However, a highly motivated cat, especially one with a strong hunting drive, can be very effective at killing rats, particularly larger ones.

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P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins. Also, sources for news articles are carefully selected but the news is often not independently verified. And, I rely on scientific studies but they are not 100% reliable. Finally, (!) I often express an OPINION on the news. Please share yours in a comment.