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.

Bald eagle is NOT the national bird of America YET

It may surprise some people and it certainly surprised me that the bald eagle is not the national bird of America although it is strongly associated with, and representative of, America's culture; a country where freedom is vital to all Americans which comes about through independence, strength and the support of a family. The bald eagle does all these things and therefore should be the national bird of America.

Image: MikeB

They are a majestic bird and the bald eagle has appeared on the great Seal of the United States since 1782. This is when the founding fathers desired a powerful image at the beginnings of their country.

For mammals, the bison is the national animal of America and the National tree of America is the oak but no such designation has been made for birds.

But this bird has a powerful advocate in Preston Cook, a volunteer at the National Eagle Centre, a non-profit group based in Minnesota. This non-profit is lobbying Congress to remedy this omission.

Preston Cook believes that it's time they did it. He believed that, "It's a small correction in history for something that has been left undone. It [the majesty of the bald eagle's freedom] is ingrained in us."

He added that "It's a symbol of freedom, of independence, of power and family."

The bald eagle, Preston Cook says, mates for life and they look after their young diligently. They should represent America.

The rectification can be achieved through an act of Congress or by a presidential proclamation and Preston Cook, 77, prefers the former.

Preston Cook is the author of "American Eagle: a Visual History of our National Emblem".

And he has written a bill which has the backing of a Minnesotan congressman, Brad Finstad, in addition to 2 others Amy Klobuchar and Cynthia Lummis. He hopes the bill will be made official by the end of 2024.

Sadly, this beautiful bird has been relentlessly hunted throughout the US for centuries. By the end of the 19th century sightings of bald eagles were rare in many areas. In response, in 1940, Congress enacted legislation to protect them.

America now has an estimated 316 700 bald eagles flying across their wide, open skies.

17 facts about the small wild cats of the Americas

Threats to the bald eagle

The bald eagle faces several threats in America, which can be spelled out as follows:

• Habitat Destruction: Loss of shoreline and old-growth forests reduces nesting sites and hunting grounds.
• Lead Poisoning: Scavenging on carcasses left by hunters using lead ammunition leads to poisoning.
• Human Disturbance: Disruption during nesting season by recreational activities can cause nesting failures.
• Power Line Electrocution: Collisions with power lines can cause injury or death.
• Wind Turbine Collisions: Wind farms located in eagle migration paths pose a risk of collisions.
• Entanglement in Monofilament Fishing Line: Discarded fishing line can trap and injure eagles.
• Illegal Shooting: Though uncommon, eagles are still sometimes shot illegally.
• Contaminants: Pesticides and other pollutants can harm eagle health and reproduction.

Conservation of the bald eagle

The successful conservation of the bald eagle in America is a heartwarming story and can be spelled out like this:

• Protection Laws: The Bald Eagle Protection Act (1940) and Migratory Bird Treaty Act (1918) prohibit harming eagles, their nests, and eggs.
• DDT Ban: The ban on the pesticide DDT in the 1970s allowed eagle eggshells to thicken again, improving chick survival.
• Habitat Protection: Establishment of wildlife refuges and conservation easements safeguards nesting and hunting grounds.
• Captive Breeding and Reintroduction: Programs helped rebuild populations in depleted areas.
• Public Education: Raising awareness about the importance of eagles and the threats they face fosters public support for conservation efforts.
• Law Enforcement: Vigilance against illegal shooting and habitat destruction ensures the eagle's continued recovery.
• Monitoring and Research: Ongoing studies track eagle populations and identify new threats, allowing for informed conservation strategies.

Conservation of the puma a.k.a. mountain lion – full discussion 2022

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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.