Some cats and rats and elephants...

[Locutus]

ok, so maybe no elephants but that nasty fukker must wear a size 5 shoe.

'Rats the size of cats are invading our cities': Two-foot long giant rodents which are immune to poison are discovered feeding from bins in Britain

• Pest controllers are seeing rats the 'size of small cats' cropping up in cities across the UK
• A monster rat two feet long was caught and killed in Liverpool
• Rodents up and down the country are becoming immune to poison
  
• Pest controllers are calling on the EU to approve stronger poison to kill the rodents

more


'Rats the size of cats are invading our cities': Two-foot long giant rodents which are immune to poison are discovered feeding from bins in Britain | Mail Online

 

[Twila]

ok, so maybe no elephants but that nasty fukker must wear a size 5 shoe.

I wonder how Beatrix Potter would have drawn them? Probably wearing brown loafers.


I read an article recently that suggested the plague may not have been carried by fleas on rats. Poor creatures...blamed all this time. Why no love for the naked tail Squirrel?

 

[lone wolf]

Muskrat?

 

[Locutus]

Muskrat?

negative.

there be hair on them tails.

 

[Twila]

I use to have a pet rat named Ratchurd. He was not as big as the rat in the pic, but he was a lovely squishy good sized male rat. Maybe half that size. If he'd bred with a large female their offspring would most likely have been quite large. The offspring of that would have been larger still (most likely) So, I can see how with ample food and safety they could get to this size.

 

[MHz]

[*]Pest controllers are calling on the EU to .....approve stronger poison ..........to kill the rodents
[/LIST]


more


'Rats the size of cats are invading our cities': Two-foot long giant rodents which are immune to poison are discovered feeding from bins in Britain | Mail Online

How about lead, in a form of a .177 caliber pellet fired from a suitable weapon. The problem with poisons are they tend to kill cats and birds and a lot of other things. A sterility drug might be a solution. Drug free kills also means the homeless can have a bbq

 

[petros]

Rats have evolved past warfarin. They are only going to get bigger and more abundant.

I'd wager breeding giant domestic cats would pay off. A 25kg kitty would be great to have.

Big like the zinc rats in the northern MB mines.

 

[MHz]

I use to have a pet rat named Ratchurd. He was not as big as the rat in the pic, but he was a lovely squishy good sized male rat. Maybe half that size. If he'd bred with a large female their offspring would most likely have been quite large. The offspring of that would have been larger still (most likely) So, I can see how with ample food and safety they could get to this size.

Normally a pet will come when you call it, something kept in a cage 24/7 is not a pet.

 

[Twila]

How about lead, in a form of a .177 caliber pellet fired from a suitable weapon. The problem with poisons are they tend to kill cats and birds and a lot of other things. A sterility drug might be a solution. Drug free kills also means the homeless can have a bbq

Not only does poison kill unintended animals and small children but a rats are extremely smart. If a rat eats a small bit of poison and lives, it will never touch that particular poison again. If it lives in an area with other rats and dies, those rats will smell the poison and never touch that poison either. This is one of the ways that rats have survived. They're smart.

 

[MHz]

Rats have evolved past warfarin. They are only going to get bigger and more abundant.

I'd wager breeding giant domestic cats would pay off. A 25kg kitty would be great to have.

You might need something a bit more aggressive (to rats) than a house-cat

 

[Twila]

Normally a pet will come when you call it, something kept in a cage 24/7 is not a pet.

Why would you assume he was in a cage 24/7? Pet rats are not like mice, or gerbals. They are highly social affectionate creatures akin to dogs. Normally an animal that wants to get away will bite you. Ratchurd never did. We left the door open for him when we were there. But why would he leave an area that had safety,food, water and his nest?

We had a dog who started to jump our back fence. It was 5ft tall. I believe it was the sixth jump where we lost him. He never came back and we were unable to locate him. He use to come when he was called..until he started jumping the fence. Everyone says dogs are pets.

 

[MHz]

Not only does poison kill unintended animals and small children but a rats are extremely smart. If a rat eats a small bit of poison and lives, it will never touch that particular poison again. If it lives in an area with other rats and dies, those rats will smell the poison and never touch that poison either. This is one of the ways that rats have survived. They're smart.

The Forestry in all it's wisdom wanted to reduce the population of a wolf pack that used a creek as part of their rum. A month later nor one dead wolf (or ravens) but all sorts of dead birds around

 

[Twila]

Rats have evolved past warfarin. They are only going to get bigger and more abundant.

I'd wager breeding giant domestic cats would pay off. A 25kg kitty would be great to have.

Big like the zinc rats in the northern MB mines.

Cats are not natural ratters. However, there are a number of terrier breeds that enjoy going to ground and killing rats.

 

[petros]

Domestic doesn't mean house cat. There are tens of thousands of feral domestic cats that live on mice voles moles gophers and rats year round on the Prairie.

Bigger rats necessitate bigger cats. Ferrets/weasels carry the plague that would be handing the rats a serious weapon.

Cats don't carry the plague and are smarter and stronger.


Weasels.....

Jesus!

Cats are not natural ratters. However, there are a number of terrier breeds that enjoy going to ground and killing rats.

Not natural rat hunters? Are you serious?

Cats hanging around rat and mouse attracting granaries thousands of years ago are our domestic cats of today.

Those Norwegian rats are big buggers.

 

[MHz]

'Weasels' would be more likely to hunt out the nests and they are better 'hunters' than cats. Not really a viable solution (cats or ferrets)as what do you do with them once the rats are gone.

 

[petros]

Those rats would kill a weasel in a heartbeat. Anything bigger than a ground squirrel and a weasel is out weighed.

 

[Twila]

Not natural rat hunters? Are you serious?

Cats hanging around rat and mouse attracting granaries thousands of years ago are our domestic cats of today.

Those Norwegian rats are big buggers.

Let me clarify: Because cats are not reliable ratters. Not all cats are created equal. A starving feral will go after a sick rat, but it's more likely to go after mice an easier prey. This is why certain terriers were bred to go after rats.

 

[petros]

Let me clarify: Because cats are not reliable ratters. Not all cats are created equal. A starving feral will go after a sick rat, but it's more likely to go after mice an easier prey. This is why certain terriers were bred to go after rats.

All cats are created equal.

It's searchable. Have fun!

It takes a pack of wolves to do what one cat can do.

 

[Twila]

All cats are created equal.

It's searchable. Have fun!

rat and cat, best friends
Cat and Rat - Best Friends - YouTube

Not equal.

 

[petros]

Domesticated. Take away the food and see just how long they stay friends.