Caring for working dogs

5 Reasons You Shouldn't Let Your Domestic Cat Deal with a Rat Problem

5 January 2017

Jose Reid

As every cat owner knows, a cute and curious kitty is really nothing more than a ruthless predator. Though they might love snuggling into your lap, cats also live for the hunt, an activity usually replicated through play when it comes to domestic cats. Of course, your pet will usually prefer to tackle live prey, and smaller animals can give them good sport.

However, you might want to think twice about letting your cat out when there is a rat problem. Despite the feline reputation for hunting rodents, there are a number of dangers that your cat can be faced with, and here are just five.

1. Rats Can Carry Disease

Your pet cat should already have been vaccinated against most common feline diseases, but there are several that can be passed on via the bite of a rat. Conditions such as leptospirosis and toxoplasmosis can be easily transferred through bites and scratches, and your domestic cat won't be able to fight them as effectively as a feral cat.

2. Rats Can Carry Pests

Diseases aren't the only things that rats can carry. Rats are not the most clean of creatures, and they often pick up fleas and ticks. Either pest can be transferred from rat coat to cat coat during a fight, then brought into your home when the cat returns with its prize.

3. Rat's Bodies May Contain Poison

If there are rats in the area, people are probably going to be using poisons to try and get rid of them. These poisons will usually be placed in areas that cats find hard to access, but that isn't the only way they can ingest them. Rat poison doesn't kill right away; instead, it usually causes death a few days after being ingested. If your cat bites down on or eats part of an infected rat during this period, they could get a dose of poison themselves.

4. Rats Fight Back

In a fight between cat and rat, cats will usually win. However, it probably won't be an easy win. Rats can put up a real fight, especially when faced with imminent death, so scratches and bites are common. Even if no important areas are damaged, these wounds can easily become infected.

5. Rats Can Lead Your Cat Astray

Like all animals, rats possess a fight or flight instinct. Unfortunately, flight can be as dangerous for your cat as fight. Once your cat has prey in its sights, it will probably chase that prey until it either catches it or loses the trail. Once the chase is over, they could find themselves far away from your home and unable to find their way back.

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