Cats are sharp predators of small pets and animals. Though they are adorable, it takes them less than a second to turn into ferocious hunters when they set their eyes on small animals. As a result, cats are very efficient as predators of rats.
Keeping a cat at home can help you keep regular small rats away, but can they keep Norway rats away from your home? Let’s find out.
Facts about Cats vs. Norway rats
Did you know that Norway rats are much larger than regular rats? According to research, Norway rats are usually brown and typically weigh between 140 and 500 g. Norway rats can be so huge that they grow to be 13 to 18 inches long. Consequently, the enormous sizes of these rats plays a significant role in their fight for survival against cats.
Speaking about their size, analysis brings James E. Childs’s study of Norway rats to mind. James’ study reported on the influence of size on the predation of cats on rats. The researchers collated data on the study’s three cat and rat interaction forms. One of these interactions was where they retrieved rats from the fleeing cats that they (cats) had already captured.
Another was where the researchers requested that homeowners with pet cats to keep the rat carcasses their cats hunt down. Finally, for the last cat and rat interaction, researchers visited litters of stray kittens at least once or twice a week to retrieve the dead rats the cats bring home.
They retrieved and examined 27 rat carcasses during the study period. Twenty-two rat carcasses out of the 27 were young adult rats weighing less than 200 g. Aside from the cat vs. rat data, they also collected data based on live-trapped rats. Compared to the weight of the rats the cats killed, the weight assessments of the live-trapped rates were higher.
This meant one thing; the cats were not touching the larger Norway rats. So, in conclusion, you may not be able to rely on small cats to effectively keep away adult Norway rats from your home, because James’ research proves that size matters!
Regardless, cats can help you terrify rats enough to scare them away from your home, irrespective of their size.
How Cats Can Keep Norway Rats Away Irrespective Of Their Size
Time has earned cats their status as the ultimate rat hunters. Over the past, cats have been such a terror to rats that the smell of cats nearby scares them away.
One study has even proven that a rat will always run in the opposite direction from where it perceives the scent of a cat.
So, if you have a cat in your home, regardless of how small or lazy the cat may be, it will still be practical to chase Norway rats away.
Can Cats Remove Existing Norway Rat Infestation?
Unfortunately, you cannot rely entirely on a cat to eliminate a Norway rat infestation. While the cat may get rid of many of the rats, it won’t be able to drive out the entire infestation, but it will undoubtedly make your home uninviting for them.
If you want to keep a rat infestation entirely under control, you will have to trap or poison them. However, be careful, so your cat doesn’t fall victim to the traps or poison you prepared for the rats.
Hire A Professional Pest Control Service
Using cats may be a very effective way to keep Norway rats away from your home, but the best option is for you to call a professional pest control company.
A professional pest control company will have all the experience and expertise needed to remove the infestation quickly. One experienced and professional pest control company, that you can rely upon, is Pest Stop Agency in Olympia. Contact them now if you have a Norway rat infestation that requires professional treatment.