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I’d recommend looking into Chicago - they distribute free rat-proof garbage bins for residents.
Also in Chicago, there is a working cat program to deter rodents, run by Treehouse Humane Society. Sterilized feral cats are placed in an area with nuisance rodents. They acclimate in a cage for 2-3 weeks, then are released. During the acclimation period, rodents will smell the cat and start to relocate, likely to move completely once the cats are released.
This is slightly different than this thread, because these working cats are feral. They aren’t adoptable due to behavior; therefore, releasing them outside is their only live outcome. It would be difficult to get a collar on these cats unless they are under anesthesia.
Community cat advocates argue that since the cats are sterilized and fed periodically, their predatory drive is significantly reduced, when compared to unsterilized and unfed feral cats who are doing the most harm to the bird/mammal populations. Since they are feral, they are more likely to stay hidden and are less likely to be a nuisance than a friendly outdoor pet. 14% of US households admit to feeding outside cats.
Here are a few considerations which make this invention complex:
- The cats need to be fed by humans periodically. If they aren’t fed, they hunt and/or migrate.
- The acclimation process is laborious. If it is skipped, I’d say the cats have <50% likelihood of sticking around.
- These cats are feral; therefore, it is difficult to recapture them for re-vaccinations. Vets have hinted that the rabies vaccine is actually effective for much longer than the 1-3 year timeframe, and I don’t know if there is publicly-available research to confirm or deny.
- Not everyone likes cats, especially ones that are free-roaming outside. There are dozens of complaint types, which can include allergies, cultural aversions, misinformation, etc.
- This is likely to be more well-received by the public if there is also a cat overpopulation issue (But if you need cats, I promise you there are plenty to go around)
- I’m sure there are many others, these just came to mind.
I have firsthand experience with the implementation in field, having run a working cat program in a rural area. If you’d like more information, please reach out!
Hi Alexandre,
Great to hear that you are interested in rat welfare!
Have a look here where I give my rough estimate for the average urban rat population density.
I think this is a big issue. The fact that ContraPest isn't available in Europe despite SenesTech's apparent intentions likely has something to do with the slow, complicated, and expensive process of getting approval for new chemicals/drugs in the EU. (I'm mainly basing this on conversations I've had with people at Innolytics, the producers of OvoControl).
You may also find the discussion of welfare implications of rodenticides in this report by Kim Cuddington at Rethink Priorities useful. The section "Rodents" under "Welfare implications" is the most relevant.