RELEASE THE HOUNDS/FERAL CATS!
So apparently mid-90’s NBA teams aren’t the only dynasty that the city of Chicago can lay claim to, they have also been named the ‘Rattiest City’ in America for 6 straight years. 6! Hang the banner!
And while I guess it’s not really surprising that a major city would lay claim to such a title, it’s probably not something that makes life at the Chicago Board of Tourism any easier. So, to combat this Master Splinter problem, Chicago is thinking outside the box: Feral cats. They are set to release thousands of feral cats throughout hot spots in the city to try and mitigate the rat problem. It sounds like 2-3 cats will be put in certain hot zones, and then local business owners in those areas are going to be responsible for feeding and sheltering these cats.
Now on the surface I like this thinking: Rats/mice are a problem, we all learned from Tom and Jerry that cats and rodents are natural enemies, ipso facto employ the homeless cats to eradicate the rodents. But, and I don’t want to play the role of devil’s advocate here, I think a small problem is going to be allowing the feral cats to become organized labor. Cats are smart. Too smart. It’s one of the many reasons I don’t own a cat, because I know it’s always plotting and scheming. Everything is calculated and there is a means to every end. You know who isn’t calculated? My dog, Brewer. I know exactly what’s going on in that brain at all times.
But cats are cunning. And now you’ve rallied them, organized them, and given them a job. I’ll tell you what’s scarier than a city full of rats: Thousands of feral cats working in unison. Sometimes the solution is worse than the problem.
PS: At the first house that Lindsey and I owned, we had a mouse problem. Eventually we got it rectified, but early on in our war, we decided to bring her family’s cat to live with us for a week to see if he could help alleviate the issue. God Bless Louie, he was a great cat, but he slept 20 hours a day and didn’t deter them at all. The mice were doing the lambada past him and he didn’t lift a claw.
Comments