News Animals

Feral cats appear to be pathetic at controlling New York City’s rats

Urban felines prefer mice and birds to big, feisty rodents

feral cat

RATCATCHER — OR NOT Feral cats pretty much flunked a serendipitous test at a waste dump in New York City of their supposed powers to reduce rat populations.

Julie Marshall/Shutterstock

By Susan Milius

- More than 2 years ago

People often assume cats enthusiastically kill city rats, but that may be just an urban legend.