Rat catchers are irreplaceable assistants to the owners of summer cottages and land plots in the fight against terrible rodents. A cat of any breed can be a rat catcher, but not every cat can become a rat catcher: often dangerous pests are much stronger than an ordinary fluffy pet.
There are several factors that can be put together to create the perfect rat catcher. This is his appearance, behavior and genetic predisposition. An integral part is the skills acquired by a little hunter in childhood.
The appearance of a cat-rat catcher
In order to cope with rats, a cat must have a number of external features. Most often, cats are rat-catchers, since they must not only be able to stand up for their offspring, but also feed them. Therefore, the most common coat color is inherent only in cats - three-match.
The ears of the rat-catcher are large, they may have tassels at the tips. The shape of the skull is triangular, the mustache is long. The cat should be large enough and muscular, have short legs with large pads and strong jaws.
Pied Piper Behavior
One way to determine if a cat has the ability to catch rats is to see how it behaves in play. If, hunting for a toy, he jumps and immediately connects his teeth to catch - he has the ability to catch rats.
The jump of a cat can be compared to a jump of a mongoose on a snake: dexterous and fast, with the strangulation of the victim and the bite of the enemy's flesh.
Best rat hunter breeds
Although there is no specific breed of rat catcher, there are breeds most suitable for taking on the role of domestic protector.
First of all, these are yard cats raised by a cat that catches rats. Genetically, such cats will pass on the physical characteristics of the mother-cat and her agility. A cat teaches its children to catch rats from 6 weeks of age. But only by reaching 6 months will the kittens acquire all the necessary skills. Therefore, kittens should stay with their mother as long as possible.
In St. Petersburg, the Hermitage cats are considered the best rat-catchers. They were brought into the city after the blockade to combat the breeding rats, and since then these animals have been leading their hunting dynasty.
Among the pedigree cats, the European Shorthair, Siamese and Siberian cats are best suited. They have suitable data and hunting instincts inherited from wild ancestors.
Medical certificate
The best hunters are non-neutered cats and non-neutered cats, since the “childless colleagues” lose some of the instincts necessary for catching rats.
Do not forget that the future rat-catcher, before sending him to work, needs to receive a number of vaccinations. These are vaccinations to improve the immunity of the cat, as well as against rabies. Check with your veterinarian for details.
