Working outdoor, semi-feral cat exterminates rats for caregiving family in Chicago

Image by DALL·E 2024-10-28 12.43.00 - A realistic scene of a feral cat stealthily hunting a rat in an urban Chicago setting. The cat has a scruffy coat, alert posture, and intense gaze.
This is a great image. It is not of Monica. See it full-size by clicking on it. You’ll be impressed. Image by DALL·E 2024-10-28 12.43.00 – A realistic scene of a feral cat stealthily hunting a rat in an urban Chicago setting. The cat has a scruffy coat, alert posture, and intense gaze.

This, for me, is a huge success story and it needs to be told as much as possible! It’s a story which promotes the feral and domestic cat. It improves their public profile which, for me, can lead to better cat welfare and less abuse.

In short, the Tree House Humane Society’s “Cats at Work” programme improves cat welfare in Chicago and I hope elsewhere. It also improves the lives or residents.

It’s a program which places feral cats with families. That sounds counterintuitive but we are talking, I believe, about semi-domesticated feral cats; community cats if you like. They are outdoor cats. They prefer to be outdoors but they are cared for by families who benefit from their presence in terms of rat catching and killing.

It is a symbiotic relationship. And it means the family who care for the cat can go away because their house sitter can go on feeding the feral cat while that cat takes care of the rat population in and around the home. The fact that the cat is an outdoor cats allows the caregiving family more flexibility in going away for a short while.

I can refer to a particular example as reported in CBS Chicago. Chicago is known to be a city plagued with rats but then most cities are.

CBS New Chicago went on the hunt for a celebrity rat exterminator by the name of Monica. A female semi-feral cat working by keeping the rat population down.

John Schultz and Caitlin Gath adopted Monica under the Cats at Work programme mentioned. They wanted a feral cat who otherwise wouldn’t have a home and so they wanted to care for a feral cat but I guess with the kind of flexibility that this program builds in. Monica was the perfect fit because the family had a rat colony under the HVAC system and the rats were damaging their property.

John says that Monica went about her business immediately and they are mightily impressed by her work rate. He describes her as “very prolific” in terms of killing rats.

They didn’t expect this kind of effectiveness. The rats have gone but Monica stays and is still hard at work. She patrols the alleyways and other properties nearby. She appears to be doing work for other families.

And their house sitter caring for the family home while they are away said: “I’ve never been more excited to see a gift [a rat brought back by Monica] because that means she’s happy and she’s hunting”.

There is now a sign hanging in the neighbourhood stating “CongRATS Monica. 50 rats gone!”, But it’s already out of date because Monica is approaching the hundred mark.

The family provides food and medical care for Monica and she also has a heated shelter for the winter. This wonderful program has placed 57 cats with homes during 2024. Each cat varies in their degree of socialisation but they all thrive in an outdoor setting. I love it when cats are put to work like this. These are true working cats and more people should adopt them.

Here is some more on the Cats at Work programme:

The “Cats at Work” program, run by the Tree House Humane Society in Chicago, is a unique initiative that places feral or semi-feral cats in residential, commercial, and industrial settings where there’s a need for natural rodent control. This program started as a humane solution to manage the city’s rat problem by giving cats who aren’t suited for traditional adoption a safe and purposeful place to live.

How It Works

Through the program, businesses, warehouses, and homeowners who are dealing with rodent issues can “employ” sterilized, vaccinated feral cats as working cats on their premises. Rather than trapping and euthanizing feral cats, Tree House relocates them to specific sites after ensuring they’re healthy and have been spayed or neutered. Typically, they’re set up in pairs or groups, allowing them to socialize and work together to keep the rodent population down.

Key Features of the Program

  • Non-lethal Rodent Control: The mere presence of cats acts as a deterrent to rodents, as the cats’ scent alone can keep rats and mice at bay.
  • Supports Cats Who Can’t Be Adopted: Many of the cats in this program come from feral colonies and are not socialized enough to be indoor pets. This program gives them a better quality of life while meeting a community need.
  • Full Support from Tree House: Tree House provides initial resources, like food, shelter, and transition support for the cats as they adapt to their new environment.
  • Long-term Monitoring: The organization continues to check on the cats, ensuring they’re safe and well-fed and that any health issues are addressed.

Benefits of the Program

  • Environmentally Friendly: “Cats at Work” is a green, sustainable alternative to poisons and traps, which can harm the ecosystem and other animals.
  • Community Involvement: Local businesses, residents, and cat enthusiasts have supported the program, and many report a dramatic reduction in rodent activity.
  • Positive Outcomes for the Cats: This program provides a meaningful, stable environment for feral cats who might otherwise struggle to survive or face euthanasia.

Adoption and Setup

Participants in the program pay a one-time adoption fee, which covers the cost of care, including food and shelter setup, as well as the cats’ initial adjustment period. Interested parties go through an application process, and Tree House assists with the setup and ongoing care to ensure the cats are well-settled.

The “Cats at Work” program is well-regarded and has become a model for other urban areas looking for humane ways to control rodent populations while helping feral cats. The program reflects Tree House Humane Society’s commitment to animal welfare and sustainable, community-focused solutions.

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