Do Cats Kill Rats?

If you’re asking if Tom ever wanted to kill Jerry, then the answer is ‘NO’. Despite the wars that happened every day in the house, Tom and Jerry were actually best friends. Tom only pretended to always chase Jerry to impress the house owner so that he would not be thrown off the house. 

But now the real question is, are all real-life Toms and Jerrys best friends or do cats really try to kill rats? 

Cats vs rats - a battle that has raged through the annals of history, from the fields of ancient agriculture to the alleys of modern cities. Cats have been looked at as rodent-hunting masters for millennia. In ancient Egypt, they were worshipped as gods and kept as guardians of grain stores, protecting vital food supplies from ravenous rats. But let’s face it – we’ve seen plenty of cats who would rather prefer sunbathing and perfecting their disdainful stares as opposed to running after some rat. 

So, we know that cats do kill rats. But now the question is, do they kill rats? Because having the ability and willingness to do it are two different things. And the following question can be - does it come naturally to all cats or is it more of a hit-or-miss situation? 

The answer to the first question would be ‘no’. Firstly, cats are great at catching mice and not so much for rats. Rats are typically bigger in size and have more flight than mice. And even though cats do have the ability to kill rats, they mostly won’t. They wouldn’t find it worth the effort. Most would end up playing with their prey to hone their hunting skills and others will just look at you and say – ‘that’s not my job’. ⁽¹⁾

For the second question – not all cats are created equal when it comes to hunting abilities and willingness. Multiple factors will influence a cat’s hunting skills. These include – 

Will Cats Scare Away Rats? 

Most people think that just by the presence of a cat, rats will stay away. But that’s not true. Rats are not as scared of cats as we think they might be. However, some studies have shown that a cat’s odor in the house will stop the rats from coming out into the open to search for food or water. ⁽¹⁾

Are Rats a Danger to Cats? 

If you’re asking will a rat, ever try to kill my cat or get it injured, then the answer is no. But do rats pose a threat to cats? The answer is yes. And the threat is rodent illness.

Cats, for their love of hunting rodents of all kinds, will often bring home what they catch. Sometimes, along with the rodent, they may also bring rodent illnesses in the form of infections, parasites and toxins. Some of these can even be fatal if left untreated. 

The most common illnesses caused in cats by rodents are toxoplasmosis, plague bacteria, hantavirus, tularemia, intestinal parasites, and rodenticide toxins. It is important to identify any signs of these illnesses in your cat and treat them at the earliest to avoid any severe harm. The signs to look out for include – ⁽²⁾

If you see any of the above signs, you must straight away run to a vet and start treatment. 

Will Rats Come into a House with Cats? 

Yes, they will. Rats and even mice are smarter than we give them credit for. They will come to know about the presence of a cat in the house by sensing a cat’s odor. And they will also know that the cat will be able to smell them because of the smell of the chemicals found in their saliva. But rats are determined creatures. They will take advantage of their size and simply go and hide in a place where the cat can’t reach them. ⁽³⁾

More About Spot Pet Insurance

The ‘chase the rodent’ game can cause serious troubles for your cat at times as mentioned above. The treatment of these illnesses can put a dent in your savings at times. But not with pet health insurance. You can save up to 90% of all the vet expenses by getting health insurance for your cat. With Spot Pet, you can save many more expenses!

Cat Insurance helps to provide pet parents with additional financial support and peace of mind when it comes to the health and wellness of their pets. With a Spot plan, pet parents can receive up to 90% cash back on eligible vet bills. This way pet parents can focus on caring for and supporting their pets. Spot's also offers preventive care add-ons, which can help cover the eligible costs of spaying and neutering, dental cleaning, vaccinations, and other routine care services. 

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