Illusory

The felines have been introduced, to great effect, at several stations with rodent problems. Parker Center may get them too.

By Carla Hall, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
December 29, 2007
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la...a-tot-callocal

Illusory

I should have made it clear that the text in my above post was the introduction to the actual article itself.

It, as the rest of the article, is Copyright 2008 Los Angeles Times

Anonymous

In New York, there's a great dilemma over whether to enforce the ban on allowing cats to hang out in groceries and delis. Whenever the cats are banished, worse 4-footed residents arrive in droves.

ira

Hi I,

Amazing.

Let cats hang around, rats go away.

I wish that I had thought of that.

crefloors

There is a feral cat rescue group here in Reno, that advertises them for barn cats. There are a lot of people with acreage and horses around and to me that would be preferable to pesticides. The cats are neutered of course and being feral they are likely to hunt.

I have had cats that have caught mice and have had absolutely no idea what to do with them, other that play with them. They do not recognize them as a food source. So a "police cat" makes lots of sense.

Illusory

<<In New York, there's a great dilemma over whether to enforce the ban on allowing cats to hang out in groceries and delis. Whenever the cats are banished, worse 4-footed residents arrive in droves. >>

How about changing the law to allow cats, with the requirement that their health be regulated? Owners would have to provide proof of a clean bill of health for the cats from a vet.

<<I have had cats that have caught mice and have had absolutely no idea what to do with them, other that play with them. They do not recognize them as a food source. >>

My understanding is that, as a rule, cats do not eat more than they need but they nonetheless retain the instinct to hunt even when doing so is not necessary in order to eat. So, a cat that is sufficiently fed will continue to hunt but not consume it's prey. I've read that in this way a cat keeps its hunting skills sharp, as it never knows when it may need them to survive again.

I'm glad people appreciated the article.

LoveItaly

That makes sense Illusory as my daughter's cat has caught mice..but doesn't eat them. He just likes to show them off..the great hunter you know!

bellastarr

Hi Anonymous. I live in New York, and I don't think there's is a dilemma, because cats are a fixture in those kinds of stores. But there is a big problem with locals trying to bring dogs of all sizes into stores that sell food and have open bins. With dogs, the storeowners will try harder to enforce the health law against pets.

Anonymous

Bella, the reason it doesn't look like a dilemma is that authorities usually look the other way. But as the article below points out, "The city’s health code and state law forbid animals in places where food or beverages are sold for human consumption." It's a state, not just city, rule.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/21/ny...mp;oref=slogin

bellastarr

Thanks Anonymous. I'm very aware of that law- Myself and many of my neighbors are quite active in trying to get the storeowners (and help them) keep people from bring their dogs into stores, walking right past the often large, clearly written "No pets allowed" signs that are posted on the door. I have yet to hear of any complaints in the years I've lived here or other NYC neighborhoods about the cats that many shopowners keep for protection against vermin though.
The Health Department is known to respond quickly to complaints, which is why the shopowners are eager to cooperate to complaints about dogs, and also why many people don't call in complaints about cats.