Cats at work: US city uses 1,000 feral felines to fight rats

The Tree House Humane Society has placed teams of two to three cats outside of Chicago homes and businesses as a way to keep the rodent population in check and the city healthy — calling it a ‘green’ solution to the vermin problem. 

In the United States city of Chicago, more than 1,000 well-equipped warriors have been deployed in the fight against rats: feral cats. Through its Cats at Work programme, the Tree House Humane Society has placed teams of two to three cats outside of homes and businesses as a way to keep the rodent population in check and the city healthy — calling it a “green” solution to the vermin problem. It seems to be working: so far, the organisation said it has placed more than 1,000 feral cats, and “there is currently a long waitlist” stretching several months for more feline help.