Rats

[DeeDubya]

I just heard another story today about the growing rat infestation problem. I predict that within 5 years some cities will have a serious rat problem. Why? Two reasons: 1) you can no longer buy effective rat poison, 2) there are fewer cats (pets or feral). Most cities have stringent pet laws and make an all-out effort to catch strays. That's good. To a point.
Really no different than in nature where a balance must be maintained to prevent an over- population of one species.

I recently got bitched out because I have a pregnant shop cat at work. "Don't you know that cat should be spayed?". Why? "Because she's going to have unwanted kittens and that's cruel." I want kittens and already have a home for them. "Well, cats reproduce like rats and we have to control them." (Notice the real reason?)

You know, 10,000 years ago people realized that a few cats hanging around were effective in keeping the rat population down. Today, I don't need some smart ass bitch telling me otherwise.

And let's not leave Rusty out of the picture. I had a terrior who totally enjoyed catching rats out on the farm. He didn't eat them. He just neatly piled them in a heap to show off his talents. Good Boy.

[chefchris]

Good Movie.

[bigwhiteash]

I'm only worried about the R. O. U. S. population

[cigar no baka]

No big problem. Wait until they start spreading disease, and the busybody nanny staters will be screaming that we need more cats. Then we let the cats breed and in about 2-3 years, the rat population is decimated. Then we have to figure out what to do with all the feral cats....well, we can always put a bounty out on them.

[cigarsarge]

In my younger years a bud of mine moved into a house. We soon discovered it was infested with rats. You don't need cats to dispose of rats...All you need is a cooler of beer and several boxes or 22 rat shot to
load into your pistol.

After a couple of nights...No more rats. I think around 20 of them met their maker over a weekend. If there were more I guess they left before we got them.

I got another rat story...Several years ago my wife and I were asleep. My male pit bull Jake jumped into bed with us and started raising hell. he kept running into the bathroom and back to us.

I went into the bathroom...Nothing. I could hear a scratching sound...Prolly just the wind blowing. I went back to bed.

Jake went back to bed as well as the wife and I...After awhile Jake springs back into action. We again enter the bathroom. I observe a black head emerging through a hole in the wall that was not there earlier. Looks like the rat got into my attic and fell in behind my bathroom wall. He chewed his way out.

I ran to my closet where I keep a pump type BB gun for birds and squirrels that become a problem. I grab it and began pumping the crap outa it while entering the bathroom.

About the time I enter the bathroom the rat and Jake are making an exit. We chase the damn thing down the hall into the den. Jake cornered it under my chair in the den. I shine my flashlight under the chair and pull the trigger.The rat blinks his eyes and his ears are blown back...Shit...In rush to kill the bastid I forgot to put a BB in the chamber. Off we go again.

Jake and I finally got the damn thing...Jake really did.

The real problem came then. I noticed the rat had pissed all the way down the hall into the den. Two o'clock in the morning and the wife and I are cleaning up up...I hate rats.

[chefchris]

... yes, i'm just gonna litter this thread with pictures.

[DeeDubya]

Now that's what I'm talking about. A rat safari. I used to shoot them when I was a kid. Had an old single shot 22. I think the barrel was worn smooth so it held a good pattern with rat shot. The old barns on the farm had plenty rats, big rats, but they were clean rats. Not sewer rats like in NY. Of all the rats, I prefer Texas rats.