Interesting article! I wonder what the situation was like in Europe before Romans brought house cats in. Europe had Lynx and the European Wildcat (Felix silvestris). Is there any information on how well they did in controlling rats?
Thanks Ann. I don't know, to be honest. From what I had read, the wildcats you mentioned were native, but domesticated cats in Europe first became a thing in Greece around 1200 BC. But most of the influx was due to the Romans. I would imagine wildcats would be better but fewer in number and tend to be solitary. So maybe they weren't as good at controlling rat numbers. I feel an internet dive come on.
I wonder if both the rats (Norway rats) and cats were introduced species. Maybe one introduced species needed to keep the other at bay? At any rate, you are probably right about the wildcats. Here in Germany, they are a forest species and may not contribute much to fighting rodent infestations. But who knows what the situation was like before the Romans came?
It is interesting. In the UK, I think they have been breeding wild cats to reintroduce to places like Scotland, where they are native. They seem to help balance nature somehow. In the 1800s there were a few dogs breeds specifically bred for killing rats, I think they were more efficient.
This is so interesting, thanks for posting.
Interesting article! I wonder what the situation was like in Europe before Romans brought house cats in. Europe had Lynx and the European Wildcat (Felix silvestris). Is there any information on how well they did in controlling rats?
Thanks Ann. I don't know, to be honest. From what I had read, the wildcats you mentioned were native, but domesticated cats in Europe first became a thing in Greece around 1200 BC. But most of the influx was due to the Romans. I would imagine wildcats would be better but fewer in number and tend to be solitary. So maybe they weren't as good at controlling rat numbers. I feel an internet dive come on.
I wonder if both the rats (Norway rats) and cats were introduced species. Maybe one introduced species needed to keep the other at bay? At any rate, you are probably right about the wildcats. Here in Germany, they are a forest species and may not contribute much to fighting rodent infestations. But who knows what the situation was like before the Romans came?
It is interesting. In the UK, I think they have been breeding wild cats to reintroduce to places like Scotland, where they are native. They seem to help balance nature somehow. In the 1800s there were a few dogs breeds specifically bred for killing rats, I think they were more efficient.
Nevertheless, thanks for a thought-provoking post.