Creating a cat breed for hunting?

[animals1981]

Okay i work with cat rescue. I get so many farmers and even people wanting cats that will hunt. Here is the issue most cats will hunt mice. but rats is something else. Few cats wanna get dirty and take on large rats or stoats. But some cats do. Imagine making a breed of cat meant for farms that are exceptional killers? Instead of getting ten cats you would just need one cause it would seek everything out like a terrier? Is it possible? I know so many barns looking for rat killers. If such a cat was bred it could even take on small predators like mink. The worry is that they might go after the birds then. But my bengal wont touch my birds and kills all the rats. Shes f4. Its just a thought not going to try it or anything. Curious why no one has over the years. Barns are flooded with 200 cats they say the more the better the less rats. But what if they only needed one.

 

[Chickassan]

Mainecoons are the tops for hunting bigger prey. They're made for hunting wharf rats that are far from tiny. I doubt they'd protest going after a stoat. Maybe if a Mainecoon and Bengal crossed you'd get the tankiness of the Maincoon with the agility of the Bengal and have a vermin killing machine.

 

[PirateGirl]

I'm not sure if you have a program like this in your area, but where I am located there is an adopt a working cat program. There are many stray cats that are not considered adoptable because they are not cuddly and friendly towards humans, they are not socialized, they have never lived in a house with a steady source of food. These feral cats in shelters across the country are often euthanized, but here they have started a program for them. The cats get vaccinated and spayed/neutered and then adopted for free (or reduced rate) to anyone who can use them on a farm (or similar) as a working cat and provide them with basic, outdoor, care and living. If there is not a program like this near you, perhaps you can spearhead it and place some good hunters in some good homes.

 

[PirateGirl]

I have seen the difference in hunting personalities... I have one cat that would leap into the air all day for swooping birds, and another that will sit for an hour next to a rodent hole and catch it as soon as it pokes it's head out. One will catch and kill things as large as prairie dogs and small rabbits, the other, not so much.

 

[animals1981]

Mainecoons are the tops for hunting bigger prey. They're made for hunting wharf rats that are far from tiny. I doubt they'd protest going after a stoat. Maybe if a Mainecoon and Bengal crossed you'd get the tankiness of the Maincoon with the agility of the Bengal and have a vermin killing machine.

Hey i dont think size is the thing. My small female calico is the one who killed an adult male stoat. I think its skill. They have to know that if they get a solid neck grab they can hold on until they strangle the larger prey. My bengal does this also. I had a maine coon he caught mice but never bigger. I have had huge tom cats who dont even hunt. I think its more skill energy and the want for hunting. Like my bengal lives to hunt rats right now she is sitting in an area she knows a rat lives waiting for it. Most cats just get lazy and cannot be bothered lol The original maine coons were serious hunters but breeders turned them into soft pets.

YOUR idea sounds good though crossing the two then bringing in domestics who have a strong hunting instinct like yours lol

 

[animals1981]

I have seen the difference in hunting personalities... I have one cat that would leap into the air all day for swooping birds, and another that will sit for an hour next to a rodent hole and catch it as soon as it pokes it's head out. One will catch and kill things as large as prairie dogs and small rabbits, the other, not so much.

Yeah they did studies and came up with that only a small amount of cats will kill adult rats because its a skill and they rather not get bitten and would prefer small mice, since mice area all over. ONly a few cats out of a large group would take rats.

SNAKES is another thing i have seen cats attack large 4 to 5 foot rat snakes. There is just such a huge amount of predators cats could help with. Terriers are amazing but they are a lot of work and bark and annoying to live with. JMHO They are cute but for me was hard to live with. Sorry i do not speak english as a first language. But if such cats were bred they could deter so many predators.

I was shocked when i saw a feral cat attack a fox for food near here. Then i went on youtube and saw its not that unnormal. Imagine a cat as a guard and pest control? LLOL My bengal wont go after predators larger than a stoat.

If such a breed was created the demand dont you think would be so high? Every farmer and a lot of people want a cat that will take out large pests. They are working on the sewers and everyone on my streeet is going insane with the rats.

 

[Amatsuhono]

I'll be honest, what you described is pretty much every barn cat ever around South Texas. They're just random mixes. We had a 6 pound female that would kill rabbits, squirrels, mice, rats, snakes, you name it. A hawk attacked her once, and she killed it too. She didn't bother with birds unless they messed with her first, I'll never forget her proudly presenting my mom with a 7 foot rattlesnake. I thought my mom was going to faint.

 

[Chickassan]

I think all cats are capable, the lazy ones are so because they can be. Mine would much rather have me open a can for food and maul a catnip bananna to satisfy her prey drive rather than actually hunt. If she had to i'd wager she's plenty able to do both. Agree though, some are more talented than others. I do wonder if skills are purely genetic or can be taught by a gifted parent.

Hey i dont think size is the thing. My small female calico is the one who killed an adult male stoat. I think its skill. They have to know that if they get a solid neck grab they can hold on until they strangle the larger prey. My bengal does this also. I had a maine coon he caught mice but never bigger. I have had huge tom cats who dont even hunt. I think its more skill energy and the want for hunting. Like my bengal lives to hunt rats right now she is sitting in an area she knows a rat lives waiting for it. Most cats just get lazy and cannot be bothered lol The original maine coons were serious hunters but breeders turned them into soft pets.

YOUR idea sounds good though crossing the two then bringing in domestics who have a strong hunting instinct like yours lol

 

[animals1981]

I'm not sure if you have a program like this in your area, but where I am located there is an adopt a working cat program. There are many stray cats that are not considered adoptable because they are not cuddly and friendly towards humans, they are not socialized, they have never lived in a house with a steady source of food. These feral cats in shelters across the country are often euthanized, but here they have started a program for them. The cats get vaccinated and spayed/neutered and then adopted for free (or reduced rate) to anyone who can use them on a farm (or similar) as a working cat and provide them with basic, outdoor, care and living. If there is not a program like this near you, perhaps you can spearhead it and place some good hunters in some good homes.

The working cat thing goes on here also, but a lot of the times the farmers still struggle with rats. One farmer asked me if there was a way to clone his cat who killed so many rats lol

 

[animals1981]

I'll be honest, what you described is pretty much every barn cat ever around South Texas. They're just random mixes. We had a 6 pound female that would kill rabbits, squirrels, mice, rats, snakes, you name it. A hawk attacked her once, and she killed it too. She didn't bother with birds unless they messed with her first, I'll never forget her proudly presenting my mom with a 7 foot rattlesnake. I thought my mom was going to faint.

https://www.usnews.com/news/nationa...-28/study-cats-are-not-good-predators-of-rats

What do you guys think of this study is it bias?

I want your cats can you ship them to me?