Starving and Aggressive Rats Not Staying at Home

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.
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Humans aren’t the only ones hankering for the days they could dine out at their cities’ restaurants: Some rats that miss feasting on the scraps are becoming increasingly brazen to find new food sources, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned Thursday.

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Since the start of the pandemic, there have been increased reports of rat cannibalism and infanticide in New York, as well as more rat complaints in residential areas — including in Chicago — as humans produce more food waste at home. Roving rat armies, including one caught on camera scavenging New Orleans’ empty streets, are concerning to the CDC, which says rodents can carry disease.

Horrible! I can't imagine nor relate to this. I've only seen rats swarming looking for food in the movies and on TV.

Do you have this problem where you are located? How bad is it?

Read in its entirety: Rats are getting aggressive hunting for food amid restaurant closures, CDC warns

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Specializes in Psych.

It's ridiculous to think that by going overboard in this fight against Coronavirus, we've ended up bringing back a new form of the bubonic plague. I've also heard that there are now Asian murder hornets now arriving into the Northeast U.S.! And here in Texas, hurricane season fast approaches. Proof positive that we live in the real world, not some public health official's epidemiological wish-list chart, and in the real world we have a whole bunch of issues than just the Corona to deal with.

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Specializes in ER.

Another reason why cats should be allowed outdoors, they are very useful for rodent control.

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Specializes in Psych.
Just now, Emergent said:

Another reason why cats should be allowed outdoors, they are very useful for rodent control.

As long as they don't bring birds or rodents back inside! ?

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Specializes in ER.
3 minutes ago, A Hit With The Ladies said:

As long as they don't bring birds or rodents back inside! ?

Especially one they haven't finished off!

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Specializes in Dialysis.

This is all common sense, and the murder hornets...don't get me started. I'm just beyond tired of the media and the oversensationalism of ANY news story. They create panic over every little thing, and it's just tiresome...

1 minute ago, Emergent said:

Especially one they haven't finished off!

??

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I read this story back when and enjoyed the accompanying photo.

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Specializes in ER.

It is theorized that the demonization of cats in Christian Europe, including a Papal directive to kill them all, contributed to the explosion of the bubonic plague in the 1300s.

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On the local news yesterday or the day before, they did a story on a restaurant in Pasadena that has placed tables/seating in their parking lot, taking reservations to dine out but not in the building! They are booked through June. Wonder how the rats (and flies) would like this? The cameraman showed a plate with a nice juicy (big) ?! Heavens!

My phone steak emoji is much better than the one on this site!

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.
Just now, caliotter3 said:

On the local news yesterday or the day before, they did a story on a restaurant in Oasadena that has placed tables/seating in their parking lot, taking reservations to dine out but not in the building! They are booked through June. Wonder how the rats (and flies) would like this? The cameraman showed a plate with a nice juicy (big) ?! Heavens!

Same happened here in my area.

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As long as the weather is pleasant I would enjoy this. The owner said he is thinking about continuing the practice to some extent after restaurants can open with no restrictions.

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Specializes in Travel, Home Health, Med-Surg.

Quote from article:

"Corrigan said rats are “opportunistic foragers,” so as many rats’ reliable sources of food have vanished, the rodents seek new menu options. To keep rats from dining at your home, he advises following CDC guidance, securing food properly so rats can’t get to it. He recommends people avoid inhumane traps or poison"

Sooo, we are supposed to be more concerned about the rats than the humans!! Got it!

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