October 20, 2005
Unfortunately, during the same time period, the Ohio Statehouse also became home to an enduring infestation of rats. For well over a century, Ohio's elected lawmakers have lived in uncompromised harmony with buck-toothed, omnivorous, and disease-carrying rats.
That is, until about a year ago, when a dozen or so stray pussycats started making themselves at home on the Statehouse grounds. Despite their cozy coexistence with the legislators, the rats could not get along with feral felines. So, the rats moved. According to spokeswoman Pat Groseck, of the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Commission,
"The cats have done a yeoman's job. There have been no rat-sighting reports since the cats have been there."Consequently, the Statehouse strays are now being fed, sheltered, and given health care by state employees and volunteers. The rats are gone and everything is hunky-dory.
Or, is it? There are no reports of how the influx of feral cats has affected the songbird population. Typically, a vigorous feral cat population will eradicate all songbirds in the area. Gone are the sweet chirps and calls of cardinals, robins, and chickadees. Call it an unintended consequence.
In closing, I'm skeptical of the assertion that all of the rats have left the Statehouse. If true, how come my taxes keep going up?
Companion post at Interested-Participant.
Posted by: Mike Pechar at
05:16 AM
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The people of Cleveland keep electing them, so what can you do?
Posted by: Robert Crawford at October 20, 2005 06:44 AM (1j9aH)
Moral of the story, don't ever stop being useful to a politician, they'll f*ck you over, for the Greenpeace vote?
Posted by: dave at October 20, 2005 07:32 AM (CcXvt)
Posted by: sandpiper at October 20, 2005 07:39 AM (S97cI)
I have an idea. Have a hunting season on the cats!
My Grandma fed the feral cats on her farm, and the farm became overrun with feral cats. You would go into the barns and you could hardly help stumbling over a cat dead with some unknown feline disease. When my Grandma broker a leg we "took care" of the cat problem. I tried to rescue one but all it would do is to hiss & have nothing to do with me.
BTW, I do like cats. My last cat was named--Yoda (unfortunately a little more than a year ago he went out on eternal prowl).
Posted by: Marcus Aurelius at October 20, 2005 11:22 AM (1h2bp)
Posted by: dave at October 20, 2005 11:50 AM (CcXvt)
My father trapped a cat took it in to the Humane society which promptly euthanized the cat and extended their palm. So we took matters into our own hands. There were hundreds of the cats I am NOT exagerating.
Most farms I have been to have a a smallish population of cats around. I have no problem with them and am willing to leave them be. The moral of the story is not to feed them.
Posted by: Marcus Aurelius at October 20, 2005 12:17 PM (1h2bp)
Posted by: BigAl at October 23, 2005 05:36 PM (6krEN)
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