(WGN) — For the sixth consecutive year, Chicago has been named the rattiest city in America, according to pest exterminator Orkin.
To combat this issue, the Tree House Humane Society has placed over 1,000 feral cats onto Chicago streets since 2012.
“We’ve had a lot of our clients tell us that before they had cats, they would step outside their house and rats would actually run across their feet,” Sarah Liss of Tree House said.
Liss said the cats generally do not eat a lot of rats, although the cats will kill some rats in the beginning when they arrive in a new location.
After they get acquainted to the space though, much less effort is required on the cat’s behalf.
“They are actually deterring them with their pheromones. That’s enough to keep the rats away,” Liss said.