With no identified historical past of mousing, Leon has culled at the very least 20 rats since information broke about an infestation in North Van’s Victoria Park
Look what the cat dragged in.
Twenty lifeless rats – presents from Leon, the 13-year-old North Vancouver tabby that’s taking the Victoria Park pest downside into his personal paws.
Need extra proof that cats are even smarter than we give them credit score? With no identified historical past of mousing, Leon introduced home his first catch simply after a narrative concerning the infestation ran within the North Shore News.
Did Leon learn the article?
“I think he did,” chuckles proprietor Lyndsay Wrightson, who lives only a few blocks from the park. “I’ve been telling him that he needs to pick up some duties around the house, because he’s got to pay rent. I think he started to think: ‘Hmm, maybe I should do some work around here.’”
Right after the newspaper story, Leon began presenting lifeless rats to Wrightson, 15 rats in 15 days. Not unhealthy for an arthritic senior. After a profitable hunt, Leon is visibly proud however exhausted, and can spend the remainder of the day lazing round and taking cat naps, Wrightson stated.
Alarmed by Leon’s sudden killer intuition, she and her husband began holding him inside. Leon didn’t like that, protesting the lockdown by doing his business exterior the litter field.
Then, they tried to walk him on a leash. Leon hated that too. “A cat in harness catches no rats,” he may need meowed.
“So I let him out. And we were like, ‘OK, we’ll see what happens.’ Maybe he’ll forget,” she stated. “But no, after a day or two, he came back with another rat.”
Since his second coming, Leon has introduced again six extra rats, one among them alive. Interestingly, the one Leon spared gave the impression to be a home, hooded rat – white with brown spots. The spooked rodent ran underneath Wrightson’s mattress earlier than scurrying out the entrance door.
“He decided not to kill it. He thought this one deserved to escape,” Wrightson stated. “A catch-and-release I guess.”
Far from a senseless killing machine, Leon is evidently a discerning skilled.
“I think North Vancouver should hire him as pest control,” Wrightson stated.
