It's labor day here in the U.S. and that got me thinking about all those hardworking cats out there who work for a living and get paid in mice!
Cats all over the world have an important job in keeping pests under control! One of the best jobs for cats is an exterminator, so anywhere there are mice, cats can offer their services as mouse catchers!
One place where there could be mice is in barns! Mice like to eat the same kinds of things that horses and cows like to eat, so barn cats help out by taking out the mice and keeping the animal feed safe for the barnyard animals! Jennifer Poindexter points out on morningchores.com that cats on the farm not only eat mice, but bugs too, so a farm cat is a great multitasker! And, when cats in the barn aren't busy with their mousing, they can make friends with the other animals. Petful.com explains that cats can make friends with other animals, like horses, dogs and they even mention a cat who started nurturing some ducklings! Check out this barn cat and horse who are best friends!
But, but barn cats aren't the only cats with jobs! Another place where there is a lot of grain that needs to be kept pest free is in breweries, so that is another great place for cats looking for a career! Cattime.com notes that New York City has a large population of feral cats and also of unwanted rats, so organizations like Hard Hat Cats help link cats, who are maybe a little too wild to be a pet, with jobs like keeping the grain in breweries safe from mice! There are so many cats working now that Cats on tap even offers a map of breweries with cats across the country and beyond! Road trip anyone?!
Another place where cats have been invaluable as exterminators is on boats. Without cats on ships, the boats could be overrun with mice that could make people sick, chew through ropes and eat up all the food. Boat cats play an important role in keeping things afloat! Check out the article from the U.S. Naval Institute for pictures of hard working ship cats!
So the next time you enjoy a glass of milk from a farm, a cold brew, or anything that has been shipped, thank a hard working barn cat, brewery cat or ship's cat who helped make it possible! To them cat and mouse is a way of life, not just a game!
And a big thank you to Josie Weiss on Unsplash for the cover photo!
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