What’s that? Cat finds rat in Medicine Hat; could be pest from last year’s nest

MEDICINE HAT, Alta. – An Alberta county spokesman says a dead rat turned up by a cat near Medicine Hat could be a pest from a large nest last summer.

A Cypress county resident reported that her feline had found therodent on property near the landfill where the breeding site was discovered in August.

The 80-metre-long nest was destroyed the following month and at least 100 Norway rats were killed by city staff.

Agricultural fieldman Jason Storch says pest inspectors were sent out to investigate the latest sighting, but didn’t find signs of any other vermin.

Storch says some stragglers from last year are to be expected as temperatures warm up.

Alberta prides itself on being rat free, but that status was put into doubt with last year’s discovery.

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