I have had a rat in my kitchen for a month. As soon as I found it was there, I set some traps. Within a night, one of the traps trigger and I found the trap moved. I found the trap had been dragged across the kitchen by the rat, which had a front leg trapped inside the jaws. I lifted it up to get rid of it, and the rat slipped out of the trap. I tried to catch it, but the cunning thing had scarpered into the kitchen again.
I have reset the traps a few times now, and have not enticed the rat to try them again. So, in a feat of thought, I have changed the trap type. The new trap is a live catch cage set up, and I have a bit of a dilemma with this one. That is, if the rat goes inside.
My cat has been utterly relentless in his efforts to get the rat, with his efforts being the only way I have known roughly where the pest is hiding. It is this effort which has cause me some pause for thought. What should I do with the rat if it falls into my hands alive?
My first thought was to bash it with a hammer, but then I thought about Nut (the cat above) and his efforts to catch the rat. I did also play with the idea of just releasing the rat for about three and a half seconds. I thought, given Nut’s efforts here, maybe I should take him outside and release the rat in front of him. I mean, it would only be nature taking its course and I would be no more than facilitating a natural process.
Nut would greatly enjoy some fresh meat he has caught, along with the idea Nut and I would be doing the neighbourhood a small service in removing a pest from within it. Yet, the idea I am inflicting unjustified cruelty on the rat does not escape me.
This is where you come in. What is your opinion on this? Should I hand the rat over to Nut and let him have a fresh meal? Should a Christian do this? This is a deep rabbit hole and some thoughts from others would be helpful.
Also, I am just curious. What would you do?
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