I'd always heard that cats are mousers, dogs (specifically terriers) are ratters. Glad the cat worked out for him , anyway.
For years I had two outside cats. I quit counting the number of their hunting victims. The victims included: rabbits, baby rabbits, birds, snakes, squirrels, chipmunks, lizards, big bugs, and any other critter unlucky enough to meet them.
The only problem was that they ALWAYS laid their prize on my doorstep to show me they've been at work. It was something to come home from work and see both of them separate by 2-3 yards on the lawn laying down and moving a chipmunk or something between them....
I moved to the North Georgia mountains and something got both of them last year. I think it was a coyote, or what passes for one around here...
you are right. terriers do just that-go to ground
Chihuahua dogs are meant just for that until people had to make them smaller & smaller. i don't think my sisters little dude could do more than dumb look a rat to death (sorry little dude)
but through most times cat have held onto their original purpose, killing. and they are good at it. they say a well fed dog wont kill for fun, but a cat will. they are the most naturally skilled @ killing for fun/pleasure. even a pit bull w/ its natural abilities for killing dogs don't do it for kicks-only when told to by its owners or training
a pit bull can be trained to stop-cats are just better at the job of mousing/ratting