Cats certainly stopped the ravages of the plague in Europe.
Trap/neuter/release is certainly a far more humane option than catch and kill and is gaining popularity around the country. Plus, cats serve a vital function in reducing the rodent population.
In NYC, there is undoubtedly a tremendous need for cats to keep the rats under control. Unfortunately, many of the rats in NYC are too large for the cats to handle...although those big rats are so corrupt that their mere presence would probably make the cats sick.
The cats are there to deal with the 4-legged rats.
***Cats certainly stopped the ravages of the plague in Europe.***
In England back in the 1600s, cats and dogs were thought to be spreading the plague so they were killed. The rat population exploded! People were still dying of the plague when the Great Fire destroyed much of London, killing the rats.