I am Lion, hear me roar
Posted on 08/05/2007 5:24:34 PM PDT by Jet Jaguar
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFPN) -- Fighting the war on rodent infestation, 95th Mission Support Group members here use a "military working cat" to help reduce the amount of damage to equipment caused by rodents living in the supply warehouse.
Wizzo calls the 95th Mission Support Group's supply warehouse his home, and the feline lives and works around the clock to help support the supply group's mission.
"Wizzo is our mobility rodent deterrent," said Heather Chapman, a 95th MSG warehouse specialist. "He was brought in for pest control and is earning his keep by doing his job."
The supply group first found a need for Wizzo when they noticed rodent droppings in and around some of the mobility bags, said Bill Martin, a contract manager for the base supply contract.
Mr. Martin said mobility bags that sit for an extended period of time can become prone to holes chewed in them from mice and rats. This renders the bags unserviceable, which costs the Air Force money and can create health issues from the droppings left behind.
Supply workers tried to correct the problem using various other methods before deciding to recruit the assistance of a cat. Nothing seemed to work until Wizzo arrived, Mr. Martin said.
"Poison doesn't work inside the warehouse," he said. "By eating the poison, the rodents just get sick and crawl behind walls and die."
"Maintaining Wizzo is low cost," said Jennifer Starr, a 95th MSG mobility lead supervisor. "Everyone in the supply warehouse contributes by donating supplies and food for him. It is really a team effort."
Wizzo meets the first person who comes through the door in the morning with his prey, Ms. Starr said. The cat drops it off at their feet as though he is offering them a gift or handing in an assignment.
So far, Wizzo has caught a bird, a rat and three mice, which officially makes him an ace. The supply team keeps his kill count posted on a board for him.
"It seems that whenever anyone starts to doubt his worth, he comes up with another mission completed," Ms. Starr said.
Put to work as the "weapons systems officer" for the warehouse, Wizzo is a little more than 1 year old and was adopted from a pet shelter in Lancaster, Calif.
During exercises and when there are a lot of people in and out of the supply warehouse, Wizzo is put in his cage.
However, after 4 p.m., Wizzo is left alone to hunt for his enemies, like a furry "Rambo" in a jungle of crates and supply bags.
Another kitty recruit for the armed forces. I could add this cat also honors the lion of Narnia, Lion of Judah.
Being a cat, he probably thinks he is at least an O6.
Wait a minute, that's a Bird Colonel, and no cat aspires to be a bird. He probably thinks he is an O7, Brigadier General.
That big cat would rake 4 stars if not 5 for a general. =^..^=
“Unfortunately,a lot of materiel used by the military attracts rodents, to say nothing of stored food...I don’t think it’s a matter of intentionally luring them inside. Rodents have always been a problem for our military (google Korean Hemorrhagic Fever), and provided the cat is monitored for health problems of its own, it seems a great low tech solution.”
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I’ll grant that a live cat is a good, low tech solution but a live critter also brings its own problems.
A “tin cat” works because it’s placed against the perimeter of the room. Rodents travel the perimeter then dart toward their prey. With the “tin cats” or glue stations on the perimeter, the rodent is caught. Either of those are very effective solutions without the side problems that a feline brings as baggage.
Felines like to catch prey, torture it, kill it, then store it til later. The stored prey begins to rot and acts as an attractant to other organisms.
GORGEOUS! Looks part Maine Coon and Manx or Bobtail. I love Manx... I’ve had three in my life and would love another.
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