:''For related meanings, see
Rat-catcher (disambiguation)''
Cover of the 1889 publication ''Full Revelations of a Professional Rat-Catcher'' by Ike Matthews
The 'rat-catcher' is a
profession centered around catching
rats as a form of
pest control.
While no longer a profession in developed countries there are still rat-catchers in
India and other developing countries.
Keeping the rat population under control was practiced in Europe to prevent the spread of
diseases to man, most notoriously the
Black Plague and to prevent damage to food supplies.
It is said that some rat-catchers in Europe would raise rats instead of catching them in order to get more money from the towns. This, and the practice of rat-fights, could have led to rat-breeding and the adoption of the rat as a pet - the
fancy rat.
A famous rat-catcher from
Victorian England was
Jack Black, who is known through
Henry Mayhew's interview for ''
London Labour and the London Poor''.
A famous fictional rat-catcher was
The Pied Piper of Hamelin.
Techniques and Risks
Rat-catchers would capture rats by hand or traps. Rats are rarely seen in the open, preferring to hide in holes, haystacks and dark locations. Payment would be high for catching and selling rats to breeders, but there is a high risk of getting bitten with rats being potential carriers of disease, such as
Bubonic plague.
See also
★
Rat baiting
★
The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents
External links
★ - an 1898 account of the tricks of the trade, by a British rat-catcher
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