Curtis Sliwa calls for feral cat ‘colonies’ to claw back at NYC rat problem: ‘Caped crusaders at night’
Mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa wants to put feral cats to work solving New York City’s rat crisis.
A day after The New York Post revealed a rat infestation at the Tarr-Coyne Tots Playground on West 67th Street, the Guardian Angels founder and Republican hopeful unveiled a plan to deploy colonies of feral cats at parks and other infestation “hot spots” across the city.
“This is Mother Nature’s way of pest control,” Sliwa said Sunday at the Central Park playground. “If you feed them, water them, and give them basic shelter — even something like a plastic Tupperware container — they’ll keep the rats and mice away. They’ll patrol the area like Batman and Robin.”
Sliwa argued that the approach would cost the city virtually nothing and could be more effective than the city’s current rodent mitigation strategies.
He also criticized Mayor Eric Adams’ efforts, including the appointment of a “Rat Czar” in 2023 and an $877,000 initiative to eliminate rats using carbon monoxide and rodent-proof trash bins. “You can’t win the war on rats,” Sliwa said. “You can only keep them at bay.”
So far in 2025, the city has logged 6,614 rat complaints through 311 — nearly on par with last year’s numbers. Recent reports have parents at city playgrounds complaining of rats leaping onto strollers and stealing children’s snacks.
Sliwa, who has also registered to run under the independent “Protect Animals” line advocating for no-kill shelters, believes feral cats are ideal for the job. “They’re nocturnal, solitary, and already used to living outside — just like the rats.”
The idea drew mixed reactions from parents at the park.
“I’ve lived in New York for 10 years, and the rats just keep getting worse,” said Wei, 38, a mother of two. “I’m not sure if cat colonies are the answer — will that lead to a cat problem instead?”
Martin Petrella, 51, visiting the park with his young daughter, found the concept “interesting.”
“I have a cat, and they are excellent hunters,” he said. “But I worry about the impact on birds and other wildlife — especially in a place like Central Park.”
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