Scarlet keeps trying to eat the rats!

[Scarlets Mom]

Let me start off by saying I feed her twice a day so she is not hungry by any means. I think when she lived on the streets she ate anything she could find; trash, birds, and rodents. I know she has a high prey drive but she is very focused on trying to eat my rats, (yes, I also rescue rats). I have the rats up high out of her reach but she sits on the floor by them, licking her lips and whining. Is there anything I can do to deter her?

[Me & Tess]

I don't know. One of my friends has a huskey mix. She will chase and kill squirrels, but she won't touch a cat. She was neglected and chose to leave her owners for a life much better with Earl & Buddy. I've seen her kill a squirrel and carry it off. I think she needed to do what she needed to do when she was on her own. What ever they need to do, they do it to survive. I think it's like no questions asked.

[Wolfie]

Have you tried keeping the rats in say, the garage, or some place where Scarlet won't notice them. I too love rats. Used to have two of them years ago. Didn't have any dogs then, just two cats who were extremely interested in them. I tried to keep the cats away from their cage, as their presence would cause the rats (Quinn & Daisy) to freak. They would both just sit in the cage and move their heads from side to side, as if in a trance. Thought for sure the cats were going to cause them to have a heart attack.