[MadWombat]

> Whereas other wild species who espouse pretty much the same behavior - rats, foxes, mice - are seen as pests.

I have not heard of anyone having a problem with rats and mice hunting other animals. They are mainly considered pests because they eat human food stores. And the only context I have heard of foxes considered pests is when they hunt livestock, chickens, geese etc. If a domestic cat starts hunting chickens, I am pretty sure it will have consequences as well.

[ticmasta]

>> I have not heard of anyone having a problem with rats and mice hunting other animals

In Canada rats are a bigger threat to bird species than cats, topped only by humans. Or visit an island environment Galapagos where they've been introduced.

[bacon_waffle]

Rats and mice are classic examples of "invasive species" and can have huge impact on ecosystems. Just to pick two handy examples; rats in New Zealand[1] and regular house mice putting bird species at risk of extinction[2].

[1] https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/pests-and-threats/animal-pest...

[2] https://www.goughisland.com/

[teruakohatu]

They don't "hunt" animals, they eat the eggs, removing the ability for the birds to reproduce. They devestate native bird populations that did not develop with pressure from rodants and lack defenses.

[lm28469]

> They are mainly considered pests because they eat human food stores

Don't forget the plague and other diseases. "peste" literally means "plague" in French.