Well, here’s a day that comes once a year but probably should be celebrated much more, National Rat Catcher’s Day. And while one might think it’s about catching rats it really isn’t.

The world’s best rat catcher is no doubt the cat… though my dogs pretty good at it to because the cats taught her. I doubt many humans could keep up with natures real rat catcher, the cat. Of course they torture them before they kill them, that’s kinda cruel, but again, not really what this is is all about.

This is about the Pied Piper of Hameling and it comes to us from his efforts in 1284 Germany. Naturally in 1284 people were worried about the plague, which most knew came from rats that lived in their community. Well it turns out it really wasn’t actually from the rats but from the fleas on the rats! Anyway, the Pied Piper was hired to get the rats out of a village town. When he accomplished this feat, by playing on his fife and leading the rats to the river where they drown.

When he returned, the mayor of the town refused to pay him for his work. This supposedly happened on June 26th, 1284. Well he returned to the town, We think on July 22nd, and led the children of the city out to the river exactly as he had the rats. Now there are several versions of this story but the real ending is that he led the children to the river where they did exactly the same as the rats.

This led to the the town instantly regret of not paying the piper for his services. So while we think rat catchers as what it’s all about it is actually all about… paying the piper!
How to celebrate – Let your cats out to do what they do today! Make sure you live up to any agreement you have made. Read the story of the Pied Piper of Hameling.
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