Izegem (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Izegem Town Hall’s Social House adopted Lionel, a shelter tomcat, to control mice. In 2 weeks, he eliminated sightings and boosted staff morale. General Director Anton Jacobus oversees the initiative.
As VRT News reported, Izegem Town Hall, in the province of West Flanders, Belgium, has a new “employee,” Lionel, a shelter tomcat to control mice. Officials mentioned that staff in the older part had been dealing with a small but persistent problem. A mouse would sometimes appear during the day and run across offices. While the sightings were not constant, they caused disruption and concern.
“The old, protected section has cracks, crevices, and hidden spaces. An ideal habitat for mice,”
explains General Director Anton Jacobus.
What impact will Izegem’s office cat have on mouse problems?
The staff wanted a solution that would work without harming the historic building.
“We then controlled the mice with traditional methods. The number decreased afterwards, but the mice didn’t disappear completely,”
employees of Social House.
Instead of using traps or chemicals, the employees suggested bringing in an office cat. They mentioned that the cat would naturally keep mice away. The general manager of Izegem Town Hall approved the staff’s idea of having an office cat but added a few conditions.
“Of course, everyone had to agree, but they also had to consider the cat’s well-being. You obviously need to be able to monitor and care for an animal properly. The team then sat down and developed a plan, so the cat was allowed to come. It had to be a house cat, because the animal spends most of its time indoors.”
The Social House team started searching for the right cat. They found Lionel, a tomcat from a local shelter who met all the requirements. Lionel has been living at City Hall for about 2 weeks. Since he arrived, the staff have not seen any mice in the offices.
“He’s an old cat, so he doesn’t really do much more than lie around. But apparently, his presence is enough to deter the mice,”
Jacobus laughs.
“He’s really become part of the group. He fosters team spirit, because we have to make arrangements about who will care for him on weekends and holidays. He’s also well cared for.”
Employees say he has quickly become part of the team. They even created a savings account to pay for his food and toys. Lionel now plays a dual role.
“It’s a win-win situation: the mouse plague seems to be resolved and it’s having a positive impact on the staff,”
the director concludes.
Izegem has had a formal policy to manage stray cats for several years. In April 2020, the city council approved a trap‑neuter‑release program in partnership with the Dierenasiel Regio Roeselare. Since May 2020, the city has worked with the shelter to sterilise, microchip, and rehome socialisable cats.
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