The Tree House Humane Society has come up with a solution to Chicago's rat problem.
Since 2012, the animal shelter has released 1,000 feral cats into the city's streets as part of its Cats at Work program.
After humanely capturing the feral kitties, Tree House spays and neuters the animals before releasing them back outside to serve as rodent control for the city.
Chicago has recently topped the list of "rattiest cities" in the U.S. six consecutive times.
"We've had a lot of our clients tell us that before they had cats, they would step outside their house, and rats would actually run across their feet," said Sarah Liss of Tree House.
According to the shelter's website, the rescue places a few neutered or spayed cats into residential and commercial settings that may be experiencing rat issues. The Cats at Work program only employs felines who cannot thrive in a home environment or cannot be reintegrated into their feral colonies.
After getting approved for a feral cat, businesses and property owners provide the cat with food, water, shelter, and wellness as the cat takes care of its rat problem.
"In most cases, our Cats at Work become beloved members of the family or team and some even have their own Instagram pages!" the website says.