THE Year of the Rat is dawning auspiciously for Vietnam's rodent population - so long as they can keep out of the cook's pot.
Both urban rat and rural field mice numbers are reportedly rising as cross-border trade in cat meat booms.
Prices for black cats have reached US$15 (HK$116) as Lunar New Year demand soars. Even the most motley tabby - so long as it is young and lean - can fetch up to US$8.
The surge in popularity has seen Hanoi cat owners cage pets over Tet amid reports that one man lost seven animals in recent weeks - although restaurateurs insist they know their suppliers and their cats are bred specially.
As field mice numbers rise in the Long An province rice bowl, more than 15,000 people have taken to the paddies to save the harvest, culling an estimated 500,000 mice.
Chefs in Long An and An Giang near the Cambodian border have created nearly a dozen dishes using freshly trapped rodents, with one menu boasting 'mouse a la dog'.
