Only if your cat ate a part of it. That makes it "food waste" rather than "food".

Seriously? Were this anywhere else, I'd say "no". Anybody familiar with composting will tell you that adding large chunks of meat, of any sort, to a compost pile is a Bad Idea. Of course, with Portland turning into the western office for the International House of Cupcakes, I imagine that the hipsters will plotz if you disposed of it in any form other than the green bin, up to and including a Viking funeral.

That said, what I'd do with it? I'd do what a good friend has been doing with her squirrels. They were causing so much damage to her attic that she had no choice but to shoot the little monsters with a BB gun. She then threw the corpses atop her roof so the local crows would take care of the issue. The immediate benefit was that the crows are now so fond of her and her regular buffets that they're now an alarm service. Anybody but her goes into her back yard, and they let everybody know about it.

Green Bin but store it in the freezer and put it out in the bin on pick up day.

Looks like time for your very own rat summit.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-rat-summit-another-day-in-the-sun-for-citys-rodents/2012/02/07/gIQAGOCSzQ_story.html

It's "organic" material is it not?

"Do we throw the dead rat in the green bin?"

I'd mail it to City Hall and ask for guidance. Heck, it may have relatives working, erm, residing there.

Wondering if Jack's rat came from underground Columbia water source?!!! Does it glow in the dark Jack? I think that would determine where I would place it!

Shouldn't you throw it in your closest storm drain so the water department can worry about it? That way, at least all the rats will be in one place.

Stick the head on a post in your front yard next to the compost bin, as a warning to all other rats who would dare enter your property un-invited. This method also works well as a deterent to bothersome salespeople, if you should ever happen to stumble upon a dead door to door solicitor.

Well Jack, if you don't want to put in in your "Yard Debris ONLY" can...you can bury it in the flower bed...IF:

You need a license from ODF & W, a hazardous waste permit and an environmental impact study first. We recommend embalming while you take care of these details.

I do think it would be a hoot if someone (preferably a lawyer) marched into Salem's Oregon Dept. of Fish & Wildlife and asked for guidance on how to dispose of an unidentified wildlife rodent carcass found on private property!

Be sure to You tube it.

I have been upset that our Multnomah County Health Department has gone along with this plan. Perhaps a stack of rats at their doorstep might get their attention.

All kidding aside it is a potential health hazard, and we are suppose to deposit them in the trash, sealed in a double plastic garbage sack - I use a couple of old plastic grocery bags - Ha, Ha - but "handle" with care.

I second Steve's idea - mail it to Sam Adams along with a note letting him know what you think of him.

From Multnomah County Vector Control:

"What should I do with a dead rat?
Triple bag the rat and contact garbage hauler for retrieval instructions. Clean area with a 10 percent bleach water solution and wash hands after handling rat, even if you wore gloves." http://web.multco.us/health/rats

Ick, just ick. I'm sure the coyote will take care of it if you don't.

First thing first and that to bake it in the oven until it reaches 165 degrees as prescribed by the USDA and Betty Crocker.

But make certain its covered as by now it might explode.

Soon you'll just be able to take the smelly things to the People's Gas Palace:

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2012/03/mayor_sam_adams_weighs_using_r.html

"Portland Mayor Sam Adams is proposing to use money from garbage and sewer ratepayers to help build a $55 million plant that would turn food waste into electricity."

"... the city would backstop a private loan to the company, offering what's called credit enhancement that could require the city to kick in as much as $900,000 a year for up to 20 years."

"Until his retirement in July, Rust was an 18-year city employee and Portland's top financial manager, making $183,000 a year."

"Records show Rust met with or called city officials on 15 occasions from October to December. When the auditor's office wrote to Columbia Biogas to remind the company of the rules, company officials responded that the code did not apply to Rust."

Baby, this story has everything -- green jobs, revolving-door insiders, wishful financing, smug attitudes, and long-term decision-making driven wholly by one-off Federal incentives.

I think the O has presented what may very well be the ultimate distillation of the Portland Way. Maybe this is why they went with the new trash policy in the first place.

Note the gob of food waste the haulers left at the bottom of my old green bin is likely still there. Last I checked, they could not dislodge it even by shaking the lifter.

You want energy? I couldn't get that lump to the gas palace, but perhaps the stuff will burn the septic odors and an eternal, sickly-green flame.

"I'm leaving it as I found it. Take over. It's yours."

A rat's one thing, but a raccoon got a couple of my chickens and I was in a quandary about how to dispose of it (I;m not gonna be burying chickens all over my yard). I ended up double bagging them in plastic and throwing them in the regular garbage.

As for the chickens, this is normal. It's normal for cats and other small animals as well. It's about the same as tossing out any spoiled food.

No one worries about tossing out old hamburger.