Don’t Fall Prey to These Rat Myths!

Rats are found all around the world. You can spot them in an alley, under a patio, or even inside of your home. Naturally, we want to avoid the latter. The problem is that there is so much misinformation out there concerning these nasty rodents. If you want to prevent them from taking up residence inside of your home, then it’s important that we bust some of these myths.

Myth #1: Soda Kills Rats

The myth is that rats will die if they ingest soda because of their inability to burp. This is simply not true. There is not enough carbonation to affect a rat. If you place soda out for rats to drink, then you will actually attract more of these rodents into your home! Another part of this myth states that caffeine in the soda will kill the rat. While caffeine is definitely harmful to rats, they would have to ingest a 12 ounce can of soda in order to experience any negative side-effects from caffeine.

Myth #2: Rats are Hostile

Rats are rarely going to be aggressive. Unless you provoke a rat, it’s going to run away from you. Rats will only fight each other for control over a food source. They will not attack a human unless they have no other choice. Don’t be too afraid of rats that you cannot bring yourself to take action against them. The real danger from rats comes from them contaminating your home. Not from them attacking you.

Myth #3: Rats Cause Disease

Rats are carriers for diseases but they don’t directly cause them. That’s why people can have them as pets and be perfectly healthy. What they will do is spread feces around your home which contains bacteria. This bacterium can lead to sickness. It’s really not that much different than any other rodent. Another issue with rat infestations comes from fleas, which can cause disease. In fact, fleas were responsible for the Bubonic plague!

Myth #4: Rats Will Eat Anything

I honestly don’t understand how some of these myths gain any traction. Rats are not a garbage disposal and they most certainly will not eat anything. In fact, they are downright picky about their food! They have preferences and will stick to them! Rats eat grains, seed, fruits, and vegetables. They will also eat smaller animals.

Myth #5: If you Have a Cat, You will Not Have a Rat Problem

Okay so this myth is one of the most common ones out there. Yes, cats are a natural predator of mice but most domestic cats have no reason to chase after a rat. In fact, wild rats will put up too much of a fight for domesticated cats. They also hide in spots that cats cannot reach. You can still have a rodent infestation even if you own a houseful of cats!

Understanding the facts behind rat infestations will help you prevent them. If you do spot a potential rat infestation, then you should take proactive steps to eliminate the problem. Rats can damage your home and contaminate food sources.