Rats

[RobNorth]

Why is it that nobody ever saw a small rat? Or even an average one? they are inevitably "huge" or "the size of a cat"

[-SharonA-]

The ones I've seen were huge!! I can remember once walking along and a rat jumped out from a garden Bush and it was as big as a small cat. I ran off screaming!!
My friend was viewing an empty house, she was downstairs and heard somebody upstairs who began to come downstairs. She went to see who it was, it was a rat plonking down the stairs.

[Jahulaye]

I think fear amplifys our senses so our brains see the object of fear as “ the biggest one I’ve ever seen”

Spiders, rats and pigeons are prime examples.

[EDDIE51]

They are a LOT bigger than a mouse. The size of a cat is about right.
Baby rats do not leave the nest.

[Jahulaye]

“so our brains see the object of fear as “ the biggest one I’ve ever seen”

In order for you to hit foot it away from the “dangerous” situation”

[Jahulaye]

Hotfoot even.

[EDDIE51]

"In our study that surveyed over a hundred brown rats from all over the UK, the maximum body length of fully-grown rodenticide 'super rats' was 26 cm (10.3 inches) with a tail length of 25 cm (9.8 inches)," says Clarke.8 Apr 2016
So over 20 inches (50 cm ) including the tail . Thats bigger than a small dog never mind a cat.

[Jahulaye]

Well if you include the tail of course it will sound like a monster. They should have the measurements of nose to tail beginning and girth so it would be easier to gauge the rats dimensions.

[Chipchopper]

I expect some folk like to exaggerate, just to get their point across.
I've seen 'em in all shapes and sizes, I did once measure and photo a dead one, which was 16 inches from tip to tail.

[ummmm]

Can people really tell the difference between a rat and a mouse? In my experience they leg it if they see a human.

[anthro-nerd]

I've seen a small rat, if that helps :-)
The ones by the river where HUGE and arguably larger than a cat though... hehe

[ducksie]

I've seen mice and although I'm terrified of them, I can tell the difference, they run like the wheels of hell if they know they have been copped but when I see a rat in town or on the road up to the cemetery they look at me as if I've interrupted them, they make me sick and they are massive in my eyes

[Jahulaye]

I wonder whether most people that see giant rats and giant spiders are mainly fishermen who exaggerate their catches that got away

“it was this big” lol

[Prudie]

I never quite fathom why people are so horrified if they see a rat in their garden - why are they so different from seeing a stoat, weasel, hedgehog etc?

[ummmm]

I think we must have had mice get in here then. The cat sorted them out.

[ummmm]

Prudie....I think it's because they get in the house.

[Cloverjo]

I've seen rats in a zoo-type place. It kept a swarm of them in a big, darkened glass home. They were small, but still sick-making. I'm with ducksie.

I'd rather have a million spiders crawl over me than be in the same room as a rat, of any size.

[ducksie]

I'd hate to see a rat in my garden or a grey squirrel, to me they're vermin and sickening, I don't like mice either as I said above but oh I love a hedgehog, to see a rat I think if there's one there's a dose of them somewhere hiding away or waiting to be fed, that's why I hate seeing them,
Ummmm, my neighbours cat once brought me a gift of a mouse, I have told her (as if she understands me) I don't mind feeding her but don't want any gifts,she's a great mouser and too good of a bird catcher too, I have to watch her with the birds at the feeder

[Jahulaye]

I’d run for the hills if I saw a stoat or weasel as the folirst thing I’d think is “eek, a giant rat, come to think of it maybe that’s what people have seen when they say they’ve seen a cat/dog sized rat.

[ummmm]

I don't even know what a stoat or weasel looks like.

[ducksie]

something like ferrets ummmm
https://www.google.ie/search?q=images+of+stoats+and+weasels&;rlz=1CAACAJ_enIE683IE683&tbm=isch&;tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&;ved=0ahUKEwjMkNK3m7nZAhVEQMAKHZxsBQoQsAQIKA&biw=1315&bih=599