Everyone should have a cat. Even more so now that plagues of rats are sneaking into our homes and creeping through letterboxes and toilets.
Wait, what?
Yes, I'm afraid you read correctly. According to pest control firm, Rentokil, there has been a 22 percent rise in call-outs to deal with rats in the past month.
It seems the rodents are 'so brave' and 'confident' that they will go on the hunt for food in broad daylight. Well, clambering through letterboxes and toilets seems like hard work - they're going to be starving.
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Pest controllers have even claimed that six out of ten rats they've come face to face with didn't even turn around and scarper - some just stood and eyeballed their potential captors.
A spokesman for Rentokil told The Sun: "Data released today by Rentokil Pest Control shows a 22 percent increase in rat enquiries compared to the average over the past six years.
"Six in 10 of the 121 technicians we asked said they believed the lockdown period from March-June had caused rodents to become more confident, with rats entering homes through toilets and letterboxes."
They added: "Rats have also increasingly been seen in broad daylight, despite being nocturnal creatures.
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"This suggests businesses generating less waste during the lockdown period in the first half of this year, combined with larger nest sizes, has forced rodents to search for food during the day.
"The increase in enquiries could be attributed in part to the mild winter experienced last year, which may have extended the rodent breeding season.
"This could also mean that a larger population of rats will be heading indoors as the weather cools, to search for food, water and safe harbourage."
Great.
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Still, this seems as good a time as any to remind you that not all rats are bad - even if they're nibbling their way through your breadbin.
In fact there's a hero landmine detection rat that's been awarded a medal for 'lifesaving bravery'.
Magawa is an African Giant Pouched Rat. He loves watermelon and walks along the ground detecting landmines. What's more, he's been on the job for seven years.
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Since the 1970s, it's estimated four to six million landmines were laid in Cambodia, with around three million of those still unfound. These hidden mines have caused 64,000 casualties - and it's in this area that Magawa lives and works.
Despite being bigger than your average pet rat, Magawa is still light enough that he would never set off a landmine by walking over it.
Magawa has discovered 39 landmines and 28 items of unexploded ordnance to date, making him the charity's most successful HeroRAT and a more than worthy candidate for the PDSA Gold Medal.
Topics: UK News, Community, Animals