Are Rats Dangerous? What Every Resident Should Know

Rats have a reputation that runs ahead of the facts. Some of it is deserved and some is not. Knowing which is which helps you decide how quickly to act and what to do in the meantime.

Illness: the Main Concern

Rats carry organisms that can cause illness in people. The one usually named is leptospirosis, which in its severe form is known as Weil's disease. It is uncommon, but it is a real risk, and it spreads through contact with rat urine, particularly through cuts and grazes, or through water or soil that urine has contaminated.

Rats can also carry bacteria such as salmonella, which can reach people through food or surfaces that droppings and urine have touched. Kitchens, food cupboards and anywhere pet food is stored are the places to think about first.

If you become unwell after contact with rats, their droppings or water they may have contaminated, speak to your GP or a pharmacist and mention the contact. Flu-like symptoms after that kind of exposure are worth taking seriously.

Damage to the Property

Rats gnaw constantly because their front teeth keep growing, and they do not choose their targets with much care.

• Electrical cables. Chewed sheathing can expose wires and create a fire risk, particularly in lofts, under floors and behind appliances.
• Water and waste pipes. Plastic pipework can be gnawed through, leading to leaks that may go unnoticed under a floor.
• Insulation. Nesting compresses and soils it, so it stops doing its job.
• Timber, doors and skirting. Gnawed edges and enlarged gaps, which in turn let more in.
• Stored belongings. Anything in cardboard in a loft, garage or shed can be shredded for nesting and soiled.

Do Rats Bite?

Rarely, and almost never unprovoked. A rat will usually run rather than confront a person. The risk rises when one is cornered, trapped or handled, which is one good reason not to try to catch or move a rat by hand. If you are bitten or scratched, clean the wound thoroughly and speak to your GP or a pharmacist.

Pets and Rats

Dogs and cats may chase, catch or be bitten by rats, and dogs in particular can pick up infections from water or ground that rats have used. Speak to your vet about any concerns, including whether vaccination is appropriate for your dog. If you use rodenticide yourself, keep it in a locked box your pets cannot open, and speak to your vet straight away if you think a pet has eaten any.

Before any professional treatment, we tell you what is being used, where it will go, when rooms can be used again and what to do with pets, and we ask you to follow those instructions. Our post on pets and family around treatment covers this in more detail.

Practical Precautions While You Have Rats

• Store food in sealed containers and throw away anything that has been gnawed or soiled.
• Wipe worktops and food surfaces with a household disinfectant before use.
• Cover cuts and grazes before gardening or working in a loft, shed or garage with activity.
• Wear gloves when handling anything rats may have been in contact with.
• Keep children and pets away from droppings, burrows and any bait you have put down.
• Avoid touching standing water in gardens or outbuildings where rats are active.

Why Acting Early Matters

The risks above grow with the size of the problem and the time it has had. A few rats in a garden are a smaller risk than a population living in a wall or loft, contaminating more surfaces and chewing more cable as time passes. It is not a problem that improves by itself.

If you are not sure whether you have rats, the signs of rats post explains what to look for. Our rat control service is £260 with no call-out fee, and the rat control cost guide explains what it includes. Every treatment is guaranteed: if the problem comes back within 14 days of treatment, we return and re-treat free of charge. For mice, which carry similar concerns, see the dangers of mice in your home.

The danger is real but manageable: keep your hands off, keep food sealed, and deal with it early.