Noises in kitchen, absolutely shitting myself

[Kidulthood2027]

First of all, I have a huge phobia of rats. To the point I can’t function if there is one nearby. I have fainted before when seeing one as a teenager.

anyway, partner is currently out with a mate and won’t be home for a few hours. I cooked my dinner and left his portion on the kitchen counter next to microwave for him to warm up when he gets in, as I’ll likely have gone to bed by then. Went back into living room and put TV on not thinking anything of it, door to kitchen slightly ajar. I can now hear rustling noises. Really weird, the dryer and washer aren’t on and I can’t think of anything else that would explain the noise. It’s really loud though, like something has taken food from the plate and is dragging it along the kitchen floor/kitchen counter, I’m genuinely terrified and physically can’t move from the sofa to go and look. The kitchen counters are raised a few inches from the floor so would be easy for rats to be under there. I’m really frightened so please talk to me until partner gets home as I genuinely am stuck to the sofa with fear.

Turns out it was a man eating rat. Dontcha just hate it when the OP can’t come back.

I was woken up in the middle of the night once by the sound of a cat on the kitchen bench (cat owners know the tell tale rattle). Roused at my cat and rolled over. Rattle still happening so get up and shoo the white cat off the bench. Go back to bed and can't settle. Then it hits me - my cat is black LOL it was an interloper and getting it out was a comedy routine. I had huge open plan kitchen, living, dining. Opened front and back doors and proceeded to chase cat around indoors. Luckily dog didn't join in. Eventually shoved it out a window with the broom as it was climbing up the blinds. It must have been watching my cat as the cat door was hidden by a cupboard and it took my cat a couple of years to find it.

Don't leave food out you attract vermin doing this. If its too warm to put in the fridge put it in the microwave

But I did see a vid before on tiktok of a rat in a fried chicken shop. Helping itself to some fried chicken in one of those things that keeps food warm. It can't have been that warm for a rodent so go in.🤢🤮

Water in a spray bottle usually works. Just enough to scare them off.

They also spread the Plague and contributed to thousands of people dying

@pinklepea

www.history.com/news/rats-didnt-spread-the-black-death-it-was-humans#

Fair enough! Im always open to learning. I might be wrong there but can't say rats are lovely clean animals. This is what they still teach in schools though that the fleas on the rats are what spread the disease.

Pretty sure OP is just going to leave us hanging.
Oh well

Hope you are OK OP and rattus or cattus is long gone

I also need to know what it was! I would also shit myself if it was a rat. I also hate cats tbh.

I will definitely think twice about opening my kitchen window ever again now.

Roland or garfield?

Arghhhh my cats keep bringing rats in from the farm and just let them go in the house then I have to catch them and put them out. Those buggers are fierce.

😧!

You have hero status in my eyes!!

Bloody hell, I've only had one rat and it was dead. I'm pretty sure it was dead when the cat brought it in because he's an idiot and we'd had floods and apparently there were dead rats everywhere 🤢

He did bring a few baby birds in last year alive which is another reason I don't think he managed to kill a bloody rat

Once, I was convinced we had a rat infestation. I stood outside the back door looking in (with the door closed). I couldn't see anything. Eventually I went in and stood beside the fridge. It was making loud scratching noises. It does that frequently now.

We've had mouse infestations, and while they're disgusting, I only have a full-on phobia of rats. When I see one I feel like the blood is draining from my legs.

I'm going to London in a few weeks and will avoid the Tube. I hate seeing them running up and down the tracks. I feel sick now writing this...

Any update? You have left us hanging OP

You need to get a cat OP!

I’m as scared of rats as you are, I once had a panic attack so bad I fainted when I saw one at a petrol station when washing my car.

I live in a big shared house made into flats where people were feeding the birds so we had rats. I was so scared that I refused to go into the garden or put the recycling out.

My partner had used some brown parcel tape and rolled it into a ball and chucked it in the waste paper bin in our bedroom.
It started to come unstuck making a rustling noise when he was at work and I thought it was a rat, I called him unable to breathe in absolute hysterics. He couldn’t finish work so I booked a taxi, begged the driver to investigate then paid him well when we realised it was a false alarm! I’m sure this is a job he’s never forgotten with me gibbering in terror and dragging him to my bedroom begging “please please catch it!” 😂

We now have a sadistic little cat who would murder any rodents, he tries to bring them to us as presents but luckily makes a certain noise when he has his catch of the day so I know not to look. My partner said he once saw him running round with a rat the size of a kitten hanging from his mouth, apparently he then decided to eat it and sucked up its tail like spaghetti. I’m very glad I didn’t witness that!

I trained him by putting treats in any suspected entry points to leave his scent there. We did hear some biting and rustling after coming back from holiday last year, it made me think he’d gone on strike with no one to present his catch of the day to, but I redid his “training” and (so far) there has been no evidence of any rodents over the whole property and grounds.

If you want peace of mind get a little killing machine, DO NOT get a cat flap or you might not like the “presents” being dragged through it.

One regret I've had for years is not hearing the phone ring when it was my cousin who is terrified of spiders. She wanted someone to go to her house and get rid of a spider. Apparently she was in terror for hours.

Read the whole thread and OP didn’t come back 😂

Who would be terrified of vermin but then leave food out and the window open?

Hoping OP comes back today to update. I would say cat or fox. Just don't think a rat would make so much noise. Have experience unfortunately.

I am so sorry for all of you with rat phobias as I find them so cute. Getting a cat is a great idea for deterrence and early warning system if one does get in.

OK so I think there are two options.

It was a cat and the OP and partner are now asleep.

Or it was a rat so they are in the process of burning the place down and leaving the country.

OP please update.

Op I need to know.

I reckon option 2!

The OP would've updated if option 1