Have you heard tales of rats getting bigger and meaner these days? As we began doing our "Rat Patrol" story to find where there are rat problems around the metro area, people told me they've heard stories about rats getting bigger and meaner these days. They supposed to be as big as cats and so bold and mean that they refuse to back down from a fight. As if rats weren't creepy enough, people are spreading rumors about giant post-apocalyptic rodents having 'roid rages, taking over the alleys and spreading the bubonic plague (again).

Some people have a favorable view of rats. Frank, Dean and Sammy were members of the "Rat Pack" and they were pretty cool. I saw a pickup on I-44 recently that had a license plate that said, "Rat Cat." I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing, but they seemed proud to have the word "rat" on their truck. A former co-worker told me she was looking for a pet for her daughters who have pet allergies, and after a little research determined a rat would make the perfect pet.

If rats don't creep you out, what is it that makes you jump up on a chair or turn and run? Is it spiders or snakes or clowns? Let me know.

By the way, the experts say rats are the same today as they've always been. If you find some living near a grain elevator and gorging themselves all night, you might be able to find some super-sized Willards. Pest control workers from several companies told similar creepy stories about customers who called about a rat in their basement but couldn't figure out how it got there. The experts knew. Rats are very good swimmers and these had taken a swim through the sewer lines and climbed out of basement toilets. That's the kind of thing that makes me lose sleep at night. How about you?