Imagine waking up to a rat staring back at you from your toilet bowl—a scenario so absurd it sounds like something out of a horror-comedy. But this isn’t fiction; it’s the premise of a recent government PSA that sent social media into a tailspin. And this is the part most people miss: while the internet laughed, the advice wasn’t entirely off the mark. Let’s dive into the bizarre yet oddly practical guidance that left everyone both amused and slightly unsettled.
A quirky cartoon from Public Health — Seattle & King County took the internet by storm, offering a step-by-step guide on what to do if a rat climbs up from flooded sewers into your toilet. The post, dripping with deadpan humor, starts with a cartoon of a rat peeking out of a toilet bowl at a visibly shocked woman. ‘Try to stay calm,’ it advises, acknowledging that ‘that might not be easy under the circumstances.’ The solution? ‘Close the lid and flush,’ trapping the unwelcome visitor beneath it. But here’s where it gets controversial: if flushing doesn’t work, the PSA suggests grabbing dish soap—‘your new best friend’—to help the rat slide down the drain. ‘It may take many flushes,’ it warns. ‘Back to the sewer, rat!’
The post didn’t stop there. If all else fails, residents are advised to call an exterminator or set a trap. But the internet wasn’t having it. The PSA went viral not just for its practicality but for its sheer absurdity, becoming a goldmine for memes and jokes. ‘Never been happier to be septic!’ one commenter quipped, while another joked, ‘Talk to the rat first. It could be from NIMH and just trying to help Mrs. Frisby,’ referencing the classic children’s novel. Others couldn’t resist poking fun at the soap suggestion: ‘Now the rat smells like Dawn and is fluffy. Do I give it conditioner?’
But here’s where it gets controversial: While many laughed it off, the scenario isn’t as far-fetched as it seems. Rats are attracted to the smell of food and grease in sewage, and old plumbing or high water levels in sewers can indeed carry them into homes. So, is this PSA a hilarious overreaction or a practical warning? And more importantly, would you really try to flush a rat—or would you just burn the house down and start over? Let us know in the comments!
