Heavy Rain In Your Area Lately? You Might Want To Check Your Toilet - Here's Why

Imagine waking up in the middle of the night to a splashing sound in your restroom. You turn on the lights to find an Orwellian horror struggling to escape your toilet. This surreal occurrence, while unlikely, could actually happen to you one day. If you ever discover a toilet rat, just know that an Old Testament scourge has not been visited upon you. This phenomenon is connected to heavy rains, which push rats out of their usual homes in the sewers. 

The issue went mainstream in December of 2025 when the Seattle & King County public health department posted a warning on Facebook that rats were fighting to escape the toilets. The Emerald City responded with shock, fear, and disgust. "New nightmare unlocked," wrote one Facebook user. But before you laugh, be aware that these toilet rats may be coming to your city as well. Cities like Boston, New York, and Phoenix have also reported this wet, furry menace. The issue is often linked to older sewer systems that connect toilet pipes to stormwater drains, where rodents often live. In fact, other common household pests like possums, snakes, and frogs can sneak in through your toilet as well. 

If you hear a rat in the toilet, do not open the lid, because the more athletic ones can leap out. When a rat climbs up from the sewer through your toilet pipe, the best way to get rid of them is to send them back from whence they came. Simply hold down the lid and flush the toilet. Hopefully, that rat will take the ride of its life, and you'll have a good story to tell, but it doesn't always work out that way. The rat could put up a fight and manage to hang on to the inside of the bowl. It might also be dead, which you can test by poking it with a plunger, if you dare. In either case, you should lubricate the rat with some dish soap and send it on its way.

If you're an animal lover, maybe you don't want to give your new rat the big flush. In this case, you usually can't rely on animal control, which mostly deals with domestic animals in public spaces. You can try trapping your rat in a net or box, but be careful, as they carry all manner of disease, especially on their teeth. The rodent may escape your toilet, in which case you can get rid of the rat humanely with cage traps. If a rat does bite you, wash the wound with soap and warm water and go directly to the hospital. You should also look for other signs of a rat infestation, including large droppings and nests, in and around your home.