Mutant super-rats the size of cats and immune to poison invade Liverpool

Mutant super-rats which are immune to poison are making their home in Liverpool. Pest controllers working in the city say some disease-carrying rodents are the size of small cats and are becoming resistant to the bait used to kill them.

Sean Whelan, of Whelan Pest Prevention, said: “All around Merseyside there’s been a problem. We’re seeing bigger rats in Liverpool. They’re super-rats in my opinion.” Rat-catchers say the rodents are gorging themselves on food left in bins near take-away, restaurants and houses.



Sean added: “Access to food is so easy for them. They’re like humans, they eat and eat and get bigger and bigger.” Neil Trimnell, who runs Liverpool-based Pestforce, said: “They do seem to be getting bigger over the last 18 months. They’re eating more food and different types of food, particularly fast food waste.”

In the 1960s and 70s rat poison was based on blood-thinning drug warfarin. Now rat-catchers use a rodent killer made from bromadiolone but Sean says neither of these are working on some rats. Pest controllers are now looking at using stronger types of poison which would require the permission of the Health and Safety Executive.