I've seen rats scampering around coffee shops and hawker centres at night.

I've seen them running in and out of rubbish dumps, startled by the sound of human footfall.

I've even seen rats in broad daylight eating kibbles and drinking water from a bowl left out for community cats -- that were just three feet away and didn't give a hoot.

In the last several months, there appears to have been an increase in the number of rats in quite a few estates I frequent: Tanjong Pagar, Sengkang, Hougang and Jalan Besar.

I've also seen countless squashed rats on the road that have become roadkill after an obviously unsuccessful excursion.

And there definitely has been an attempt to control their population by poisoning them because I do see full intact rats lying dead and bloated on grass patches or on walkways.

I've even almost stepped on a few while jogging at night. One rat in particular appeared to be suicidal. Or attracted to motion. I stopped jogging in time because I could see and hear a rat panicking nearby. And then we crossed paths. Even though I was no longer moving, it ran across my foot. I could feel its tiny, furry paws even though I was wearing shoes.

I've even pondered this question: In the event I do step on a live rat that happened to fall under my foot, should I make sure I step on it thoroughly to put it out of its misery? And is it considered poor form if I left it struggling?

Should I even wash my shoe after that? Or set it on fire?

Thankfully, I am not becoming the Piped Piper as it appears I am not the only one who has seen an increase in rats in housing estates.

Here's proof:

Have you also been confronted with an excess of rats in your estate as well? Is there an infestation? Do you have photos?

Send them to [email protected] if you do.

All photos via Ryan Keith Smith Facebook

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