what happened in the world?

The other day I was looking idly at my site stats (something I love to do far too much. I spend more time checking that then I do actually writing here, which is truly wrong, but yet I cannot stop myself), and I noticed that there were quite a few people all across Europe who were simultaneously on my site because they'd run a Google search for the word "rat." This has been persisting, and I'm wondering: what the hell happened in the world to cause American and Europeans to suddenly start googling "rat" like fiends?

For example, at one point in time on Friday, people from the following places were all looking at my blog at the same time as a result of desperately seeking information on rats:

Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India
Tranbjerg, Arhus, Denmark
Abingdon, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom
Duluth, Georgia, United States
Beauport, Quebec, Canada
Kent, Washington, United States
Atlanta, Georgia, United State
Great Neck, New York, United States
Littleton, Colorado, United States
Kingston, Ontario, Canada

Meanwhile someone from Cos Cob had googled "rat + cartoons."

Then today simultaneously we have "rat" googlers in the following spots:
Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Slough, Slough, United Kingdom
Slough, Slough, United Kingdom (2 separate IP addresses; we get a lot of readers from Slough, which is extra delightful because I'm a fan of the BBC's original,"The Office." A prize for any reader who sends me a picture of someone holding a sign referring to "www.drunkenhousewife.com" standing by a Slough sign!!)
Basildon, Thurrock, United Kingdom
Granite Bay, California, United States

as well as someone seeking "tattoo of a rat" in Oak Forest, Illinois (by the by, I used to want to get the Ravenswood winery logo tattooed on my stomach, but with rats instead of ravens, and their tails would be entwined around my navel, but then I got pregnant and my stomach just hasn't been the same since, and I don't particularly feel like featuring it prominently).

and, for a change of pace, someone in Reading, U.K. is searching for "singing milk carton I will always love you." Oh, love, isn't it grand? Dear milk carton lover in Reading, I wish you much happiness with the chosen object of your affections.

So anyway, why have so many people's minds turned to gathering information upon rats? Is there a plague of rat zombies or more positively, a news story about the wonders of pet rats? Feel free to ask your rat-related questions here, by the way. The Drunken Housewife lives to serve (but don't expect rapid and courteous service. You'll need to settle for lazy, possibly sarcastic service).