A Louisiana family has shared shocking footage of the unwanted guest they discovered hiding in their Christmas tree.
The holiday season may be about bringing people together but that concept ended up taking on a whole new meaning for Caitlyn Free and her family.
In a video uploaded to TikTok under the handle littlebluehouse_lbh, Free shared footage of the chaos that ensued after a rat emerged from underneath their Christmas tree.
Check out the shocking clip here.
@littlebluehouse_lbh We had a rat in our Christmas tree!!! Check those Christmas boxes, people!#goteminhisneck #rat #fyp #merrychristmas #clarkgiswald #griswaldfamilychristmas
♬ original sound - Caitlyn Free
Screams are audible on the video, while the family cat can be seen wrestling with the large rodent who is more than a match for their feline opponent.
Caitlyn and her partner Micheal are shown searching behind furniture and on the floor to try and find the rat, using an air rifle and a broom, respectively, to try and flush out their unwelcome visitor.
Free eventually succeeds in dealing with the rodent with the air rifle, though there was ultimately a sting in the tail.
According to Census Bureau data published in 2021, 14.8 million of the approximately 124 million occupied housing units reported seeing mice or rats in their home.
In this instance, Free reckoned the rat "came in with a Christmas box that came from the shop." Detailing the situation in a follow-up Facebook post, she said they "fought" the rat for two hours before eventually taking him out.
"We fought him earlier, had to leave, then came home and Micah [Michael] found it behind the fridge and it took off up the Christmas tree!!!" she wrote. "I have to add, it gave us a good laugh to look back at the video of Micah on the dresser and me on the ground shooting."
She wrote that she eventually put the rodent out of its misery as "it just looked me in the eyes one too many times and I decided to take over towards the end."
The video certainly proved popular, racking up over 5 million views and glut of comments from horrified viewers.
"Twas the night before Christmas, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse . . . ." one viewer joked. Another said: "I was going to get my Christmas tree out today... I don't think I'll bother," with a third writing: "You're so calm I'd be setting my house on fire."
Elsewhere, one viewer said it was "like a scene straight outta Disney."
Some were critical of Free's decision to kill the rat.
"I would be kind and set it free personally," one unhappy viewer wrote, with another commenting: "Mad but feel sorry for the rat."
Ultimately Free may have been left regretting her decision to shoot the rodent.
In a follow-up Tiktok video she was shown hooked up to an IV drip. Free once again elaborated on the situation on Facebook.
Here’s y’all part two of the rat shenanigans.I HAVE RAT BITE FEVER! I can not make this up. It’s from wiping up the blood off the walls with a small paper cut on my finger. Obviously I used a rag...
"I HAVE RAT BITE FEVER!I can not make this up," she wrote. "It's from wiping up the blood off the walls with a small paper cut on my finger. Obviously I used a rag but did not have gloves at 1:00 am."
Free added: "I have had crazy intense rigors and a crazy high fever. (I never run anything over 99) I had to get an IV of antibiotics and going home with 14 days of more."
Newsweek has contacted Free for comment.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Jack Beresford is a Newsweek Senior Internet Culture & Trends Reporter, based in London, UK. His focus is reporting on ... Read more
