Rats the size of cats or perhaps bigger were spotted by residents of Grassy Key, Florida recently prompting authorities to re-start attempts to eradicate the rodent population.

The rats are called Gambian rats and their presence is particularly troubling given that the gray-brown rat is the world's largest, and can weigh as much as 9 pounds.

"We thought we had them whipped as of 2009," Scott Hardin, exotic-species coordinator for Florida's Fish and Wildlife Conservation told local paper KeysNet.

"In the early part of 2011, a resident e-mailed me and said he saw one of the rats. We were skeptical but went back and talked to people and [saw] there were rats that we missed."

Hardin told the paper trapping efforts began in May 2011 and that they continue to survey the area for more rats.

The rats are most active at night to date these rats have only been spotted on Grassy Key.

The Gambian rats are originally from Africa. Six or 7 animals were released on Grassy Key by a breeder in 2000-2002 according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

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