A brief look into my adoration of rats.

Rats. Most people think of rats as filthy flea covered mammals, something to be avoided. They believe rats are an average part of human life, nothing special, nothing interesting.These people are wrong, the Rattus norvegicus domestica (Commonly known as a "Fancy Rat") are extremely intelligent, clean, affectionate, and one of most extraordinary mammals we have.

This breed of rats are a very clean species, possibly even more than dogs! This is due to their very throughout grooming of themselves, cleaning up multiple times a day. They do this by rubbing their front paws on their face, then licking and rubbing the rest of their body, even grooming around their tail. They also enjoy being brushed and pet by humans to keep clean and to get love.

They are also highly intelligent! In fact, they are considered some of the most intelligent animals on the planet? They can do tricks like a dog, but they excel at problem solving, even moreso than the average pet! They're also emotionally intelligent, being comforting to other organisms in times of need. They even have empathy, and when put in an experiement where if one rat gets harmed the other gets fod, they chose the other rats comfort most of the time!

Finally, they are quite affectionate. They are very social and need to have multiple other fellow rats with them, lest they get lonely or even deppressed. They also treat humans like pack mates, grooming them as they would a rat! They can be just as, if not more affectionate as any other pet.

You may be wondering, why do I care about these small rodents? The answer is quite simple. They're almost magical to me. I love the way they show love, the way they clean themselves, the way they show empathy, and their intelligence. They're wonderful creatures that are woefully mistaken by the world as gross or unlovable. I care for them deeply, and I want others to see rats the way I do. As the awe inspiring mammals they are.