First, Lets Talk Reputation... Unfortunately the rat has one of the worst reputations one can have in the animal kingdom. However we have more in common with them than most people realize. Rats are smart, social, clean, and know how to take advantage of a good situation when they see one.     "Look, I'm a scary sewer rat! Grrrrrr...       I'm going to get you! Grrrrrr..." Let's take a closer look at some of the beliefs which surround this mischievous little animal... Rats Are Filthy: Rats are considered filthy animals because they live in filthy environments. Yet in reality, rats are more obsessed with grooming themselves than cats are. Cleanliness is a true priority to a rat, right down to that spot in between each of their little toes. Rats Are Vermin: Rats are the most adaptable and successful mammals on the planet - next to us. And like us, they are only trying to live their lives and be successful. We call them vermin because they eat our food and cause destruction to our property, but take a minute to consider the constant destruction we, as humans, cause to this planet each and every day. The pollution we create. Our unbelievable waste of food and natural resources. How can we turn our noses up at rats and label them vermin when we are guilty of the exact same crimes? Rats are Evil: Animals cannot be evil, not even rats. They are not capable of causing harm for simple pleasure. They do what they do out of instinct, which helps them to survive. Rats Are Infesting Our Cities: Rats live in our cities because we as a people have invited them to. Everyday we lay out a literal buffet of foods for them to enjoy, through our carelessly strewn garbage and waste. If the human race would like to rid itself of rats, we should stop exterminating them, and start being more responsible about our trash. Yet their numbers in our cities are not nearly as high as one would think. According to the book "Rats!" by Richard Conniff, the popular wisdom that there is one rat per person in the average city is a complete myth. He quotes, "In fact, the only good scientific study of rat populations in this country took place in 1949 and found one rat for every thirty-six people in New York City. Nobody ever cites these figures because, as one exterminator put it, "It doesn't hurt to have people thinking there are more rats out there than there really are."" Rats are Sneaky: Although rats are very intelligent, they are not capable of forming elaborate plots against us. They do not wish us harm. They don't stick to the walls and dark spaces because they are sneaky and out to get us, but because they are scared. Rats Infected Humans With the Plague: Many people believe that the plague, or Black Death, was spread to humans through the bites and scratches of rats. In truth, the plague was spread by the bite of the "rat flea". Rats were just unwitting hosts to these little parasites, unwillingly giving them carriage to spread their disease. And rats are not the only animal to carry these fleas; gerbils, guinea pigs, marmots, deer mice, and chipmunks also helped spread the plague in certain areas. Rats Wiped out More of Man Kind Than all of the Wars Put Together: We do not deny the fact that by rats carrying the fleas, they indirectly caused the death of millions of people. But what about the billions of people they have saved and continue to save everyday? Through their "volunteering" in the scientific community, billions of rats have, without choice, sacrificed their lives in endless experimentation which has resulted in numerous new drugs and medical techniques for humankind. Rats are Vicious: Rats can, of course, be ferocious - but only if they are cornered. Given half a chance, a rat will always choose to run away from a human being. According to the book "Rats!" by Richard Conniff, "Rats bite thousands of Americans a year. But dogs bite 3 MILLION of us each year, and their bite, unlike the rat's, carries a significant risk of rabies." Rats are Creepy: The media is constantly trying to portray rats as creepy and evil. Let's take movies, for instance. Think about it. Whatever the story is, if they are trying to create a scary or creepy atmosphere for you, they will always throw in a couple of rats. It's like a standard formula. Pay closer attention, and you will quickly pick up on this. We are constantly being bombarded with images of rats that have glowing red eyes, sharp pointy fangs, and a desperate lust for the taste of human flesh! The media has been responsible for ruining the reputation of many species of animals including wolves, bats, sharks, snakes, and more. The media's portrayal of these animals is complete distortion. For example, let's look at the movie Jaws. This movie is an absolutely outstanding piece of entertainment, but to believe that Jaws even comes close to an accurate portrayal of how a real great white shark acts, is absurd! Yet according to a documentary about Jaws, the "sport" of killing sharks increased 75% after that movie's release - and it wasn't just great whites being killed. All shark species suffered from that movie's backlash. Please keep in mind when enjoying any of our fictional entertainment, that that is exactly what it is, fictional - whether it's books, movies, TV, commercial ads, music, or even theater. If you would like to get the real facts about any animal species and their true nature, please research using the scientific and natural studies about them.