Introduction... Rats. The word itself conjures up feelings of fear and loathing. Very few animals have been more vilified than the rat. When most people think about rats, they envision the standard image of a New York sewer rat caked with filth, a harbinger of disease with beady red eyes and sharp little teeth, looking for just the right way to terrorize their next human victim. Eww, it gives you the willies just thinking about it. Unfortunately, this is the most common perception of the rat. Rats are very misunderstood creatures in human society. With this section of RattyRat, we hope to shed a little light on the subject and open your mind up to new ideas and possibilities. If you are a true animal lover, you will really be missing out on something special if you never consider having rats in your home. They encompass all of what is good about having animals as companions.