[Blitz.]

I absolutely adore rats, I used to own one myself before she died. :c I wish they lived longer, but she was an amazing little rat.

But personally, I actually see more love than hate for rats on CS overall- except like you have said- in the trading system, but also real life. c: Outside of the internet they spook out most of the adults, but anyone around my age or younger enjoyed the rats quite a bit- at least, the ones that I had. (Me and my little brother both had one, Penelope and Daisy.) qvq

I believe most people associate them as being gross just because of the past- which hopefully most of them will just figure out that they are not harmful. vuv But also in cartoons, icons, and other related media they relate them the same way, as nasty little rodents- which gives a lot of people the assumption that they are bad. (But of course, I don't think they are bad.)
But also, I don't think humans are bad, stupid, or disgusting either... (Or well, at least not all of us) ;v; I believe neither us or rats are gross.

Sorry if I said something someone else has- I didn't read all of the comments cause there were a lot. OTL This is just my opinion on the matter. xD

I adore the art, love the message, the rat is absolutely adorable. ^v^ His expression is priceless. qvq

[Syra]

I have two reasons why rats creep me out:

#1- When I was in Kindergarten, we lived in a house that was forever after referred to as "the rat house" because there was a three foot long (tail included, mind you) rat who ate a lot of our food and also ate two of my cat's kittens.

#2- My aunt had two pet rats and they had a litter of babies. I wanted to see if pet rats were as bad as the wild ones, so I wanted to play with them. My aunt said that it was fine as long as I made sure they didn't escape and always closed the cage. I also wasn't allowed to play with the babies as they were too young. When half of the babies went missing, my aunt accused me of letting them loose and wouldn't let me near them or even really talk to me. A few days later she found me and apologized to me, saying she knew I hadn't done it because she had seen the mother eating one of the remaining babies while the father ran around with the head of another in his mouth.

Now then, by this I am not trying to spread rat hatred by any means, I still think rats are pretty cool, these are just the reasons that I have for why rats sometimes make me shiver or jump. I don't believe that rats have ever excited disgust in me, only fear and sorrow. When looking at what happened I am able to think about how my friend's dog once ate a kitten and about how a cat would eat her own babies if she felt their lives where already as good as lost, they are just acting on their instincts. I try not to just jump to my fears, but reasons like these still exist for me, and other people, to have bad connotations for rats. It is not always easy to think before reacting to something, and the understanding needs to go both ways: Rats are not terrible, and people who are afraid of them or disgusted by them do not always mean to do it simply to be mean to the species.

All of that said, I do not approve, even in the slightest, of people who hoard rats, spiders, or bats, here on CS into hate groups labeled like "Ewwww," "Pests," ect. I also laughed when I saw the picture. The expression is just perfect and it is an amusing, if not quite polite, come-back.

[.Amber.]

I have two reasons why rats creep me out:

#1- When I was in Kindergarten, we lived in a house that was forever after referred to as "the rat house" because there was a three foot long (tail included, mind you) rat who ate a lot of our food and also ate two of my cat's kittens.

Ok well thats not true, rats would not eat kittens, what so ever.

#2- My aunt had two pet rats and they had a litter of babies. I wanted to see if pet rats were as bad as the wild ones, so I wanted to play with them. My aunt said that it was fine as long as I made sure they didn't escape and always closed the cage. I also wasn't allowed to play with the babies as they were too young. When half of the babies went missing, my aunt accused me of letting them loose and wouldn't let me near them or even really talk to me. A few days later she found me and apologized to me, saying she knew I hadn't done it because she had seen the mother eating one of the remaining babies while the father ran around with the head of another in his mouth.

cats and dogs sometimes do that too, do you hate them?

Now then, by this I am not trying to spread rat hatred by any means, I still think rats are pretty cool, these are just the reasons that I have for why rats sometimes make me shiver or jump. I don't believe that rats have ever excited disgust in me, only fear and sorrow. When looking at what happened I am able to think about how my friend's dog once ate a kitten and about how a cat would eat her own babies if she felt their lives where already as good as lost, they are just acting on their instincts. I try not to just jump to my fears, but reasons like these still exist for me, and other people, to have bad connotations for rats. It is not always easy to think before reacting to something, and the understanding needs to go both ways: Rats are not terrible, and people who are afraid of them or disgusted by them do not always mean to do it simply to be mean to the species.

All of that said, I do not approve, even in the slightest, of people who hoard rats, spiders, or bats, here on CS into hate groups labeled like "Ewwww," "Pests," ect.

i have a question, and a comment on this B writing is me

[corrosive_limes]

I've seen so much hate going around against rats for...well, forever. Not just rats either but mice and other species as well(spiders, bugs, reptiles, etc).
Honestly though, it wasn't until I joined CS that I really began to roll my eyes, when I saw people over the years saying "Ew" at rat adoptables, mere pictures, even making groups or naming them "Ew", "Ick", "Disgusting" and other such things, completely refusing to trade for rats at all, talking about how CS just "Shouldn't have rats because they're gross" and all sorts of other bullcrap.

So let's break some myths and hate-fest ranting about them, shall we?

"But rats caused The Plague!"
Caused by fleas, not rats. Yes, rats carried the fleas. So did other animals. Your pet cat or dog can carry fleas, ticks, and other insects that transfer these diseases just as well as any rat. Rats were just a convenient scapegoat to have something to hate on and blame for it.
And let's not forget that it was also partially because of rats that the plague ended, as certain types of rats were immune to carrying the fleas which carried the plague and therefor did not transfer them to humans as other types of rats had in the past.

"They've got these disgusting hairless tails!"
Most of your body is hairless. Enough said.

"But rats swim around and live in filth and sewers!"
Need I remind you all where said filth and sewers originally came from? Oh, that's right, humans.
That filth. Was created. By humans.
Sewers? Created(and filled) by humans.
Garbage dumps? Created(and filled) by humans.
Garbage, in general? Created(and also filled) by humans.
And let's not forget the fact that we've destroyed most natural habitats which leaves very little places for animals of any kind, rats included, to live in, much less areas where they're safe from predators.

"Well it's just a stupid rat!"
And you're just a stupid human. Need I go on?

"But rats are pests that need to be exterminated! They overpopulate so much!"
Humans are the biggest pests on the planet, if you've been paying attention. Humans are the most abundant species on the planet, and use up the most resources, and produce the most filth.

Really, you can think of any argument of why rats are "Disgusting, eeeew" creatures and I can think up twice as many of why humans are more disgusting and more worthy of the measures we take against rats or any other species than those people hate on and scream "CALL THE EXTERMINATOR!" for.
Might want to think about that next time you feel the need to scream "EEEEEEW" at another species. Because I can throw it right back in your face and then-some.

Coincidentally enough, I was listening to Hampster Dance while drawing this xD

Finally! Someone else who sees what people are doing and treating them with what they deserve! You go dude! Also the rats expression is so perfect!

[peppermintleo]

Mhm! this I love. My two brothers and I just got rats today. Oscar, Oliver, and Albert. They're the sweetest things in tue world. And they're as loyal as any dog. They won't bite unless threatened or scared neither. Im very happy to have Oscar, my rat, and my brothers love their rats. And this topic only increased my knowledge, and arguement, on rats.

Oh, and my fav part is the tail thing. Technically, rats do have little bits of fur on their tails, but thats the same for humans. Oh, and can humans be pickd up my their tails? Didn't think so. Dun even have a tail. So rats pwn us there xD

[dinosoar]

This is a wonderful drawing, and THANK YOU for pointing all this out ^-^ Very well put c: I have never had a pet rat, but I hope to get one some day (: