Cute family... even the rats...
How'd you end up with them? And do the cats give you fits about them?
I've always thought rats were cute and when I was a kid I knew a few people who had them. I always wanted one growing up, but wasn't allowed to get one. So shortly after I got my first job, I got my first rat (without permission from my parents, who were less than thrilled about it), which I named Templeton.
Rats are actually wonderful pets. They're intelligent, affectionate and much more clean than you might think (provided, of course, that you keep up with regular cage cleanings). Just like other domesticated animals, they come in a pretty wide variety of coat colors and other variations. There are hairless rats, rex rats (with curly fur and whiskers), dumbo rats (with large, low-set ears, like my boys), Siamese rats (marked like a Siamese cat), and an endless list of color patterns like hooded, capped, berkshire, self, etc. There are even rat shows, where breeders show off their best rats for ribbons and other prizes.
My current two are numbers 19 and 20. I don't think I could ever see myself without at least one rat in my life. However, there are times that I wish I never got into keeping rats. They have a lot of health problems and the average life expectancy is only 2-3 years - just long enough to get really attached.
But, no matter the heartache, I just can't say no to a face like this:
As for the cats, they're not allowed in the room where the rats are kept even though I doubt my cats would actually do anything unless one of the rats got out or the cage door was open. My cats do not hunt even though they are allowed to go outdoors. Also, my cats seem to have more interest in sleeping on the bed in that room than in the contents of the cages. However, Goobers and Dots are terrified of the cats and I don't want them getting stressed out. Some of the rats I've had in the past though could probably hold their own in a fight with the cats.