Rats make the best pets in the entire world. Looking for a cat-like pet that will fit in a cage, perfect for an apartment? Well, you’ve got the rat. They are cute, cuddly and do not take up as much time and space as a dog or cat. 

Rats groom themselves incessantly and also use grooming as a social behavior. 

Against common belief, rats are actually very clean animals. They groom themselves in the same manner as cats and can easily be litter box trained. 

I personally own three rats, Toni, Sylvie and Harley. They are litter box trained and extremely intelligent. 

Rats require puzzle-type activities in their enclosure to stimulate their brains; otherwise, they can get bored. Rats also need out-of-cage playtime for enrichment. 

My rats have had fewer accidents on the carpet than my boyfriend’s dogs. They are extremely smart and naturally choose an area in their enclosure to use as a restroom. 

The only downside to rats is that they have a pretty short life span, 2 to 3 years. But although they do not have the longest life, that just means that you have the opportunity to love more rats during yours. 

My rats love to hang out with me while I’m doing homework, watching TV or just hanging out. They are very social and bond with both rats and humans as well as grieve them when they die. 

Rats are also the only animal documented to have a syntax to their calls, similar to grammar in our languages. In the same way that words in a sentence have to come in a certain order to make sense, their calls have to do the same. This has not been found with any other animal in the animal kingdom. 

Rats are not only just as clean as cats, but they take up less space than your average college pet. Two of my rats were meant to be feeder rats for snakes and now they’re about to turn 2 in February. 

I love my rats a ton and would recommend them as a pet to anyone.