In Celebration of Rats This Chinese New Year

February 07, 2008

Gung Hay Fat Choy and Happy Year of the Rat! Special greetings to you if you happened to be born in a rat year, per the Chinese horoscope.

Rats are intelligent, social and inquisitive critters. I have a love-hate relationship with them, as my basement became overran with roof rats not long ago. Every night it was like the Studio 54 days all over again gone rat in the basement. They managed to dig their way into my compost bin and through the baseboards, leaving an eau de rat along the way.

But today we must celebrate these intrepid rodents. When socialized, they are some of the most loving and loyal of pets, as this gal demonstrates. Surely such a moment inspired the clever hair-pulling Remy in Ratatouille.

Even if you weren't born in a rat year, you can find out which rat or other rodent is most like you at
Discover Your Inner Rodent.

And should you doubt that rats are intelligent, the below short film offers some very convincing evidence for ratty smarts.

I wish you good health, prosperity and happiness. Happy New Year!