Rats, Cats and Toddlers

When I had pet rats this list of Rat Property Laws always amused me:

1. If I like it, it's mine. 
2. If I've peed on it, it's mine. 
3. If I can take it from you, it's mine. 
4. If I had it a little while ago, it's mine. 
5. If you've got something larger, it's mine. 
6. If I'm chewing something up, all the pieces are mine. 
7. If it's in my reach, it's mine. 
8. If I saw it first, it's mine. 
9. If you are playing with something and you put it down, it automatically becomes mine. 
10. If it's broken or it tastes bad, it's yours. 

I was also amused by the fact it had been adapted from a list of toddler/kid property laws and can now appreciate that aspect just a wee bit more.

As I watched Miss Alex destroy a box of tissues last week, it occurred to me that I'd witnessed this before...

Rathenn

Zari

Alex

It is also a well known fact that rats like to gnaw on things.  Teething babies like to gnaw on things.  It hadn't occurred to me that cats also like to gnaw on things until tonight, when I watched Special Cat himself munch on a teething rusk that Alex had thrown across the kitchen (she didn't want it dammit!).

Mazik

Alex

Basil

...Yep.

So there you have it.  Even if you discount the fact that they will all happily play with cat toys too, Rats, Cats and Toddlers are more alike than you'd think.

Rat-Sitting

My last pet rat Mazik died on election day in 2008.  Here he is as a youngster:

Due to Nev's crazy bad allergies we never repopulated the cage, and we both terribly miss having the vermin around.  A week ago a friend asked if I'd mind rat-sitting a mum and her 5 (3 week old) babies for the weekend as she was going away.  

As luck would have it, we still hadn't moved Alex into her own room, so there was somewhere to stash them away from cats and away from Nev's nose.  Mum was due to stay for the weekend but I was sure she wouldn't mind sharing a room.

"Pleeeasseee?  They're just eepers, they shouldn't make you too stuffy like our boys did!!"  

"I've never looked after baby rats before!"

"I'll vacuum and dust her room when they're gone!"

I got a reluctant do what you want kind of response, which I took as a "sure honey, it'll be your last chance before that room is occupied, go for it!"  

This litter is half-wild.  Mama rat was found in someone's garden, and is very very friendly.  They were great fun to have for the weekend, and it doesn't get much better than having a pile of bruxing eepers in your lap.  <3  

I also took the opportunity to take some photos, though they were a lot zippier than my lazy boy rats used to be!  

Here's mama:

And various babies:

If you'd like to see the rest of the pics, click on my flickr gadget on the left sidebar.