Why don't you own a rat

- I have two kittens, one of which is a natural born killer.

- rats are very sweet and intelligent animals and I would love the little pal

- rat lives are short and max out at 3 years for an absolutely ancient rat

- I love animals and would cry like a little bitch when it died which I try to avoid so I will stick to cats, whom luckily mine have lived to their late teens.
 
The reason why I don't own a rat is because you need at least two rats, otherwise you set up the lone rat for health and mental problems down the line.

Second, I'm away from my home most of the time and wouldn't give them the attention they need.

Third, I probably wouldn't be able to deal with losing them only after two to three years, if that.
 
I used to have pet rats when I was young. Extremely smart and affectionate little animals. The difference in intelligence when compared to guinea pigs or rabbits is immense. They are like little doggos.

- rat lives are short and max out at 3 years for an absolutely ancient rat

- I love animals and would cry like a little bitch which I try to avoid
Thats the reason for me too. Their lifespan is very short and they often get cancer and tumors, which can return even after surgically removed. It's too heartbreaking.
 
How often must you address the smell issue? This is my only concern. A rat would be an intelligent and cool pet but if I gotta clean the cage every couple days to keep the house from smelling like pee that seems like a lot of work...

...unless there's a way to toilet train them?
 
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