@Juliet2 

I have a cat at well. We adopted him at 9 years old and he learned pretty quickly that rats are not for touching. The rats have not learned that the cat is not for touching. Pet rats do not have an abundance of survival instinct.

@MermaidHair 

It's generally considered a good idea to have at least two rats. They are very social animals and can develop psychological problems if kept alone. Think about how humans who crazy in solitary confinement.

When there's more than one rat it's easier to see the contrast in their personalities. Like when I grew up we only had one cat, so I assumed all cats were exactly like my cat. But just like cats, and dogs, and people, rats have a huge variety of personalities and it's nice to appreciate them for who they are.