The rat is a small rodent . Rats are found worldwide in almost every type of environment. They are related to mice , but are usually larger. Rats have powerful teeth and can gnaw through very hard materials.
Rats have a life span of about a year in the wild and breed often during their short life.
The coarse coat color ranges from white to brown to gray. Rats have a pointed snout with long whiskers, rounded ears, and a long tail. Like other rodents , the rat's front teeth continue to grow throughout its life. Rats must gnaw on hard things to wear these teeth down. Many animals kill rats, including cats , dogs , hawks, owls , weasels , raccoons , snakes, skunks , and people.