In an unexpected tale of friendship, a dog, a cat, and a rat have proven that bonds can form in the most unlikely of groups. These three animals, who have affectionately been dubbed “The Rat Pack,” were surrendered together to the Oshkosh Area Humane Society (OAHS) in Wisconsin in March 2017.
Their previous owner, faced with the necessity of downsizing, found themselves unable to bring the trio along to their new home. As Cheryl Rosenthal, the communications and education coordinator at OAHS, shared with The Dodo, “They had to downsize their home, and they weren’t able to take the three animals with them, so they brought them here.” She also pointed out that it’s not uncommon for people to question such decisions, saying, “A lot of people would say, ‘Why would you do that?’ But not every place will accept pets, let alone three of them.”
Initially, the shelter staff was skeptical about the owner’s claim that the three animals were best friends. After all, it’s rare to hear of a cat and a rat getting along, let alone forming a close friendship. When the time came for the animals to undergo medical check-ups, the staff decided to separate them, starting with Jack, the cat. However, Jack’s agitation quickly became evident. To help calm him, the staff decided to bring in Sasha, the dog.
The decision was spot on. The moment Jack saw Sasha, he immediately relaxed, his anxiety melting away in the presence of his dear friend.
Recognizing the strong bond between Jack and Sasha, the shelter staff made the decision to house them together. The next step was to see how Tweaks, the rat, would fit into the mix.
“We thought, ‘Well maybe we should bring the rat in,’” Rosenthal explained. “So we did. We put the rat down, and right away the rat was running all over the dog, and going up and licking his face, and the dog was licking the rat. So it was like, ‘OK – I guess they really are friends.’”
After Tweaks greeted Sasha, he then made his way to Jack. In a heartwarming moment, Tweaks nestled under Jack’s front paws, and before long, the two were napping together.
The shelter staff was astonished by the deep connection between these three animals and knew that they had to find a forever home where they could all stay together. However, this proved to be a challenge. While many potential adopters were open to taking in both a dog and a cat, the idea of adding a rat to the family was less appealing.
These poor kitties were rescued from an animal cruelty case where they were starved, locked in cages with inches of feces, and received no water or food. Now, these cats need your help!
Three weeks after their arrival at the shelter, a woman named Kathy Berens visited to meet them. She immediately liked Jack and Sasha but was hesitant about Tweaks. “At first she said, ‘No, no – I don’t think I like rats,’” Rosenthal recalled. The volunteers encouraged her to meet Tweaks, assuring her that he was truly special. Kathy took their advice and decided to give Tweaks a chance. After holding him and experiencing his affectionate nature, she quickly changed her mind. As she later expressed, “I’m so glad I did, because after holding him, and knowing how affectionate he is, you can’t help but fall in love with him.”
The story of The Rat Pack is a beautiful reminder that friendship knows no bounds, and sometimes, it’s the most unlikely of companions who form the strongest bonds.