Rats are thin-tailed, medium-size rodents that originated in Asia and Australia but are now found all over the world. "True rats" are members of the genus Rattus, but other rodent genera are also referred to as rats and share many of the same characteristics. Rats differentiate from mice by being larger, with longer, thinner bodies and long legs.

Rodents can damage buildings, contaminate food, and transmit diseases to people. The rodent family includes over 2,000 species of rats, mice , gophers, voles, beavers and more. They're also adaptable, capable of learning by trial and error. As a result, people who need to control them have always struggled to "build a better mouse-trap."