Rescuing Laboratory Rats Once Used as Feed

Known for her animal-focused YouTube channel, MeloCat, who already cares for multiple cats, recently stepped in to rescue a pair of white laboratory rats that were once being used as live feed for other animals.

Many people know me as MeloCat, a YouTuber who lives with a big family of cats. But what many might not know is that I recently welcomed a very different kind of family into my home — a pair of white laboratory rats who were once used as live feed for other animals.

It started when I found out that a friend had been feeding live lab rats to pets. I even witnessed something that broke my heart — a mother rat watching helplessly as her babies were thrown away. I couldn’t shake off that image. After many conversations, I finally convinced my friend to switch to dry food and to let me take in two of the rats.

What I didn’t expect was that one of them, the mother, was already pregnant. Soon after arriving, she gave birth to eight babies. Overnight, my home became a safe place for an entire rat family.

Not everyone understood my decision. Some people called me crazy for spending money to care for rats, saying they were too small or insignificant to be worth saving. But to me, these little lives matter just as much as any cat or hamster. They feel, they bond, they respond to care — they’re living, emotional beings.

I’ve also noticed how people judge rats by their color. White or golden ones are often called cute, but gray rats instantly make people recoil. In Chinese culture, rats are often seen as symbols of deceit or fear. Yet when you actually spend time with them, you realize how gentle they are. I give them medicine and even eye drops, and not once have they ever bitten me.

There’s so much misunderstanding about rats. People still think of them as dirty or disease-spreading, but the truth is that plague and rabies have long been eradicated in Hong Kong. These old fears no longer reflect reality.

I share this story because compassion shouldn’t depend on an animal’s popularity. Every creature deserves kindness. For me, giving these little lives a second chance is what being an animal lover truly means. See video here!