The Rat

Appearances

Lady and the Tramp

Lady first encounters the Rat while she is running happily in the backyard. She sees it, growls, and chases after it, causing the rodent to scamper through a hole in the fence.

The Rat has a catalytic role in the climax of the film when it comes back to Jim Dear and Darling's house through the fence hole, while Lady is tied to her doghouse on a rainy night. She barks at it, but Aunt Sarah tells her to shush. Tramp hears her barking and comes back to her, where she tells him that there's a rat in the house. He then follows him to Jim, Jr.'s room, before it can harm the baby. They engage in a fight, until at one point, it climbs to the top of Jim, Jr.'s crib, looking to escape. Tramp chases it off while overturning the crib by accident, waking Jim, Jr., and making him cry. Finally, Tramp manages to corner the Rat behind the couch and kill it.

Having been alerted by the commotion, Aunt Sarah arrives and, not seeing the Rat, mistakenly believes that Lady and Tramp had attempted to harm Jim, Jr., promptly locking Lady in the cellar and sending Tramp off to the pound. However, as soon as Jim Dear and Darling return, Lady shows them the dead rat, clearing Tramp's name.

Trivia

• In an early script, the Rat's name was Herman.
  • Additionally, in the same early script, Lady was the one who fought the Rat.
• The Rat was animated by Wolfgang Reitherman, who also animated Monstro in Pinocchio.
• Most book versions of the film don't show the Rat's appearance at the beginning.

Gallery

The Disney Wiki has a collection of images and media related to The Rat.

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Media Films: Lady and the Tramp (Soundtrack • Video) • Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure • Lady and the Tramp Books: Classic Storybook • Disney's Wonderful World of Reading • Little Golden Book Disney Parks Disney Animation Building Entertainment: Once Upon a Mouse • The Golden Mickeys Restaurants: Mickey & Pals Market Café • Pizzeria Bella Notte • Tony's Town Square Restaurant Firework: Once Upon a Time Characters Original Lady • Tramp • Jock • Trusty • Aunt Sarah • Si and Am • Jim Dear • Darling • Jim Jr. • Tony and Joe • Mr. Busy • The Rat • Pound Dogs • Scamp • Annette, Collette, and Danielle Sequel: Angel • Buster • Reggie • Francois • Sparky • Mooch • Ruby • Scratchy • Otis • The Dogcatcher Songs Original: Jock’s Song • What is a Baby? • La La Lu • The Siamese Cat Song • Bella Notte • He's a Tramp • Free as the Breeze (deleted) Sequel: Welcome Home • World Without Fences • Junkyard Society Rag • I Didn't Know That I Could Feel This Way • Always There Locations Lady’s House • Tony's Restaurant • Dog Pound • The Junkyard