Do Rats Really Love Cheese?
WouterThe question of do rats really love cheese is a common one. They may have an appetite for cheese, but the truth is that they don’t particularly like the stuff. It’s safe to assume, though, that rats will eat cheese if it is available to them. Moreover, it’s a good idea to keep cheese out of the rat’s reach because it could lead to an unpleasant illness.
Rats are known to eat almost anything, but they don’t consider cheese a treat. In fact, they dislike the strong smell of it. It’s best to limit the amount of cheese that you give your rat, according to Rat Central. Some cheeses are toxic to rats, while others are completely harmless.
Although mice can eat a variety of foods, they’re not fond of cheese. In fact, they prefer grain-based products. And, according to the National Pest Management Association, mice don’t like strong odors. Cheese, in particular, is a strong smell that mice find repugnant.
The myth that mice like cheese may have started in the Middle Ages. People used to hang meat and grains in jars so that they’d be out of reach for rodents. However, cheese was easily accessible and was often left out. It was often discovered that a rat had nibbled a supply of cheese. This quirk in supply and demand soon became an ironclad association in humans’ minds. By the early twentieth century, the myth of cheese-loving mice was firmly entrenched in folklore and entertainment.
