A Blairgowrie family has launched an appeal to find their missing six-month-old rat, who they say is extremely friendly.
Kaitlin Farmer, 15, is pleading for help to find Whiskers, who went missing from the Manor Gardens area on Monday afternoon.
Kaitlin had been playing with her two pet rats in their back garden when Whiskers ran through a fence.
Despite looking for him all night, the family are now concerned people may mistake him for a wild rat and are urging residents of the area to keep an eye out for their beloved pet.
Missing Blairgowrie rat is part of the family
Kaitlin’s dad, Mike, said Whiskers is a part of the family and they are desperate to get him back home.
He said: “My daughter was very confident he was going to come straight back but he didn’t so we started searching for him and couldn’t find him anywhere.
“We spent the night looking for him and shaking his treats.
“He is about six months old, he has a brother and he’s very upset at the moment.
“They are very friendly these rats.
“I know people are scared of them or don’t like them – I was quite sceptical myself but they’re very intelligent.”
Mike said Whiskers is very friendly and people should not be afraid to approach him if they spot him.
“You think of rats and think ‘oh my god’,” Mike said.
“He is very friendly and wouldn’t cause any harm to anyone at all. He would probably come up to anyone looking for a stroke or a treat.
“They can move pretty fast but they’re always looking for home comforts so the likelihood is he’s looking for somewhere to rest.”
Mike described Whiskers as black with a white belly and has asked for anyone who may spot him to give him a call on 07715 634686.
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