Rats vs Squirrels: Matter of perspective

As sometimes happens at late night moments of solitude, the consciousness at that ethereal  point of half awake and half asleep, tends to have (what at the time seems like) a monumental stroke of genius.  Just such a moment occurred to me this morning at about 4 am.  Whether it was the result of tumultuous sleep or the influence of too much Ny-Quil, I can't say.  I've often time spent considerable mental energy contemplating certain aspects of the natural world and their place in it (nope sorry still can't figure out what useful role the re-publican party plays, much less Karaoke, or line dancing for that matter) So, at slightly pass the witching hour today, while deliriously dragging on my cigarette (yes, bronchitis and I'm smoking, never said I was bright) I noticed the rats scurrying across my neighbors bird coups.  He raises all kinds of exotic birds on his back deck, at times pleasant enough to listen to, other times down right annoying.  But an unfortunate side effect is with all the foliage in our community and the close proximity to water, and all the bird seed littering his deck, it is a breeding ground for rats.  And Squirrels (but I'll get to that later). So as I watch the little blighters scrambling about, and watch our cats watching them (the only reason why they don't invade our home) I realize just how amazing nature is.  See, I have nothing, personally against rats.  They are a much maligned creature, in popular myth they have always been depicted as evil, filthy creatures, but from personal experience at keeping domesticated rats as pets in the past.  They are actually quite loyal, and well groomed animals, constantly cleaning themselves.  And as far as their role in the Black Plague,  It was the fleas, not them get it straight!
But, hysteria and superstition won.  Hence rats roles in history.  So As I sat watching them it suddenly dawned on me, evolution itself had predetermined their place.  See nature needs its clean up crew's.  Whether it be the T-Rex, once thought to be natures greatest predator, has now been shown to be nothing more then a scavenger.  Its enormous jaws, and muscle structure necessary to break down the larger bone structures of the massive land animals and its highly evolved Ole-factory sense's necessary to sniff out carrion for up to two miles. Natures design. Find a need fill a need. Down to the nasty crawling roaches, all necessary.  Look at the rat, designed to get into hard to reach places, powerful jaws to break things up, and feed off refuse.  But its nocturnal.  Coming out when we sleep.  Then look at the squirrel, designed to get into hard to reach places, powerful jaws to break things up, and feed off refuse (OK nuts as well).  But they come out during the day, when we can watch them and say "oh, how cute" and feed them on park benches, and in our yards.  Hence the cute little furry tail, and adorable faces.  But corner a squirrel, and they'll rip your hand off.  In the end they are both members of the vermin family, and both have their place. Think of that the next time you bait a rat trap, and put out bread crumbs for the squirrels.