Few city rats have left their mark on the public consciousness — and the urban landscape — like the one responsible for the famed “Chicago rat hole.” ( “Pizza Rat” is a notable exception.)

But the Windy City’s “rat hole” may not be what it seems.

New research into the identity of the creature that caused a sidewalk imprint when it fell into freshly poured cement suggests the culprit is an entirely different city dweller.

Much lore surrounds the Chicago rat hole, also dubbed “Splatatouille” during a public naming contest.

No one seems to know when the mark first appeared in Chicago’s Roscoe Village neighborhood, but it’s believed to have been there for at least two to three decades. However, one tweet from Chicago artist, writer and comedian Winslow Dumaine on January 6, 2024, transfo

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