Ratbert Ratbert is a regular character from the Dilbert comic strip . He was not originally intended to be a regular , instead being part of a series of strips featuring a lab scientist 's cruel experiments ( Ratbert 's name at this stage was XP-39C² ) . Ratbert soon realized that he was the subject of a hideous macaroni and cheese experiment ( the scientist made him eat huge amounts of it and writes in his notebook that it causes paranoia in rats ) and escaped , eventually finding a refuge in Dilbert 's house . He was not initially accepted by the residents , especially Dilbert , who was highly prejudiced against rats . However , he finally allowed Ratbert to become a permanent member of the household . As a simple rat , and having been specially bred to be susceptible to peer pressure , Ratbert is very gullible and innocent , although optimistic . Sometimes , his actions can become quite annoying . Like Dogbert , he has made inroads into business , once working as an intern , a concierge , a consultant ( with an `` external brain-pack '' tied to his torso , which was actually a slab of liver ) and vice-president of marketing ( for which he was hired on the basis of his week in a dumpster at Procter & Gamble ) . He also became CEO after a series of strips that involved the previous CEO jumping into a volcano and the first replacement ( a vampire ) burning up due to daylight . Ratbert was fired for varnishing employees for use as office furniture . Ratbert 's biggest ambition in life is to become loved and accepted . He tries to impress those he considers his friends on various occasions , and nearly always fails miserably . Just like Dogbert protects Dilbert on numerous occasions despite his contempt for him , so do Ratbert 's friends and family . Ratbert is also good friends with the garbage man , who tries — and fails — to enlighten Ratbert on the complexities of the universe . External links Dilbert.com - The Characters Dilbert Characters : Alice  • Asok  • Catbert  • Dilbert  • Dogbert  • Phil , the Prince of Insufficient Light  • Pointy-Haired Boss  • Ratbert  • Wally  • Minor characters In other media : Animated series  • Books  • Plop : The Hairless Elbonian Terms : Cow-orker  • Imaginary productivity Other : Scott Adams  • Dogbert 's New Ruling Class  • Elbonia  • Dilberito Categories : Dilbert characters | Fictional mice and rats 