Which was introduced first, a mouse or a rat? - briefly
The computer mouse appeared first, with prototypes such as the Xerox Alto’s device released in 1973. The earliest commercially marketed computer rat arrived in the early 1980s, several years after the mouse.
Which was introduced first, a mouse or a rat? - in detail
The mouse entered human environments long before the rat. Archaeological evidence shows commensal house mice (Mus musculus) living alongside humans in ancient settlements of the Near East and Egypt, dating to at least the third millennium BCE. Their proximity to grain stores made them a constant presence in early agricultural societies.
The rat’s association with humans developed later. The Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus) began to spread across Europe in the 18th century, reaching urban centers only after the expansion of trade routes and improved sanitation. Historical records of rats kept as pets or studied by scholars appear mainly in the 19th century.
In scientific research, the mouse became the standard laboratory model earlier than the rat:
- 1902 – William Castle initiates systematic breeding of white mice for genetic experiments at the Wistar Institute.
- 1910 – The first published rat experiments appear, led by H. H. K. and colleagues, focusing on physiology and toxicology.
- 1920s – Mouse strains such as the “Leicester” and “C57BL” are established, solidifying the species’ role in genetics.
- 1930s – Rat strains (e.g., Sprague‑Dawley) are developed, but the mouse retains dominance in genetics and immunology.
Thus, both in domestication and in experimental use, the mouse predates the rat by several millennia in the former case and by a few decades in the latter.