On Looking Alexandra Horowitz

     "... because rats are thigmotaxic: a splendid word to describe an animal who likes to walk along walls, touching something as it goes. Thigmotaxic, or thigmophilic --touch-loving--animals scurry along at the edges of the spaces we make."

     "... rats are wary of new things --neophobic--..."

     well, that's rats for you...