Both Rattata and Raticate don't really bother me when it comes to playing the games. I wish they would have made them stronger! But a Pokémon doesn't have to be useful in battle in order to win someone's heart. Those two remind me of my pet gerbils and I quickly decided that I want to collect them. Rattata is colored in my favorite color (purple) and Raticate looks a bit more like an actual rodent with his brown fur. I know they are supposed to be rats, but for me, they will mostly be gerbils ^^ On top of that, I like rats, too, so it's no deal anyway!