That Pesky Rat is a British children's picture book written and illustrated by Lauren Child and published by Orchard UK in 2002.

It won the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize in ages category 6–8 years[2] and it was commended runner up for the Kate Greenaway Medal from the professional librarians, recognising the year's best-illustrated British children's book.

[citation needed] The story is narrated by a rat who wishes he could live the life of a proper pet.

He is finally taken home from the store by an old man with poor eyesight who sees him in the display window and mistakes him for a cat.

In the end, the rat says that he doesn't mind pretending to be a cat and that he likes his life as a pet.