Going down the ‘Rat Hole?’ Viral phenom is actually decades-old squirrel imprint beloved by the block, neighbors say

The “Chicago rat hole,” which some argue is an imprint of a squirrel, is seen near 1918 W. Roscoe Ave. in the Roscoe Village neighborhood, Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024. The “Chicago rat hole” has received a lot of attention on social media. (Pat Nabong/Sun-Times)

Who knows how the Looney Tunes-shaped critter imprint made it into Roscoe Street. Or even what kind of animal it is.

But Chicago’s latest viral critter has been delighting residents and drawing people from across the city this week to revel in the “Rat Hole.”