>>329801P.S. now that my male ratties are grown their fur is coarser and very slightly oily, but still a little cleaner than that of our cats and still a joy to pet.
When I put my nose directly to their fur I think they smell a little like corn tortillas.
Rats release a pheromone in their saliva that is spread across their fur when they groom, much like how cats have scent glands across their body that rub onto things.