Rats in dreams often reflect anxiety and a sense of being quietly overrun -- by small worries or obligations that multiply faster than you can manage them. A single rat may point to one persistent, nagging concern, while a swarm can mirror a situation that feels out of control in ways you haven't voiced. The dream usually names a low-grade stress you have been putting off dealing with directly.
All rebellions breaking out at the beginning of the year, are not easily suppressed. - William Lilly (1602.-1681.)