ratJAM

The ratJAM emote depicts a rat swaying back and forth, commonly used by Twitch viewers to express that they are 'jamming out' or enjoying music during streams. What appears to be dancing is actually a representation of a natural rat behavior - the swaying movement is how rats compensate for their poor eyesight, as they move back and forth to improve their depth perception and better gauge their surroundings.

This emote serves as a counterpart to the popular catJAM emote, with both representing similar sentiments of enjoying music, though ratJAM has developed its own distinct following.

The ratJAM emote emerged as a direct response to the already popular catJAM emote, creating what some viewers consider an 'emote war' in Twitch chats where users choose sides based on their preference. While the exact creation date and specific creator aren't well-documented in available sources, the emote was being discussed as early as July 2022 when TikTok user Peggy Michelle (@hopefloats75) posted content referring to 'the original rat jam'.

The emote is part of the third-party emote ecosystem (likely on platforms like 7TV, FrankerFaceZ, or BetterTTV) rather than being an official Twitch emote. It gained popularity as users sought alternatives to express similar emotions with different animal characters.

The ratJAM emote is typically used in the following contexts:

• When viewers want to show they're enjoying music during a stream
• As an alternative to the catJAM emote based on personal preference
• To participate in the playful rivalry between 'rat jammers' and 'cat jammers'
• During musical segments, DJ sets, or when streamers play songs that viewers particularly enjoy

The emote has become part of the broader ecosystem of reaction emotes that help Twitch users communicate their emotions and responses in chat without using words.