Why we love (and hate) squirrels

Squirrels are either the cutest things you ever did see or birdseed-stealing vermin who have no place in polite society. Here’s why we’re fascinated/repelled by our furry friends/fiends.

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1. LOVE: THEY'RE NOT RATS

We love squirrels because though they are related to rats -- i.e., they are rodents -- they aren't like rats. They come out during the day, not the night. They have pretty, bushy tails, not ugly, skinny ones.

Scott Barbour / Getty Images

2. HATE: WRECK OUR HOMES

We hate squirrels because they sometimes nest in our attics, chewing through drywall and gnawing on our wires.

Matt McKean / AP

3. LOVE: THOSE TINY HANDS!

We love squirrels because they are ingenious and inquisitive, with tiny, dexterous hands.

Peter Byrne / AP

4. HATE: STEAL FOOD FROM BIRDS

We hate squirrels because they use their ingenuity and dexterity to defeat just about every squirrel-proof bird feeder known to man.

Bernie Eng / AP

5. LOVE: WELL, NO CHOICE...

We love squirrels because Washington's Lafayette Park has the highest density of squirrels ever recorded: 12.5 squirrels per acre. In a way, they're the real #OccupyDC.

Paul J. Richards / AFP/Getty Images

6. HATE: THOSE PLANT-KILLERS

We hate squirrels because they damage our plants. Squirrels once did $4,500 worth of damage to Lafayette Park, stripping bark from trees and digging up 2,000 newly-planted geraniums.

Joe Klamar / AFP/Getty Images

7. LOVE: THE ART OF SCAMPERING

We love squirrels because they scamper. And how many things scamper these days?

Robin Loznak / AP

8. HATE: SQUIRRELS FLATTENED

We hate squirrels because sometimes they scamper right in front of our car, forcing us to slam on the brakes.

Gerald Herbert / AP

9. LOVE: THEY ROAM, WE GO TO AN OFFICE

We love squirrels because they are wild animals who thrive in our midst, allowing us to see nature at play and reminding us that we all have a role to play on this planet, even squirrels.

Laura Segall / AP

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