[alloysteel]

"You think mice and rats have souls?"

Sure. Small and stunted, to be sure, but if the belief in reincarnation is explored a little further, it would be entirely consistent with souls being punished for having lived a less than illustrious lifetime. A couple stints in the short unhappy life of a rodent would be expected to stamp out arrogance and instill a little humility, at which time the soul would be permitted to be reborn as, say, a creature that preyed on rodents, like a rat terrier or a tough mouser cat.

[AntiGuv]

OK, thanks! Interesting idea.