''This is about the character from the Ice Age movies. For other meanings, see Skrat

Scrat is a fictional saber-toothed squirrel that appears in the 2002 film Ice Age and its sequel, the 2006 film Ice Age: The Meltdown and the upcoming Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs. He is best known for being obsessed with acorns, constantly putting his life in danger to obtain and protect them.

Scrat has also appeared in two short films. In the first, entitled Gone Nutty, he loses his meticulously-organized collection of acorns in a catastrophic chain of events. By ramming his acorn into the hole in the exact middle of the collection, he shatters the pile and, incidentally, the continent and accidentally starts continental drift.

In the second, No Time for Nuts, he finds a time machine left by an unfortunate time-traveler, and visits a number of historical events.

In both Ice Age movies, as well as in the short films, Scrat is voiced by Chris Wedge. Though he never actually speaks words, his squeals, squeaks, grunts, and (more often than not) screams, coupled with his facial expressions, get his points across.

While Scrat is constantly hunting for his acorn in order to either bury it or eat it, fate always seems to get in the way. Throughout the series he ends up in humorous and often painful situations, ranging from being struck by lightning, chased by avalanches, and repeatedly knocked unconscious to running afoul of various animal life and having to fight for his acorn. Being a glutton for punishment, Scrat never backs down or gives up no matter how reluctant he feels. Generally Scrat will lose out (except in two cases when he defeated a school of piranhas single-pawed and battled Sid for the acorn).

His character has proved enormously successful and many view him as the most popular character of the franchise.

Scrat has been confirmed to appear in Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs. Chris Wedge will reprise the role.

References in other media

• Scrat appeared in a Family Guy episode (Sibling Rivalry, episode #72) as a gag.
• In South Park episode 1004, "Cartoon Wars Part II", a creature that looks remarkably like Scrat can be seen on a spoof movie billboard for a movie called "Cold Age: The Smackdown", an obvious reference to Ice Age: The Meltdown
• In an episode of Lilo & Stitch: The Series, Retro turns a squirrel into a saber-toothed squirrel and Pleakley (suffering from Retcho's power) makes reference to a saber-tooth squirrel, stating he has never heard of one before.
• In the video game Whiplash, Spanx the Long-tailed Weasel is questioned by Raymond about what kind of animal he is, with Raymond later exclaiming "I know, you're a scrat!"
• He also is featured in The Simpsons episode, "Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind." Groundskeeper Willie kicked Scrat for taking his acorn.