# NYC Rats AI: Never Take the Shortcut in NYC

> The NYC rats AI trend is a night phone clip of a New York alley where a gang of rats stand up on their hind legs, kick and box at the camera.

Canonical: https://www.makeviral.ai/templates/nyc-rats-ai-trend
Updated: 2026-11-12
Published: 2026-11-12
Author: MakeViral Team (https://www.makeviral.ai/about)
Publisher: MakeViral (https://www.makeviral.ai)

The **NYC rats AI** trend is a night phone clip of a New York alley where a gang of rats stand up on their hind legs, kick and box at the camera. "Never take the shortcut in NYC" is the line. From one photo, MakeViral puts you in the alley facing the rat gang, or makes your pet the lead rat.

A dark New York alley, a phone light, and a gang of rats that stand up on two legs, kick and box at you. Take the shortcut yourself, or put your pet at the front of the rat gang. It is an AI video: no real rats were harmed.

Also called: Never Take The Shortcut in NYC, The NYC rat gang, AI rats boxing.

**Make it now:** [Make this video](https://www.makeviral.ai/templates/nyc-rats-ai-trend/create). 1 photo · 11 s · 9:16 with sound · 139 credits, charged once · ready in a few minutes · no prompt to write.

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## What is the NYC Rats trend, and where did it start?

New York has a rat reputation, and TikTok has filmed it for years: #nycrats holds 2,873 videos with 204.3 million views, #nycrat 146.2 million views, and real rats fighting on the pavement fill #ratfight (45.8 million views) and #ratsfighting (43.6 million) (12 November 2026).

The AI turn came from **@aliaboutine**, an Instagram creator who makes AI rat clips. Between late September and mid-October 2026 the account posted rats waving, doing a magic trick and a gangster rat in an alley; that one passed 734,000 likes. On 10 November 2026 it posted **"Never Take The Shortcut in NYC"**: 11 seconds of shaky night phone footage in a dirty alley, where the rats rise up on two legs, kick, box and finally swat at the lens. The caption says it was made with an AI video tool. Two days later it had more than 4.2 million likes and 80,000 comments, most of them friends tagging each other, and some asking if it is real. It is not: every rat in it is AI-made.

### NYC Rats trend timeline

- **2026-09-28**: @aliaboutine posts AI rat clips on Instagram (five between 28 September and 19 October); a gangster rat in an alley passes 734,000 likes. Source: [Alici.ai](https://alici.ai/formulas/guide/how-to-make-videos-like-aliaboutine+ii8dipg1).
- **2026-11-10**: @aliaboutine posts "Never Take The Shortcut in NYC": a rat gang stands up in a night alley, kicks, boxes and swats at the camera. Source: [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DfkBc8-RoOL/).
- **2026-11-12**: The reel passes 4.2 million likes and 80,000 comments in two days; #nycrats on TikTok stands at 204.3 million views. Source: [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DfkBc8-RoOL/).

## What the NYC Rats video looks like

This is the creator's own AI clip, with its own night alley sound. The rats are AI-made. The Pet version copies it shot for shot with your pet in front; the You version makes a new 11-second scene of you walking into the alley and meeting the gang. No two runs come out the same.

- **Example 1** (11 s, 9:16 MP4 with sound): The original reel by @aliaboutine: "Never Take The Shortcut in NYC". A night phone walk into an alley, and a gang of AI rats stand up on two legs, kick, box and swat at the lens. The Pet version copies this clip with your pet as the lead rat.
  - Video: https://www.makeviral.ai/media/templates/nyc-rats-ai-trend/original-pet-v2.mp4
  - Poster: https://www.makeviral.ai/media/templates/nyc-rats-ai-trend/original-pet-v1.jpg

## How to make the NYC Rats video on MakeViral

Everything runs in the browser. No editing app, no watermark.

### The one-tap way (no prompt to write)

1. **Add your photo.** Press "Make yours" and add you, knees up or head to toes, face clear. Take it with the camera or pick it from your library. Start here: https://www.makeviral.ai/templates/nyc-rats-ai-trend/create
2. **Press Generate.** The button shows the price. Seedance 2.5 films the NYC Rats scene straight from your photo, with no in-between picture, for 11 seconds with original sound. You write no prompt.
3. **Download or share.** The video is ready in a few minutes as a 9:16 MP4. Download it, share it from your phone, or find it later in My videos.

### The by-hand way, with the exact prompts

The one-tap flow runs this prompt for you. The video model takes your photo as a reference ([Image 1]) and films the scene straight from it, with no photo step first. AI Video takes one photo as the first frame, so it cannot run this prompt the same way: the prompt is here to read.

#### Variant: You

Settings: 1 photo (you, knees up or head to toes, face clear) · Seedance 2.5 · 11 s · 720p · 9:16 · with sound · 139 credits in one tap.

1. The video prompt is filled in. Settings: Seedance 2.5, 11 s, 720p, 9:16, sound on. The video prompt:

   ```text
   Handheld night phone video with the phone light on, one continuous take, vertical, a real phone footage look (not a film, not a cartoon): a narrow, dirty New York City alley used as a shortcut between two buildings, cracked wet concrete, litter, cigarette butts, black trash bags, a green dumpster, stained concrete walls, a dim streetlight far behind.

The person = the person in [Image 1], in every frame: copy the exact face from [Image 1] (the face shape, eye color and eye shape, eyebrows, nose, mouth, skin tone, age, hair color, hair length and hairstyle, and any beard, moustache, glasses or freckles), and the body type, height, clothes and shoes. The face stays the same from the first frame to the last, so their friends recognize them at once. Never morph, never blend with another face. The person is a full-size adult; the rats are rat size at their feet (big city rats, about the size of a small cat). If [Image 1] shows an animal, that animal walks into the alley in the person's place, with its own face, fur and markings.

A friend films on a phone, walking backward ahead of the person at chest height, the person from the knees up with the face big and lit by the phone light, the ground in front of their feet in view.

[0-3s] the person walks into the alley toward the camera, relaxed, glancing around.
[3-5s] five big brown rats on the ground in front of the person's feet rise up on their hind legs at once and stand upright like a street gang, facing the person. The person stops, eyes wide.
[5-8s] the lead rat struts forward on two legs, bounces like a boxer, throws a high kick and jabs the air with its front paws; the other rats bounce behind it, paws up. The person raises both hands and leans back.
[8-11s] the person turns and runs back out of the alley past the camera; the camera swings down to the rats, who strut after on their hind legs, and the lead rat swats at the lens with an open paw at the very end.

The rats are real brown street rats with pink paws and long bare tails, no clothes, nothing in their paws. Nobody is hurt. One head only on the person, two arms, two legs. Sound: the quiet night alley, distant traffic, rat squeaks, sneakers on wet concrete, one short gasp. No dialogue throughout the entire video. No background music. No text on screen, no subtitles, no watermark, no logos.
   ```

2. Press Generate, then download the 9:16 MP4.

One-tap version of this variant: https://www.makeviral.ai/templates/nyc-rats-ai-trend/create

#### Variant: Pet

Settings: 1 photo (your pet, whole body) · Seedance 2.5 · 11 s · 720p · 9:16 · no sound · 168 credits in one tap.

1. The video prompt is filled in. Settings: Seedance 2.5, 11 s, 720p, 9:16, sound off. The video prompt:

   ```text
   Recreate the reference video [Video 1] shot for shot: one continuous handheld night phone shot with the phone light on, shaky and low, in a narrow, dirty city alley: cracked dark concrete with litter, cigarette butts and puddles, stained concrete walls, a green dumpster and dark trash bins; a gang of big brown street rats standing upright on their hind legs; the same framing, timing, camera moves, shakes and lighting. Replace ONLY the lead rat, the one closest to the camera in the centre of the frame that kicks, boxes and swats at the camera, with the pet from [Image 1]. The ONLY change: the lead rat is now the pet in [Image 1], the WHOLE body, not just the head. The other rats stay rats, exactly as in [Video 1].

The lead = the pet in [Image 1], in EVERY frame: the same species and breed, face, eyes, ears, muzzle, fur colors, fur length and markings as in [Image 1], with the natural body volume and proportions of that animal: never flattened, squashed, stretched or merged with anything. It stands upright on its hind legs like the rats and does their moves with its own paws. The same pet from the first frame to the last, so its owner recognizes it at once. NO rat face, NO rat ears, NO long bare rat tail and NO rat fur on the pet, unless [Image 1] shows a rat.

Real-time speed, exactly the timing of [Video 1]. ONE continuous shot, no cuts.

WHAT HAPPENS, matching the reference second by second:
0-2.5 s: the pet stands upright next to the green dumpster with a rat beside it, both facing the camera, bouncing on their hind legs like boxers.
2.5-3 s: the pet throws a high kick at the camera with one back leg, one front paw up.
3-5.5 s: the camera moves along the wall; the pet steps closer on two legs, front paws up like a boxer, other rats behind it.
5.5-6.5 s: the pet lunges at the camera, one front paw raised high, filling the frame.
6.5-9.5 s: the camera turns down the alley; rats walk upright and on all fours; the pet in front strikes a fighting pose with one front paw out and kicks.
9.5-11 s: the pet walks right up to the camera and swats at the lens with an open front paw, the face big and sharp: exactly the pet from [Image 1].

The other rats keep their own look and moves and never take the pet's look. Nobody is hurt. One head only, two front paws and two back legs on the pet, no extra limbs. No dialogue throughout the entire video. No background music. No text on screen, no subtitles, no watermark, no logos.
   ```

2. Press Generate, then download the 9:16 MP4.

One-tap version of this variant: https://www.makeviral.ai/templates/nyc-rats-ai-trend/create?variant=pet

### Which photo works best?

Both versions take **one photo**.

- **You:** a photo from the knees up or head to toes, standing, with your face sharp and turned to the camera. Good light matters: the video is a dark alley lit by a phone light, so a clear face in the photo keeps you recognizable. Your clothes and shoes from the photo stay on you.
- **Pet:** your pet alone, the whole body, the face clear and not blurred. A cat, dog, rabbit or any other pet works; your pet stands up on its back legs in the video like the rats.
- No sunglasses or mask over the face. Use your own photo, or one of a friend who said yes.

## How many credits does it cost?

You pay per video in credits, and the create page shows the exact price on the Generate button before you spend anything. The one-tap price covers the scene photo and the video, charged once. The cheaper models are there if you run the prompts by hand in AI Video.

| Video model | Settings | Credits |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Seedance 2.5 (this template) | 11 s, 720p, straight from your photos, one tap | 139 |

Credits come with a plan; see [pricing](https://www.makeviral.ai/pricing). A failed video gives its credits back.

## What happens in your NYC rats video?

| Seconds | You | Pet |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 3 | You walk into a dark, dirty alley toward the camera, lit by a phone light. | Your pet stands up on two legs next to a green dumpster, with a rat beside it, both bouncing like boxers. |
| 3 to 5 | Five big rats in front of your feet stand up on their back legs at once and face you. You stop. | Your pet throws a high kick at the camera and steps closer, paws up. |
| 5 to 8 | The lead rat struts forward on two legs, kicks and jabs the air; the others bounce behind it. You put your hands up and lean back. | Your pet lunges at the lens, then the camera turns down the alley and the rat gang struts upright behind it. |
| 8 to 11 | You turn and run out of the alley; the camera swings to the rats, and the lead rat swats at the lens. | Your pet strikes a fighting pose, walks right up to the camera and swats at the lens with an open paw. |

The Pet version is a swap of the viral clip itself: top-quality AI video models, including Seedance 2.5, take the clip and put your pet in the lead rat's place, with the same alley, the same rats and the same shaky camera. The You version is a new scene made from your photo, because the original is filmed from the walker's own eyes. Both are vertical 9:16, 11 seconds, at 720p, ready for Reels and TikTok.

Press "Create your own", add your photo and press Generate. The exact price shows on the Generate button before you spend anything. A run can take 5 to 15 minutes, and the video waits in My videos when it is ready.

## You or Pet: which version?

| Version | Photo | What you get | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|
| You | 1 of you | You take the shortcut through a New York alley at night, the rat gang stands up and squares up to you, and you run. 11 seconds. | The video's own alley sound: squeaks, steps, the street. No music. |
| Pet | 1 of your pet | Your cat, dog or other pet is the lead rat of the original clip: it stands on two legs, kicks, boxes and swats at the lens while the real rat gang backs it up. 11 seconds. | The original clip's own night alley sound. |

The original NYC rats video has no song, only the sound of the alley, so neither version adds music. You can turn the sound off on the result screen.

## What do people call the NYC rats trend?

Most people know it by its caption, "Never Take The Shortcut in NYC", or simply as the NYC rats meme. People who saw it search for NYC rats fighting, New York rats fighting, the rats fighting meme, the rat fighting meme or the rat fight meme, and NYC rats video or New York rats video when they want the clip again. The joke leans on how big and bold city rats are ("NYC rats huge", "NYC rats attack"), and on the rat gang meme of rats acting like a street crew.

On the AI side it is an AI rat video, an AI rat meme, AI rats video, an AI generated rat meme, rats fighting AI or the rat gang AI clip. Rats really do stand up and push at each other with their front paws when they fight, which is where the old two rats fighting meme, the rat boxing meme and the rat standing up meme come from. The AI version turns that into the NYC rat gang: AI rats boxing the camera, a whole crew at once.

## What goes wrong, and how do you fix it?

| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Your face looks a bit different (You) | The alley is dark. Use a sharper photo with your face big and in good light, then run it again. |
| Your pet looks like a rat, or keeps a long bare tail (Pet) | Use a photo where your pet's face, ears and fur are clear, and run it again. |
| A rat stays in front instead of your pet | The clip has several rats near the camera. Run it again; a bigger, clearer pet photo helps. |
| The rats look too small or too big | The AI decides the size each run. City rats in the video are big, about the size of a small cat. |
| The run fails | Some photos get refused. MakeViral then tries a backup model, and if the video still fails, the credits come back. |

## NYC Rats trend questions

### What is the NYC rats AI trend?

It is an AI video of a New York alley at night, filmed on a shaky phone, where a gang of rats stand up on their hind legs, kick and box toward the camera. It started with @aliaboutine's reel "Never Take The Shortcut in NYC" on 10 November 2026, which passed 4.2 million likes in two days.

### Is the NYC rats video real?

No. Every rat in it is AI-made, and the creator says so in the caption. Real rats do rise up on their back legs and push at each other when they fight, which is why the clip looks so believable. Your video is AI too: say so when you post it.

### Who made the never take the shortcut in NYC video?

The Instagram creator @aliaboutine, who makes AI rat clips. The reel went up on 10 November 2026 with the caption "Never Take The Shortcut in NYC". MakeViral is not linked with the creator; this page credits the original and lets you make your own take.

### How do I make the NYC rats AI video?

Press "Create your own", pick You or Pet, add one clear photo and press Generate. The button shows the price first. You write no prompt. It takes 5 to 15 minutes, and the video comes with the alley sound.

### Can my cat or dog be the lead rat?

Yes, that is the Pet version: your pet takes the place of the lead rat in the original clip. It stands on two legs, kicks, boxes and swats at the lens, while the rest of the rat gang stays behind it. Your pet keeps its own face, fur and markings.

### Is there an AI rat video generator or app for this?

This page is one: it makes the NYC rats video from one photo of you or your pet, with no editing. It is built for this one alley clip. For more animal trends, see the giant cat and courthouse walkout templates linked below.

### What is the sound in the NYC rats video?

There is no song. The original reel has only its own night alley sound. The Pet version keeps that sound, and the You version gets the sound of its own scene: the alley, the squeaks and your steps. You can turn it off on the result screen.

### How long is the video?

11 seconds, like the original, vertical 9:16 at 720p, ready for Reels and TikTok.

### Does the NYC rats video cost credits?

Yes. The Generate button shows the exact price before you spend anything, and if a video fails, the credits come back.

## Other AI video templates and tools

- [Giant Cat AI Video: Make Your Pet a Giant in New York](https://www.makeviral.ai/templates/giant-cat-ai-video): Your cat walks down a New York avenue as tall as the towers, peers into a car window and leans on a skyscraper while helicopters circle. Add one photo of your pet, or of yourself, and get the 10-second clip with the street sound.
- [I Just Beat The Case: Walk Out of the Courthouse in the Meme](https://www.makeviral.ai/templates/i-just-beat-the-case-ai-trend): "I just beat the case. I'm back." Add one photo, and you, your dog or your cat push out of the courthouse doors, fire a finger gun, flex and skip-kick down the walkway, with the original sound.
- [Tiger Fight AI: Beat the Tiger on CCTV](https://www.makeviral.ai/templates/cctv-tiger-fight-ai-trend): A security camera on a forest path. A tiger leaps out of the bushes, and you fight it and pin it to the ground. Add one photo of yourself or your pet, and the trend's phonk sound comes with it.
- [Meme Video](https://www.makeviral.ai/tools/meme-video-generator): One line of text, one image, six seconds. The cheapest format to produce and the easiest one to test ten different ways in an afternoon.
- [AI TikTok Video](https://www.makeviral.ai/tools/ai-tiktok-video-generator): Eight native TikTok formats, one prompt or product URL, a finished 9:16 video with captions burned in.
- [AI photo generator](https://www.makeviral.ai/ai-photo-generator)
- [All AI video templates](https://www.makeviral.ai/templates)

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- [Bad Aim Edit AI Trend: Miss the Target, Then Own the Office](https://www.makeviral.ai/templates/bad-aim-edit-ai-trend): You try archery in a grass field and miss the flying target badly. Then a hard cut: a cool black and white office edit in black fight gloves, with a mug, a shh and a walk out the door. Add one photo of you or your pet.
- [Favorite Rumors About Us AI: Do the Couple Rumors Trend From Two Photos](https://www.makeviral.ai/templates/favorite-rumors-about-us-ai-trend): Two of you stand side by side while the rumors pop up one by one, and whoever the rumor is true for breaks into a goofy dance on the beat. Add two photos and get the clip with the rumor captions and the sound.

## Make your own NYC Rats video

Add one photo and press Generate. No prompt to write. 139 credits, charged once.

[Make this video](https://www.makeviral.ai/templates/nyc-rats-ai-trend/create)