Ratbats, a non-sentient species, were native to Despayre, a world used as a prison. This planet was situated in the Atrivis sector of the Outer Rim Territories. The prisoners toiling on Despayre's surface trapped these ratbats and cooked them, supplementing their inadequate diet. The entire ratbat population of Despayre was wiped out when the first Death Star obliterated the planet in 0 BBY.
Michael Reaves and Steve Perry conceived of the ratbats for their 2007 novel, Death Star.