Rat could also be to distract, or move away the jaguar...But, as you say, it's probably best not to play the oracle with this game. NLT is more than likely to subvert our expectations.
Could be. As you say NLT is fond of misdirection, red herrings and wild geese, sometimes literally. For instance I assumed that the tranquilliser dart would be used to pacify the jaguar enabling players to reach new areas to explore and it turned out to be destined to knock out a hyped-up serum intoxicated Albert getting his spank on! (Thank heavens that was all the potion inspired him to do.) It could even be that the basic container, roach and plastic wrap are going to be used to construct something other than a rat trap. Who knows? I'm not taking bets.
Just out of interest I began a new game of Treasure of Nadia and suddenly realised that something seemed to be missing which I particularly enjoy: namely the wiseacre and lovely Djiniri Evie

appearing at the end of each update. (She is still there as a guide.) I suppose she would pop up at the end of any version of the unfinished game in a manner appropriate to the current version reached by the game, but she seems not to put in an appearance serially during the game, each appearance being associated with individual updates which had contributed content to the game. I wonder if it would be feasible from a programming point of view to present the full Treasure of Nadia, punctuated into chapters relating to update releases, with Evie doing her thing at the end of each chapter as happens currently usually on a fortnightly basis as the game evolves.

Rejigging a lot of code like that would probably require a bit of an effort and be time consuming but worth it though, in my opinion, to provide more comprehensive Evie content. Easy to say when you don't have to do it though.
Maybe I will float the idea on NLT's Patreon blog if nobody else does because I think it would be a real shame if players coming to the completed version of Treasure of Nadia having never played it before missed out on Evie, doing her Deapool thing, demolishing the forth wall and having general knockabout fun at the expense of Henry Jones.

Fey Evie is one of the highlights of Treasure of Nadia as far as I am concerned.
Another unique and delightful creation by NLT and company, completely worthy of praise IMHO.
