The Kinabalu rat lives above 2,000 m in Sabah, northern Borneo. It has been observed licking nectar from a pitcher plant and leaving droppings inside its pitchers.
It has long, dark fur and woolly underfur. Two other montane Rattus species share this coat pattern, so it is not unique to this species.
It has been observed licking nectar from the lid of Nepenthes rajah pitchers and defecating inside them.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.