Washington Has One of the ‘Top Rat Infested’ Cities in U.S. Again

You would think that this city would start to try and clean up the problem, wouldn't you?

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Orkin Crowns Washington State on 'Top Rat Infested' List Again

Every year Orkin releases their list of cities with the highest rates of rat infestation in the U.S., and one Washington State city is rising up the list once again. We are starting to enter the fall season, which is the strongest season for rodents like mice and rats to cause problems with humans. When the weather starts to get cold like it does in Washington State in the fall and winter, rats start to run out of food and start going inside homes and human structures looking for food and warmth. Rats and mice are not only an irritation but also are known to spread diseases like Salmonella. Rodents also can cause severe structural damage inside walls by chewing insulation and wires, or by the feces and waste they leave behind.

Signs Your Home is Rat Infested

There are a few easy 'tell-tale' signs that your home is infested with mice or rats. You will start to notice things like mice droppings under sinks or stoves, in your pantry, or around the edges of walls. You might also notice chewing marks on walls or things laying around the house. When we had an infestation once, we heard them crawling around in the walls so we set traps in those areas to catch them. You may also notice more dirt or grease-looking marks that rats can leave behind in their more highly trafficked areas.

The Washington City Ranked Again on Top Rat Infested Cities is...?

Once again, Orkin has ranked Seattle, Washington at #11 on the Top 50 'Rattiest Cities' list. Seattle holds that position from last year after moving up from the #12 position in 2020. In 2018 Seattle, Washinton was ranked #14 after dropping down from #11 in 2017 but has now risen back up to almost the top ten worst rat-infested cities in the United States. Whatever the city of Seattle did between 2017 and 2018 to clean up the rat problem, they should probably implement it again before the city is solidified in the top ten or eventually the 'Rattiest City' in The USA crown. The top 12 'Ratties Cities' in the United States currently according to Orkin are:

The new list is due sometime in October this year, but I am afraid Seattle will be moving in the wrong direction. See the rest of the Top 50 list at Orkin.com.