America’s ‘rattiest’ cities:

Below is the full list of cities on Orkin’s ‘rattiest’ cities:

1. Chicago
2. Los Angeles
3. Washington, D.C.-Hagerstown
4. New York
5. San Francisco-Oak-San Jose
6. Seattle-Tacoma
7. Detroit
8. Cleveland-Akron-Canton
9. Baltimore
10. Miami-Ft. Lauderdale
11. Dallas-Ft. Worth
12. Denver
13. Houston
14. Atlanta
15. Boston-Manchester
16. Minneapolis-St. Paul
17. Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto
18. Syracuse
19. Indianapolis
20. Charlotte

Autumn is the time of year when rodents are actively seeking food, water and shelter in preparation for winter weather. Each fall, rats and mice invade an estimated 21 million American homes.

Orkin recommends the following tips to help prevent rodents around the home:

• Regularly inspect the home – inside and outside – for rodent droppings, rub marks or burrows.
• Seal all cracks and gaps around utility penetrations larger than 1/4 of an inch, as well as install weather stripping at the bottom of exterior doors.
• Trim overgrown branches, plants and bushes near the home, and consider keeping a 2-foot barrier between any landscaping and the home.
• Store all food (including pet food) and garbage properly in sealed containers both indoors and outdoors.
• Remove all pet bowls after animals are finished eating, and remove pet waste from the lawn promptly.

Source: http://washington.cbslocal.com/2014/10/13/d-c-makes-orkins-list-of-top-20-rattiest-cities/