LOS ANGELES – The exterminator company Orkin says that, for the first time, Los Angeles tops its list of Top 50 Rattiest Cities, a dubious distinction based on U.S. locales with the most calls for new rodent services.
Orkin’s recent list was compiled by tracking new rodent services in owner-occupied residences from Aug. 20, 2024, to Aug. 21, 2025. Chicago was second, New York third and San Francisco fourth.
The company cites “year-round warm weather, a booming culinary scene and dense neighborhoods that offer ample access to food and shelter” as factors for the ascension of Los Angeles to the top spot.
Orkin said rats pose the following risks for property owners:
— structural damage: Rodents gnaw through walls, wiring and even pipes;
— health concerns: Rodents are known carriers of illnesses to humans, including Leptospirosis, Salmonellosis, LCM, plague and typhus, posing serious potential health risks;
— fast reproduction: Rodent populations can multiply rapidly, causing expensive problems for homeowners;
The following measures were recommended:
— guard entry points by sealing cracks, holes and gaps;
— don’t leave food unattended outside for pets or wildlife;
— avoid clutter that could create nesting spots;
— watch for signs such as droppings, gnaw marks or rub marks, burrows or scampering noises;
— watch for small openings — rats need an opening no bigger than the size of a quarter to access a building, and mice need even less space;
— eliminate water sources by fixing leaky faucets, pipes or standing water;
— check for holes or damage in outdoor trash bins — especially along the bottom, lid or sides. If bins are broken or chewed through, contact your local sanitation provider to request a replacement.
A representative from Raptors are the Solution, a Northern California- based group that educates the public about the dangers of rat and rodent poisons, took issue with Orkin’s methodology.
“This is not a scientifically defensible way of tracking rodent populations,” the group told CNS, adding that rodent fertility control is an approach being used successfully in many locations.
Orkin also recommends calling an exterminator if problems persist, but others argue for a more preventive approach.
“Rats in general, domestic or wild, are opportunistic creatures. They will look for food, and they will leave when there’s no more if it,” South Bay Rodent Rescue told City News Service.
Jakob Shaw, manager of strategic initiatives for PETA, echoed that message, telling CNS that one of the reasons New York is no longer atop the list is because the city recently passed an ordinance requiring trash to be placed in closed containers. He said the amount of food thrown away by Angelenos was fueling any rat problems in the city.
“We’re building a buffet for rats, then blaming them when they show up to check it out,” he said.
He called extermination methods “not only cruel but ineffective, because it doesn’t do anything to address the root cause of the problem.”
