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   From: yourdime@outlook.com   
      
   For the first time in more than a decade, Los Angeles has claimed the top   
   spot on Orkin's annual Rattiest Cities List, ending Chicago's reign that   
   began when the rankings debuted.   
      
   The pest control company announced that the City of Angels had moved up   
   one spot to No. 1, displacing Chicago to second place. New York ranked   
   third, followed by San Francisco at fourth.   
      
   Orkin determined the rankings by tracking new rodent services in owner-   
   occupied residences from Aug. 20, 2024, to Aug. 21, 2025. The company   
   attributed Los Angeles' rise to year-round warm weather, a booming   
   culinary scene and dense neighborhoods that provide ample food and shelter   
   for rodents.   
      
   California dominated the list with four cities in the top 50: Los Angeles,   
   San Francisco, Sacramento at No. 19 and San Diego at No. 24.   
      
   The shift in rankings reflects changing rodent activity patterns   
   influenced by weather, urban infrastructure and human behavior, according   
   to Orkin officials. Moderate climates improve rodent survival rates while   
   urban sprawl creates new pathways for infestations.   
      
   Orkin's Top 50 Rattiest Cities   
   Los Angeles, Calif. (+1)   
   Chicago, Ill. (-1)   
   New York, N.Y.   
   San Francisco, Calif.   
   Hartford, Conn. (+8)   
   Washington, D.C. (-1)   
   Detroit, Mich. (+1)   
   Philadelphia, Pa. (-1)   
   Minneapolis, Minn. (+2)   
   Denver, Colo. (-4)   
   Cleveland, Ohio (-1)   
   Baltimore, Md. (-3)   
   Boston, Mass. (-1)   
   Indianapolis, Ind. (+1)   
   Dallas, Texas (+7)   
   Milwaukee, Wis. (+3)   
   Seattle, Wash. (-3)   
   Atlanta, Ga. (-2)   
   Sacramento, Calif. (+1)   
   Pittsburgh, Pa. (+1)   
   Columbus, Ohio (-4)   
   Tampa, Fla. (+13)   
   Houston, Texas (+2)   
   San Diego, Calif. (-6)   
   Grand Rapids, Mich. (+2)   
   Miami, Fla. (+2)   
   Cincinnati, Ohio (+8)   
   St. Louis, Mo.   
   Norfolk, Va. (-5)   
   Greenville, S.C. (+4)   
   Portland, Ore. (+7)   
   Raleigh, N.C. (-4)   
   Orlando, Fla. (+6)   
   Louisville, Ky.   
   Charlotte, N.C. (-9)   
   Kansas City, Mo. (+9)   
   Champaign, Ill. (+6)   
   Phoenix, Ariz. (-6)   
   New Orleans, La. (+1)   
   Nashville, Tenn. (-4)   
   Flint, Mich. (+1)   
   South Bend, Ind.   
   Albuquerque, N.M. (-13)   
   Madison, Wis.   
   Reno, Nev.   
   Eau Claire, Wis.   
   Richmond, Va. (-9)   
   Burlington, Vt. (-2)   
   Albany, N.Y. (-18)   
   Buffalo, N.Y. (-9)   
      
   Rodents pose serious risks beyond being a nuisance, experts warn. They can   
   cause significant structural damage by gnawing through walls, wiring and   
   pipes — a rat's teeth rank 5.5 on the Mohs hardness scale, strong enough   
   to chew through steel garbage cans. The pests are known carriers of   
   illnesses including leptospirosis, salmonellosis, plague and typhus.   
      
   "Rats and mice are more than a nuisance — they're opportunists," said Ian   
   Williams, an Orkin entomologist. "If there's food, warmth and a way in,   
   they'll find it. And once inside, their constant chewing and rapid   
   reproduction can quickly turn a small issue into a large, expensive one."   
      
   Santa Monica has experienced its share of rodent problems in recent years,   
   with high-profile incidents affecting both public spaces and private   
   businesses.   
      
   In 2020, longtime Third Street Promenade property owner John Alle   
   complained that rats and mice were nesting inside the pedestrian mall's   
   signature dinosaur-shaped topiary planters. He observed "swarms of   
   rodents" routinely scurrying in and out of the ivy-covered metal   
   sculptures after dark, particularly concerning given the proximity to   
   outdoor dining areas during the COVID-19 pandemic.   
      
   The city's rodent issues have extended to restaurants and food   
   establishments. Several local restaurants have been cited by the health   
   department in the past few years over vermin problems. While most were   
   able to clean up and reopen, at least one cited rats as part of the reason   
   for their closure.   
      
   Tacos Punta Cabras opened at Broadway and 10th Street in 2018 but shut   
   down barely a year later due to severe roof leaks and a rodent infestation   
   so extensive the owners could hear rats scrambling in the walls. The   
   restaurant's proprietors sued their landlord, and a jury awarded them   
   approximately $3 million in 2023, finding the landlords' failure to   
   address the infestation amounted to wrongful eviction.   
      
   The health consequences of rodent infestations became particularly   
   alarming in summer 2025 when public health officials investigated a   
   cluster of five flea-borne typhus cases in Santa Monica. All five patients   
   required hospitalization. Disease investigators conducted environmental   
   assessments near 25th Street and Kansas Avenue, where fleas collected from   
   animals tested positive for typhus bacteria. The outbreak highlighted how   
   rats serve as vectors for disease, carrying infected fleas that can   
   transmit illness to humans.   
      
   To combat rodent problems, Orkin recommends following "GNAW" prevention   
   tips: Guard entry points by sealing cracks and gaps; Never leave food   
   unattended outside; Avoid clutter that creates nesting spots; and Watch   
   for signs like droppings, gnaw marks or burrows. Rats need only an opening   
   the size of a quarter to access a building, while mice require even less   
   space.   
      
   https://smdp.com/business/los-angeles-tops-national-rattiest-city-list/   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)