Seattle is #1....but not in the way you might think.

Seattle leads the country in contact with rodents, according to a recent study released by the US Census Bureau. The agency conducts a biennial accounting of rat, mouse and cockroach sightings across the country. The most recent numbers, collected in 2013, were released in June 2015, and show Seattle is a rat paradise!

Amazingly, this graph suggests that Seattle has more homes with rodent infestation that New York City, the alleged city of 2 million rats, as does Austin, Miami, Tampa and San Antonio.

The same report shows Seattle scoring in the lower-ranking cities with mice and cockroaches. View the Bloomberg article here, and contact Cascade Pest Control TODAY if you have a rodent issue!

Influx of Rodents on Mercer Island

While we at Cascade always keep customer details confidential, we do have a responsibility to inform our clients--and potential clients--when there trends occur. There are several cities, or areas (groups of cities) where we have received an increase in calls for rat infestations. And our Cascade technicians have also gotten calls from our established clients for renewed rodent activity. One of the predominant locations where we've had such an increase is Mercer Island. Mercer Island is known for it's fine homes and an abundance of tree and waterfront. It is perhaps the amount of waterfront that lends itself to rat infestation on Mercer Island. Also, Mercer Island has a number of ravines and "green belts"--wooded areas--that can harbor rodents. Add all that to the very basic fact that rodents follow residential development as these rodents--old-world rats and mice--are commensal, meaning they "live with humans," and Mercer Island is set up for rat problems.

Our experience is that residents of Mercer Island are very cooperative, and they are usually understanding that homes with complex roof structures and other features can sometimes create vulnerable spots on a home where rodents can gain access. The larger and more complex the home, the more challenging the rat control issue can be. Cascade Pest Control is aware of the issue and ready to respond. We are devoted to responding to and resolving tough rat infestation problems as they crop up on Mercer Island. Don Leland

Boy Dies from Rat-Bite Fever. Could it happen in Seattle?

A boy died from a bacterial infection recently in San Diego, apparenly from his pet rat. The Rat was purchased from Petco by his grandmother as a gift. The San Diego County medical examiner's office ruled that the cause of death was streptobacillus moniliformis infection, commonly known as rat-bite fever, after exposure to an infected rat. What's important here is the fact that, while rat-bite fever is less common from a pet store bought rat, it is far more likely from the wild rats that live here in the greater Seattle area. Cascade Pest Control has long warned residents in King and Snohomish county about the hazards associated with rat infestations, including rat-bit fever and more. Unfortunately, it may take a tragidy like what happened in San Diego for many to pay heed to warnings about real risks from diseases rats carry. There are high rat populations througout Seattle, Everett, Tacoma, Mercer Island and other cities...and rat bite fever is carried within the rat populations. "Most anywhere amongst the urban and suburban areas of the Puget Sound region we have an abundance of rats, and the diseases they carry are a real hazard," says Kurt Treftz of Cascade Pest Control. If you or someone you know has a home that may be encountering rodents call Cascade. If you're already on service be sure to follow recommendations, if any, that your technician provides you to reducse likelihood of rats. Don Leland