Residential Rat Control

Rats are common in urban areas such as St. Catharines. The risk of rats spreading disease is low, but they can cause damage to homes and property.

While rats generally avoid contact with humans, they will enter your home to seek food, water and shelter if given the chance.

Rats can squeeze through cracks as small as a quarter, so it's important to close up any cracks or gaps which can be used to enter your home.

Rat proof your home

You can rodent proof your home by:

Closing up easy entry points into your home, such as cracks in walls and foundations
Covering dryer vents, attic vents and soffits with mesh metal screening
Using metal weather stripping under doors and weather strip windows

You can make your home less attractive to rats by:

Removing clutter from inside and outside your house and garage
Cutting tall grass and weeds
Securing garbage in containers with tight-fitting lids
Keeping fatty or oily food waste, eggs, or milk products out of composters
Using a layer of heavy metal mesh between the soil and the bottom of the composter
Eliminating water sources, such as leaky taps
Keeping your kitchen clean
Storing dry food and dry pet food in metal or glass containers

Rat proof your neighbourhood

Rats thrive in urban areas where there is easy access to food, water and shelter. So it's possible to spot rats in your neighbourhood, even if they aren't in your home.

Rats tend to stay within 30 metres of their burrow or shelter. This means that rats in an urban area aren't just a problem for the one resident who sees a rat in their yard.

You and your neighbours can make your neighbourhood less attractive to rats by:

Removing garbage and debris kept in sheds and on properties
Cutting tall grass and weeds
Raising woodpiles about 30 cm off the ground
Cleaning up dog feces in yards
Feeding dogs and other pets inside
Not feeding birds and other wildlife
Emptying bird baths

When to call an exterminator

A licenced pest control contractor can confirm the presence of rodents, identify what type and recommend actions to rid your home of the unwanted pests. Look for these signs to know if you should call a licenced pest control contractor:

Rats are seen in your home.
Rodent droppings or urine are found in your home.
Burrows or holes are found around your home's foundation walls.
You have a rat infestation you cannot control on your own.