Chicago's Rats Love the North Side

The strongest rat colonies secure the best places to live, declares the City of Chicago’s own web page dedicated to city rats, and the North Side is one of the rattiest places in the Windy City.

Bucktown, North Center and Logan Square — some of the most densely populated neighborhoods in Chicago — report more rats than other neighborhoods, according to the Chicago Tribune, which analyzed the city’s record of rodent calls.

A caveat comes with this ranking, however, reports the Trib:

Complaints and the city’s response to them — counts of rat evidence found and total premises baited — isn’t always indicative of infestation. Because much of the city’s abatement work is complaint-driven, sometimes it’s an indicator of more people reporting rat sightings. Garbage and dog feces are food sources for rats, so neighborhoods with a lot of restaurants, people and dog owners are particularly hospitable for rodents.

Through the end of September, 26,600 complaints about rodents have been logged with the city.

Chicago’s rats aren’t just plentiful. They also lack bladder control, according to the Orkin man, who says rats pee “everywhere they go.” Last year, Orkin ranked Chicago as the nation’s worst city for rats.

Chicago’s native rat is the Norway rat, a hardy specimen among rat breeds: “They are excellent climbers and swimmers and most active at night. They have very hard teeth and can chew through wood and plaster or any other material that is softer than their teeth. They can crawl through holes the size of a quarter, tread water for three days and land unharmed after a five-story fall.”

Don’t Let Rats Bite You in the Ass

National Geographic studied how rats can swim up your plumbing and into your toilet. Find out how in this clip from The Doctors, and what an encounter with a rat could mean for your health.