The City Bowl is the CBD and the older residential suburbs packed into the bowl formed by Table Mountain, Devil's Peak, Lion's Head and Signal Hill. Pest work here is a mix of restaurant and office contracts in town and older homes and flats up the slopes, with rats tying the two together.
Rat Control by suburb
We cover all 26 suburbs on our City Bowl & Atlantic Seaboard route. Each suburb page covers what we find there and what works for those streets and buildings.
City Bowl & Atlantic Seaboard 26 areas
Southern Suburbs 29 areas
South Peninsula 17 areas
Northern Suburbs 16 areas
Blaauwberg & West Coast 10 areas
Cape Flats 24 areas
Rats in the City Bowl
Rats link almost every pest job in the City Bowl. In the CBD, brown rats live in the old sewer network and the service lanes behind the restaurants on Long and Bree Street, and they come up into basements, stock rooms and refuse areas. Up the slopes in Gardens, Tamboerskloof and Oranjezicht, roof rats run along the joined roofs of terraced semis and drop into ceilings.
Heritage buildings are full of voids, old drains and gaps that are hard to seal, so we combine lockable bait stations outside, traps inside and careful proofing that doesn't damage historic fabric. For restaurants and offices we set up regular monitoring with a written report after each visit.
The mountain rises right behind the suburbs, with the Company's Garden and the slopes of Table Mountain National Park providing green corridors. Winter rain runs hard down the slopes, and the South-Easter brings the famous tablecloth and blows litter around the streets. The heat traps in the bowl on still summer days.
Which rat is in your City Bowl home?
Brown rat
Rattus norvegicus- Norway rat
- Sewer rat
- Family Muridae
- Body
- Heavy and thickset
- Nose
- Blunt and rounded
- Ears
- Small, furry, close to head
- Tail
- Shorter than its body
- Weight
- 250 to 500 g
- Droppings
- Up to 2 cm, blunt ends
- Burrow holes along walls, under paving and sheds
- Greasy rub marks low down along skirting and walls
- Gnawed bins, compost heaps and pet food bags
- Coming up through drains and broken sewer pipes
Black rat
Rattus rattus- Roof rat
- Ship rat
- Family Muridae
- Body
- Slim and agile
- Nose
- Pointed
- Ears
- Large, thin, almost bare
- Tail
- Longer than its body
- Weight
- 150 to 250 g
- Droppings
- About 1.2 cm, pointed
- Scratching and running in the ceiling at night
- Droppings in the roof space, cupboards and on beams
- Chewed cables, insulation and ceiling boards
- Running along fences, power lines and tree branches
ActiveBusierPeak, as rats move indoors in the cold, wet winter
Tell-tale signs
Tick every sign you have noticed. It takes ten seconds.
Why it matters: Rats spread leptospirosis through their urine, and they can carry salmonella and other diseases onto food surfaces. They gnaw on electrical cables in roofs, which can start fires, and chew through water pipes and geyser fittings. Rats also bite, especially when cornered or when a small child or sleeping person is involved. A couple of rats can become dozens within a season because they breed fast.
From the technician
Tenants often find the rats, but the fix is usually structural, a broken vent or a gap under the roof. That is a landlord job, and a report from us helps sort it out.
Rats need water daily. Dripping taps, leaking irrigation and pet bowls left outside all help them survive on your property.
Our process, step by step
First we identify the rat and track its route, because a roof rat problem is solved at the roof line and a Norway rat problem at ground level and in the drains. In the roof and inside the house we prefer heavy-duty snap traps, so there is no smell from a rat dying in the ceiling. Outdoors we use lockable, tamper-resistant bait stations, positioned along runs and fixed so they cannot be moved, and we do a bait risk assessment where pets, children or owls are around. Then we proof: steel mesh over vents, sealing gaps around pipes and cables, and advice on trimming branches. Burrows are treated and collapsed after the colony is dealt with.
- Identify the rat
We look at droppings, tracks and entry points to tell a roof rat from a Norway rat.
- Find the runs
We trace the routes from nest to food, inside and outside the property.
- Traps and stations
Snap traps go inside and locked bait stations outside, placed on the actual runs.
- Proofing
Gaps, vents and roof entry points are closed with steel mesh and cement.
- Follow-up check
We return to check traps and stations, adjust the plan and leave a report.
Keeping them out afterwards
- Fit drain covers and check that old drain pipes are not broken underground.
- Do not leave building rubble or wood piles against the house for months.
- Store feed and bird seed in metal bins with tight lids.
- Pick up fallen fruit, avocados and pet food every evening.
- Trim back trees and creepers at least a metre from the roof, because roof rats jump from them.
What affects the price
Price depends on the size of the property, which rat species you have and how many entry points need proofing. A roof rat problem with lots of overhanging trees takes more proofing work than a single burrow in the garden. Follow-up visits are part of most rat jobs and are included in the free quote.
Rat calls peak in Cape Town's rainy winter months, when burrows flood and rats head for dry roof spaces. Roof rats are busy again in late summer and autumn when fruit trees are loaded.
Rat Control questions from City Bowl
Can you control rats in a City Bowl heritage building without damaging it?
Yes. We use bait stations and traps that don't need fixing into historic surfaces where possible, and we proof gaps with removable mesh or materials that suit the building.
How do I know if it is rats or mice?
Rat droppings are much larger, roughly raisin-sized, and rats are noisier. Send a photo of the droppings on WhatsApp and we will tell you.
Is there a guarantee?
Yes, our treatments carry a minimum 3-month guarantee.
Do the rats in the City Bowl come from the Company's Garden?
The garden does carry a lot of rats, but homes and businesses further away are usually dealing with rats from old drains and restaurant lanes. We find where they are actually living, then bait outside and seal the gaps they use to get in.
Are rats dangerous to my children?
Rats can bite and spread disease through urine and droppings, so it is worth dealing with them quickly.
Can you get rid of rats near a river or canal?
Yes, but properties near water usually need ongoing stations and good proofing, because new rats keep arriving.
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