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“Our goal on every job is to ensure the customer has the best possible experience. We understand that they’re paying to receive quality service that improves their home, so we focus all our efforts on making sure they’re satisfied from beginning to end.”

Alley Cat offers rodent proofing, animal waste cleanup and other services that are designed to improve indoor air quality for residential clients in Marin, Contra Costa, and Alameda Counties. The family-owned and operated company also cleans attics and crawl spaces, and it offers free inspections for the convenience of its customers.Owner Niv Goldman says Alley Cat’s ability to communicate with its customers has been an important aspect of its success. “We’re very transparent with our clients throughout every step of their projects, which they really appreciate. By clearly explaining their options, answering their questions and listening to their concerns, we’re able to help them make the right decisions for their homes.”Alley Cat maintains a staff of highly trained and experienced technicians, which Mr. Goldman says allows the company to achieve consistently positive results. “Our employees have been in this field for many years, so they know the best ways to get the job done. From the initial inspection until they leave the house, they handle everything professionally and with the customer’s best interests in mind.”

An Alley Cat technician prepares to work on a client’s home.

Company Story

Maintaining customer satisfaction is a crucial aspect of any business, but it’s even more important for attic and crawl space cleaning companies that have earned the prestigious Diamond Certified award. For Alley Cat, the key to keeping clients happy is simple: focus all its efforts on providing effective solutions to their problems. “We understand how disconcerting an attic or crawl space rodent infestation can be, and that’s why we’re committed to providing one-time treatment solutions,” says owner Niv Goldman. “To prove our commitment, we back our work with a three-year warranty.” Alley Cat has been cleaning and restoring attics and crawl spaces for residential clients in Marin, Contra Costa, and Alameda Counties since 2015. The family-owned and operated company offers a variety of services that are designed to improve indoor air quality (air duct cleaning, rodent proofing, animal waste cleanup, etc.), and it also offers free inspections for its customers’ convenience. Unlike less experienced attic and crawl space cleaning companies that are careless in their execution, Alley Cat prioritizes quality control in every aspect of its work. “It wouldn’t be a stretch to say we’re obsessed with quality,” affirms Mr. Goldman. “Everyone who works here is quality-oriented, from the lowest ranking employee to upper management. Because of this, our clients can expect the utmost professionalism and complete satisfaction with the final product.” Another distinguishing attribute of Alley Cat is its sophisticated approach to rodent exclusion. “When rodent proofing an attic or crawl space, a lot of companies won’t keep records of which areas were sealed,” explains Mr. Goldman. “Because of this, if the rodents return, they’ll have to start over from square one to address the issue. In contrast, we use custom software to map all the entry points that were sealed. That way, if the rodents return, we’re able to pinpoint the source of the issue and quickly resolve it.”

Q: What does your cleaning service consist of? A: We start by removing all rodent feces, soiled insulation and nesting materials from the area. Next, we sanitize the area to kill bacteria and deodorize to remove any rodent pheromones. Finally, we restore the insulation and add more as needed. Q: What sets your company apart in terms of rodent exclusion? A: Besides using software to map all rodent entry points, we have sophisticated tools that most other companies don’t have. For example, if rodents are gaining access beneath the home’s foundation, we have a special machine that can dig a trench so a mesh wire barrier can be installed. Q: Do you use toxic chemicals to treat rodent infestations? A: No, we never use poisons or toxic chemicals in our treatments. Q: Can you clean my clean air ducts? A: Yes, we can clean your air ducts as part of your cleaning service. We’ll put the ducts under negative pressure and use a high-powered vacuum to remove any debris, including rodent droppings. This can go a long way toward improving your indoor air quality following a rodent infestation. Q: I’m planning to sell my home. Will my warranty be transferable to the new homeowner? A: Yes.

When it comes to treating an attic or crawl space rodent infestation, keep in mind that time is of the essence. “Once rodents gain access to your attic or crawl space, the damage starts happening very quickly,” says Niv Goldman, owner of Alley Cat in Oakland. “As soon as you discover evidence of rodent activity, you should call a professional to come out and inspect the area. By treating the situation early, you can minimize the damage caused by pests.” Mr. Goldman says there are a few ways in which rodents can cause damage after accessing an attic or crawl space. “A single rodent can lay about 100 pellets a day. So, if there are two rodents in your house, that’s about 200 pellets a day. Multiply that by several more rodents and several more days and you get an idea of the scope of damage they can cause with their droppings alone.” Mr. Goldman adds that rodents also chew through air ducts and electrical wires, which can undermine the safety and energy efficiency of your home’s essential systems. “The faster you get a professional to treat your rodent problem, the less you’ll have to pay for repairing your electrical system and air ducts.” Even worse, Mr. Goldman says postponing treatment of a rodent infestation can put your health at risk. “Rodents carry viruses and diseases, including Hantavirus, which they disseminate in their urine, droppings and saliva. Because of this, a rodent infestation in your attic or crawl space isn’t just a threat to your home’s integrity—it’s a threat to your health. That’s why it’s so important to call a professional as soon as possible.”

Greenpeace

Alley Cat

Their customer service is very responsive, and their service is amazing. I appreciate that.Probably the customer service, attentiveness, and the follow-up

They were really great, timely, and explained everything really well, thorough, and quick.I don't know. They seemed like they knew what they were doing.

They're professional and they took care of the issues in the house, so overall, I think it's simple and professional.I think the follow-up and having that timely support

They did what they said they would do.They got rid of the rats.

They're a very good company and will take care of your rodent issue and fix any issues right away.They have competitive pricing and good quality workmanship.

Excellent job, excellent service, and they came out fast They came 3-4 visits until there were no more rats, so very good. I would recommend them to my friends.They're professional. They got rid of the rats for us, so they do a very good job. They did what they emphasized.

They're reliable, they show up when they're supposed to and they explain everything very clearly.They did the job effectively and they communicated very clearly what we should expect.

They're very friendly and I felt comfortable with them in my house.I like the friendliness and they understood what I needed.

They have good customer service. They're very responsive and very busy, so book early.I liked the customer service and I thought they did a very thorough job as well.

They were efficient, they got rid of the rats and they were easy to work with.They got rid of the rats.

Alley Cat offers rodent proofing and other services that improve indoor air quality for clients in Marin, Contra Costa, and Alameda Counties.

OAKLAND — It’s not always easy to know when rodents have infested your home—after all, they’re quite good at hiding. Fortunately, even if you can’t see them, there are plenty of clues that can alert you to their presence, including:
<ul>
<li>Scratching and scampering sounds</li>
<li>The odor of a deceased animal</li>
<li>Droppings</li>
</ul>
If you notice these types of clues, you should call a rodent exclusion professional as soon as possible. Why the urgency? There are a couple of reasons.
First, rodents can do a lot of damage in a very short period of time. One rodent can leave anywhere from 30 to 80 droppings each day; if you have two or three rodents in the house, that’s easily 100 to 200 droppings (or more) per day. And this doesn’t include the other damage rodents can cause, such as chewing up wiring and insulation. The longer you wait to call a professional, the more work will be needed to repair the damage.
The second reason to act fast is the health risk posed by a rodent infestation. Rodents can transmit deadly diseases such as salmonella and hantavirus through their droppings, so it’s not something you want to procrastinate about.
A rodent exclusion professional will perform a thorough inspection of your home, assess the damage and give you a report of what’s needed to resolve the situation. By acting as soon as you notice the signs of rodent infestation, you can minimize the damage and risk of disease exposure.

OAKLAND — It’s not always easy to know when rodents have infested your home—after all, they’re quite good at hiding. Fortunately, even if you can’t see them, there are plenty of clues that can alert you to their presence, including: Scratching and scampering sounds The odor of a deceased animal Droppings If you notice these types of clues, you should call a rodent exclusion professional as soon as possible. Why the urgency? There are a couple of reasons. First, rodents can do a lot of damage in a very short period of time. One rodent can leave anywhere from 30 to 80 droppings each day; Read more

Identifying and Treating a Rodent Infestation

OAKLAND — Host, Sarah Rutan: Rodents are good at hiding, but if you know what to look for, you’ll be able to detect their presence. Today we’re in Oakland with Diamond Certified Expert Contributor Niv Goldman of Alley Cat to learn more.
Diamond Certified Expert Contributor, Niv Goldman: So a lot of question that we – we’re getting is how do we know that we have a rodent in the house? So one way that you know that you have a rodent in your house is that you either hear a scratching on the walls, or a scampering in the attic, or under the floor so you know you have an animal that entered your house.
Another way to know that you have an animal in your house is basically you smell a dead animal somewhere in the house. So some way, somehow, something got in and died in your crawl space or in your attic, and it’s very easy to know about it this way.
The third way is that you basically just see droppings. You can see droppings on the counter, on the floor usually in the kitchen because this is where the rodents mostly get attracted to the food source and you know you have a rodent problem in your house.
The second question is: What do you usually should do when you know that you have a rodent? So it’s very important to call a professional to come and inspect all those areas that are affected. Usually the professional will go inside to the areas, we’re looking to the damages and what needs to get restored to a good condition, and we’ll give you a report of the damages.
Why this is urgent to – to call somebody to inspect the home, this is also something I would like to mention, rodents are laying about 30 to 80 droppings every day. So if you have two, three, four rodents in the house, it becomes to about 100 droppings every day. That leads to two problems: one problem, it’s the health risk. Rodents transmit diseases like salmonella and Hantavirus through their droppings. So you want to get that cleaned out as soon as possible.
The other reason is because rodents create a lot of damage in a very short period of time. So they entered into the spaces, they can infest insulations so there are more droppings laying around, the most infested the area become. They&#8217;re attracted to heat, so they might want to get into the air ducts as well. And that can get very extensive work. So we recommend as soon as you know you have a rodent problem, call somebody in so he can at least give you the scope of job and what needs to be done so you can make a good decision about your home.
Host, Sarah Rutan: To learn more from local, top rated companies, visit our Diamond Certified Expert Reports at experts.diamondcertified.org.

OAKLAND — Host, Sarah Rutan: Rodents are good at hiding, but if you know what to look for, you’ll be able to detect their presence. Today we’re in Oakland with Diamond Certified Expert Contributor Niv Goldman of Alley Cat to learn more. Diamond Certified Expert Contributor, Niv Goldman: So a lot of question that we – we’re getting is how do we know that we have a rodent in the house? So one way that you know that you have a rodent in your house is that you either hear a scratching on the walls, or a scampering in the attic, or under the floor so you know you have an animal that entered your house. Read more

Video: Heeding the Signs of Rodent Infestation

<h1>Niv Goldman: Doing the Right Thing</h1>
<h6>By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter</h6>
OAKLAND — After a bad experience as an employee, Niv Goldman decided the best way to maintain his professional ethics was to take matters into his own hands. “While working as a salesperson for a large attic cleaning company, I kept getting complaints from unhappy clients,” he recounts. “I tried to work with the company owner to rectify the issue—I didn’t feel right setting expectations higher than what I knew we could provide. Eventually, I knew I had to move on. Instead of going to work for another company and ending up in the same situation, I decided to get my contractor’s license and start my own attic cleaning business.”
Knowing he’d need help getting his new business off the ground, Niv enlisted the help of his wife, Morgan, and her parents, all of whom continue to take an active role in the company today. Niv also decided he should focus on a specific aspect of the industry. “Most attic cleaning companies do a little bit of everything, including air duct cleaning and rodent exclusion. Rather than spread ourselves thin, we decided to focus on a niche—that way, we’d be able to ensure the highest quality. We ultimately chose to specialize in rodent exclusion.”
Today, as owner of Alley Cat, Niv says his favorite parts of his job are problem-solving and innovating. “I’m always thinking about how I can improve the experiences of both our customers and our employees. I like addressing problems and finding the best solutions. I also like innovating and developing new products that increase the efficiency of our work.”
A resident of Oakland (where he lives with Morgan and their daughter), Niv spends his time outside of work on a variety of pastimes. “I swim three times a week and practice daily meditation,” he details. “I also enjoy spending time with my family. Morgan and I like taking our daughter to places like The Oakland Zoo and Children’s Fairyland.”
In his life and career, Niv espouses the virtue of the Golden Rule. “I strive to treat others the way I’d like to be treated,” he affirms. “Whether I’m dealing with a customer, an employee or a contractor, I treat them with the same respect I would hope to receive. It doesn’t matter which sphere you apply this philosophy to—if you do, you’ll have good relationships.”
When asked the first thing he’d do if he were to retire tomorrow, Niv says he’d keep innovating. “Even after I retire, I’ll keep working on ideas and products that make the world a better place. If that were tomorrow, I’d probably buy a house near the beach. Somewhere that’s quiet and has a lot of nature around…a good environment for spiritual living.”
Ask Me Anything!
Q: What was your first job?
A:  I was a pizza delivery driver. I was promoted to branch manager within a year, so that gives you an idea of my work ethic.
Q: What’s your favorite local restaurant?
A: Dyafa in Oakland.
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
A: Costa Rica.
Q: What’s your favorite thing to do on a rainy day?
A: Read a book.
Q: Pancakes or waffles?
A: Waffles.

Niv Goldman: Doing the Right Thing By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter OAKLAND — After a bad experience as an employee, Niv Goldman decided the best way to maintain his professional ethics was to take matters into his own hands. “While working as a salesperson for a large attic cleaning company, I kept getting complaints from unhappy clients,” he recounts. “I tried to work with the company owner to rectify the issue—I didn’t feel right setting expectations higher than what I knew we could provide. Eventually, I knew I had to move on. Instead of going to work for another company and ending up in the same situation, I decided to get my contractor’s license and start my own attic cleaning business.” Knowing he’d need help getting his new business off the ground, Read more

Niv Goldman is owner of Alley Cat, a Diamond Certified company. He can be reached at (415) 523-6064 or by email.

Niv Goldman: Doing the Right Thing

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Alley Cat cleans and restores attics and crawl spaces for residential clients in Marin, Contra Costa, and Alameda Counties.

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