Raccoons coming in cat door

mikeanderson

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We're lucky enough to have an enclosed back yard from which the cats cannot escape. They love going out the cat door and hanging out in the yard at all hours. This was a fine setup, at least up until recently when:

Raccoons started coming in through the cat door at night! They come in, raid the catfood bowls, and help themselves to the special running water fountain. They wash their paws in it, and lord knows what else. They even like to pull the lid off the top of the fountain and remove the filter!


Of course we can close off the cat door at night, which is what we've been doing, but then the cats have to stay in all night and harass us while we sleep...

Any ideas for dealing with this situation?
 
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mikeanderson

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^^^ Fortunately, the cats know enough to stay away from them, which is kind of surprising given that the male is extremely territorial.

The first couple times it happened, we could tell the coons had come in downstairs because the cats would be hiding upstairs in bed with us!
 

theimp98

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lol then i would get something to keep them out, cause i would hate to wake and find a coon in bed with me
 

jennyr

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If you have an enclosed back yard, how are the raccoons getting in? I would try and stop them at that point.
 

luckygirl

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I'm sorry, I know this isn't funny, but I am giggling....
those are some crafty raccoons you got there! I have nothing else to add. But those remote control doors look pretty cool.
 

lucat

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I don't know where you are but in NY racoons are one of the most common animals for transmitting rabies !! I certainly would be concerned for your cats but also, for your family!! Racoons can be nasty critters when cornered-
 

goosehazel

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Originally Posted by lucat

I don't know where you are but in NY racoons are one of the most common animals for transmitting rabies !! I certainly would be concerned for your cats but also, for your family!! Racoons can be nasty critters when cornered-


We have a stray/feral cat that we feed in our backyard. Well, this raccoon comes in the yard at night to eat the left overs. I am missing two bowls and I think the raccoons are running away with them
 
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mikeanderson

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Originally Posted by jennyranson

If you have an enclosed back yard, how are the raccoons getting in? I would try and stop them at that point.
We don't have a roof over it, just walls. The cats aren't great climbers; but the raccoons are.

Does anyone know when mating season starts here in the SF Bay Area? I understand they don't really search out food as much during that period.
 

tavia'smom

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Raccoons are very dangerous animals I would be getting a roof over that enclosure. I just had a friend who I posted about on here his dog was almost killed by a coon. He is still recovering from it.
 

sibohan2005

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As a child I helped my grandmother rescue and treat orphaned Racoons. We fed them from a bottle, they swam in the pool. They were like having big fat cats around. They actually came to the door and knocked.

But anyhow... to solve your problem I recomend one of the remote entry cat doors for your cats. there is a device fixed to their collars that only poens the door for them, So unless the cats have made nice with the racoons it should take care of the problem.
 

fats mcgee

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a little OT: but one day we were discussing Freeman cage nets for feral cats and they guys goes: Oh yeah, even a racoon can't bite through them.

I had no idea that a 'coon was more gnarly than feral! Impressive!
 
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