Raccoon/Critter proof cat feeder?

white cat lover

white cat lover

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I know I've seen a thread with the information I'm looking for, but I searched & can't find it.

So - here lies my problem. I have 5 "free range" farm cats. They range from semi-feral to pets - and are 4 years on up to 11 years. Some are fatter than others.


Thing 1 & Thing 2 are an opossum & raccoon (respectively) and know I provide good eatin.
Thing 1 is just a baby, but none the less they are a problem. They are fearless - and I can get within 5' of them. They also come to eat during the day & night.

So I need a "critter proof" cat feeder. A plus would also be to provide more shelter than I do for the cats currently - right now the pan just sits out in the yard. When it snows it would be nice to have something that doesn't get buried in the snow that would keep them from having to stand in the snow. I do not feed them at night, I go out for one last tiny meal after dark & watch to ensure they clean it all up before going inside.

I need it to fit a large cat pan (think pizza pan - that's what they eat from). Doesn't need to fit water - they have a heated water bowl that sits on the ground due to that being the only place with electricity. I do also feed wet food, but I put the bowls out, feed whoever shows up at meal time & pick them up immediately - they don't need to fit into the feeder.

This is the only website I've found to have a raccoon proof feeder. My biggest concern with that is - will the cats actually figure it out?

I have my very own built in handyman who I can sucker into building something for me - I just need to decide what I want.....and the sooner the better. As much as I don't mind feeding my little friends - the cats do mind!
 
ondine

ondine

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Raccoons and possums can't jump like cats. I have seen a design of a flat table with only one leg right in the center. The table sat about three feet off the ground, so the top can't be too big or it will topple over.

The design I saw had a narrow band of metal (aluminum or steel?) all around the sides, near the top - to act as a baffle. Apparently, the cats can jump up to get the food but the other critters can't.

Just don't place it under anything low hanging that the critters can climb up to and then drop down from onto the table.

Just like keeping the squirrels off the bird feeder!
 
ondine

ondine

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Oh, duh! I took the time to scroll down that site - and that's it! The table is higher than I remembered but I think the cats would have no problem figuring it out. If the food's there, they'll get it.
 
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buehler740

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I set up different feeding stations I have 2 aways from the cat feeding station have Black oil sunflower seeds and put alittle bit of cat food there and the trays are all in those storage tubs put on their sides with their plates in it took alittle bit but made sure that was the only place they would find food and Id wait for the cats to come in and put the food down for them in their station , and Id stand guard if anything else came in like the little skunks,racoons,opposums Id chase them out took about a week of doing this and now they all go to their feeding stations and dont venture to the cats section , the smell of the cat food draws them there and the seeds and some corn keeps them there, sometimes they still come and check the cat section but its empty so they run to their section and find food and stay there, so I am kinda training all of them , now if I could just get the cats to use the shed I set up for them Id be happy, not sure if I should keep the night light on in there or not to draw them in there, all my feeding stations are on the ground I just have several to draw other wildlife to them, then I put down the cat food, trying to get the one I do know of on a scedual , poor thing is so scared of me, breaks my heart
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Originally Posted by white cat lover

I know I've seen a thread with the information I'm looking for, but I searched & can't find it.

So - here lies my problem. I have 5 "free range" farm cats. They range from semi-feral to pets - and are 4 years on up to 11 years. Some are fatter than others.


Thing 1 & Thing 2 are an opossum & raccoon (respectively) and know I provide good eatin.
Thing 1 is just a baby, but none the less they are a problem. They are fearless - and I can get within 5' of them. They also come to eat during the day & night.

So I need a "critter proof" cat feeder. A plus would also be to provide more shelter than I do for the cats currently - right now the pan just sits out in the yard. When it snows it would be nice to have something that doesn't get buried in the snow that would keep them from having to stand in the snow. I do not feed them at night, I go out for one last tiny meal after dark & watch to ensure they clean it all up before going inside.

I need it to fit a large cat pan (think pizza pan - that's what they eat from). Doesn't need to fit water - they have a heated water bowl that sits on the ground due to that being the only place with electricity. I do also feed wet food, but I put the bowls out, feed whoever shows up at meal time & pick them up immediately - they don't need to fit into the feeder.

This is the only website I've found to have a raccoon proof feeder. My biggest concern with that is - will the cats actually figure it out?

I have my very own built in handyman who I can sucker into building something for me - I just need to decide what I want.....and the sooner the better. As much as I don't mind feeding my little friends - the cats do mind!
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