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HELP!! Sick raccoon on our porch!

post #1 of 62
3/21/10 at 6:48pm
Thread Starter 
Help! There is a sick raccoon laying next to the outside feral cats water bowl as I type this. Do I call animal control? And how will this affect the outside cats? I am behind on their rabies shots as it is so hard to re-trap them!

Please help me! I don't know what to do!

Thank you!
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post #2 of 62
3/21/10 at 7:02pm
Well... The only thing you can do, is call animal control. Do not get close to the raccoon.
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post #3 of 62
3/21/10 at 7:10pm
Thread Starter 
What will they do exactly? Will they then want to check my outside feral cats?
Just wondering how this all works?
Will they kill the raccoon right away or take it away to euthanize?

And will they come this late at night?

I am so worried about our outside cats! They live on my porch!
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post #4 of 62
3/21/10 at 7:24pm
I know what you mean about animal control...

Before you resort to that, look in the phone book for "wildlife rehabiltator." If you can get one, they would come get him for you. that it is not rabies. Though... if they suspect rabies he will be put down, they have to look at the brain (something like that) to check for rabies.
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post #5 of 62
3/21/10 at 7:35pm
You will probably have to call the police at this late hour, and they'll get Animal Control. In most areas. AC is part of the police department, anyway.
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post #6 of 62
3/21/10 at 7:36pm
Thread Starter 
Ughh....He's gone. At least for now. I went to check before I tried to call someone and I can't find him. I can't imagine he has climbed the fence to leave, so maybe he's somewhere in the yard. At least he's away from the ferals.
Please say a prayer that if he is dying, that it comes swiftly and is not too painful. Also that is is not rabies. I can't stand to think of anything suffering, even a pesky raccoon. He just had such a look in his eyes, I feel so bad. I just don't want to deal with this situation.

I turned their water bowl upside down and put a smaller bowl of water out there for the cats.

I'll need a plan for tomorrow in case he shows up again, so please if you have any ideas or second the call to animal control, please let me know!

Thank you, as usual.
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post #7 of 62
3/21/10 at 7:40pm
At this time of night, depending upon where in NY you live, you probably get an answering machine at animal control. ???????????

Rabies cannot be transfered by saliva unless the cats already have open wounds, and I have NO CLUE, but I think all you'd have to do is not tell animal control about the ferals. Or tell them you're sure none were bitten (if you're sure).

But you really do want this taken care of as soon as possible, even if it does mean animal control.

FYI - we put the food down in the morning and pick it up at the end of dusk specifically so we don't attract skunks and raccoons. They are reservoirs of rabies, especially here out East. You can also put the food up on a table - like a card table or something. We built a wooden table with slats to put the food up - the cats can jump, but the skunks and raccoons can't. Still helps to pull the food up at night.

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post #8 of 62
3/21/10 at 7:42pm
I was writing while you posted.

for a quick death to the raccoon.
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post #9 of 62
3/21/10 at 7:49pm
If you haven't already, take up the food for tonight. And like LDG said, only feed them while the sun is up. We have to do that too because of foxes and coyotes.

I hope it has a painless, fast trip to rainbow bridge and that it isn't rabies.
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post #10 of 62
3/22/10 at 9:32am
Thread Starter 
I do only feed them in the day and take the food up at dusk.
At times the ferals do leave a couple of crumbs or I've gotten home late and taken in the bowls then, but I always do my best.
I think that he started coming for the water. It was very cold here for a while and we have the plug in water bowl to keep it from freezing.

I was up all night alot of the night worrying about this. My friend knows a person in the pest control business so we are trying to contact him to see if he has come across this before and maybe he can help.

I am just really praying that he will not come back around anymore. But at the same time I feel guilty and sad. I'm sure that anybody who does come will put him to sleep which would put him out of his misery. Hopefully they would do it with care. Ughh...The whole situation is just sad.
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post #11 of 62
3/22/10 at 12:08pm
Oh, didn't even think about the water. I remember that thread now.

I hope your friend is able to contact this person - that'd be a load off your mind.

Continued
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post #12 of 62
3/22/10 at 12:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by JIL05 View Post
I think that he started coming for the water. It was very cold here for a while and we have the plug in water bowl to keep it from freezing.
Hmm, do you recall seeing last night if he was able to drink or not?
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post #13 of 62
3/22/10 at 1:02pm
Thread Starter 
Uh oh, I don't like your hmmm.

No, I don't know whether he drank or not. I just saw him laying by the bowl. That's why I turned the bowl upside down and gave the outside cats a new one. I don't want them to get any illness. My friend could not get in touch with her pest control friend.

As the day progresses, I am getting more and more anxious. Soon it will be dark... I know I am being selfish but I don't want him to come back here, but I don't want him to suffer a slow painful death.
Oh, this just stinks!
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post #14 of 62
3/22/10 at 1:18pm
Rabies can cause some issues with water, they'll be thirsty but unable to drink. It can also cause weird walking, paralysis, other strange behavior. But it can also cause no symptoms at all.
However, poisoned animals can act very strange, too. And raccoons are hardly an animal that most people like..

I hope it doesn't come back, honestly.
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post #15 of 62
3/22/10 at 4:40pm
Thread Starter 
I found him. He's still alive and laying in one of the cat's winter houses off to the side of the house.

I have called animal control and they do not answer. I guess I found him too late. I am hesitating to call the police department as this doesn't seem to be their problem, but you are probably right. One of the sites says that they advise you to call pest control and get it removed that way, so I am thoroughly confused.

My friend's friend, the pest control guy, wants to charge me $450.00 to take it away and put it to sleep. Needless to say, I don't have that right now.

This stinks! I am so upset. So I guess all the neighbors who don't want me to feed the feral cats are right? Because this kind of stuff happens. I tell you...They see a truck outside marked animal control and hear that it was a raccoon found right next to their house- I will never hear the end of it until the remaining cats are gone! This is the worst thing that could have happened.

I will try calling again tomorrow. I am sure someone will pick up the phone during day hours. It is also raining now.

I really can't take this with all of my health issues. I really am not up to this.

Thanks for letting me vent. I really appreciate everybody's help.
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post #16 of 62
3/22/10 at 5:13pm
Keep calling. It doesn't sound like it can go far. I really do wonder if it was poisoned if you're neighbors are causing problems already...

As for you feeding the cats creating this problem... Raccoons are common in a lot of urban areas, as are skunks. They'll find food. Often it's trash - your neighbors do put out their trash, correct? If so, they're part of the problem, too.
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post #17 of 62
3/22/10 at 7:31pm
strange wings is right - a few years ago I saw a dead animal lying in the middle of my yard one morning. My heart stopped, as I first thought it was my cat, but I soon found it to be a raccoon. I made my husband bury it, I'm not entirely sure why. My point is, I never had any ferals or strays around to feed. Raccoons are everywhere these days.
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post #18 of 62
3/22/10 at 8:05pm
I hope the poor thing doesn't suffer anymore & just passes, so you don't have to go through the crap with your neighbors.
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post #19 of 62
3/22/10 at 9:47pm
Last year i found a sick possum on my porch by the cats water dish and i called the police and they came and shot it...
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post #20 of 62
3/22/10 at 11:06pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ms cat love View Post
Last year i found a sick possum on my porch by the cats water dish and i called the police and they came and shot it...
That sounds scary. I wouldn't want anyone shooting around my house, least of all police shooting at an animal. A few years ago an Oklahoma police officer was trying to shoot a (harmless) snake out of a tree. One of the stray bullets killed a 5 year old boy.
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post #21 of 62
3/23/10 at 10:56am
Thread Starter 
Well....Here's the latest. I got through to the Health Department and had a discussion with them. I told them that an ill raccoon was in my yard in one of the winter houses I had created for my feral cats. Yes, I stupdily admitted that I feed cats. I figured when they come they will see them anyway.

The guy from the rabies line told me that I should stop feeding the cats and the raccoon will go away. That he is sleeping in there because he is a nocturnal animal and eats in my yard. As predicted....It's my fault I have a raccoon.

So, no one is coming. I just have to stop feeding the cats and he will go away.

Lovely...I am crying as I write this. I give up. I give up. I give up!

I guess I have to start seeing what I can sell or something to get $450.00 to try to get rid of this raccoon. Hope he doesn't suffer to long or hurt the cats in the meantime.

So, please keep praying that he passes soon and without too much pain. I think it's the only thing that will end this horror story.

Sometimes I wonder about this world...
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post #22 of 62
3/23/10 at 11:06am
Of course they don't want to help. If they take care of it they have to foot the bill. Easier to blame you, ignore the fact that the raccoon is sick/dying - could be rabid, and do nothing.

I'm sorry no one is helping. Try one more time? and do not mention cats - maybe fib a little and say you've seen it in the neighborhood trash if they press for an answer as to why it's even around?
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post #23 of 62
3/23/10 at 11:07am
this is nuts. Is rabies not a serious issue where you live? Around here one call to the police, regardless of feral cats, that raccoon would be gone and euthanized and tested. Potential rabies cases are not messed around with, in my area.

I'm so sorry you are having to deal with this. I know you are not only concerned for your feral cats, but for the suffering of the raccoon.

Try to remember that wild animals don't suffer the kind of emotional anguish humans do from pain and sickness. I think their systems have ways of shutting down and protecting them from too much pain and suffering.
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post #24 of 62
3/23/10 at 11:36am
Thread Starter 
Yes, Rabies is a serious issue where I live. They even instituted a program to use helicopters to drop down bait with rabies vaccine for the raccoons.
I pray that this raccoon ate one!

I was thinking that he could have been hit by a car too, maybe have internal injuries.
If only I could find a rehabilitation place...maybe they would help.

I am just beside myself with all sorts of emotions at this point.

Seriously, Thank you all. I could not go through this without this site and all of you.
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post #25 of 62
3/23/10 at 11:43am
Oh hun, huge hugs, that is just awful when you are trying to help and no one wants to know. I would ring again and be very firm, is there no raccoon rehab centres near you? try googling for one. Sorry again that you are having to go through this. xx
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post #26 of 62
3/23/10 at 11:47am
How many ferals are you feeding/caring for? How behind are they on their rabies vaccines according to city/county laws?

This is just me thinking aloud - but if you could get your cats up to date on their rabies vaccines pronto (with photo for each cat and its associated rabies tag so you have proof) you could call again and say that you saw a sickly looking raccoon in your neighborhood and you're concerned about children trying to touch it, if it has rabies. Don't mention the cats but if they SEE your outside cats, they could then ask for rabies proof and you could show your photos of each cat and their rabies info. I think if you would mention the risk of having a child touch it and get rabies, they may do something?

Good luck I hope the poor raccoon has a peaceful death and that your kitties are ok.

Edit: Could you try trapping the raccoon with a Havahart and bringing directly to animal control...? I don't know how I feel about that, but just again thinking out loud. If animal control will put down aggressive cats at no cost to people reporting them, I don't see why on earth they would charge you.
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post #27 of 62
3/23/10 at 3:18pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by JIL05 View Post
Yes, Rabies is a serious issue where I live. They even instituted a program to use helicopters to drop down bait with rabies vaccine for the raccoons.
I pray that this raccoon ate one!

I was thinking that he could have been hit by a car too, maybe have internal injuries.
If only I could find a rehabilitation place...maybe they would help.

I am just beside myself with all sorts of emotions at this point.

Seriously, Thank you all. I could not go through this without this site and all of you.
Of course! Why didn't we think of that before?

Call the vet! they will have the numbers of the wildlife rehabilitation places! At least....my vet does.
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post #28 of 62
3/23/10 at 4:05pm
Thread Starter 
I agree with you Otto so off I ran to the phone with some renewed hope. I called two vets and got two numbers and both said the same thing:

(Here it is off the web site of one of them)

Help! I’ve Found an Injured Animal!
Raccoon
Please note: At this time, no one, citizen or licensed rehabilitator, is allowed to work with raccoons due to the recent occurrence of rabies in Nassau and Suffolk counties. If you have a concern regarding a raccoon, the Department of Health must be contacted. Please be advised that you will be directed to hire a licensed trapper to trap the animal at your expense, and it must be euthanized on your property.

See what I am up against? This whole thing is absolutely unbelievable!
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post #29 of 62
3/23/10 at 4:18pm
If the coon is out in the day time hour.. something is wrong with it because coons are nocturnal and only come out at night.. If you want it out of its misery and out of your cat house.. A bowl of crystal fly bait with some added soda pop will be a quick kill.. the cats wont go near it.. other than that call the police and have them come and shoot it..
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post #30 of 62
3/23/10 at 4:51pm
I know you live in suburban NY where everything is pricey, but that price quoted to trap and remove the animal sounds steep to me. Call around and see if you can get a better price.
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