Racoon proofing... not so easy...

lad347

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Just a quick note to those considering feral houses, and trying to avoid raccoons... I built this 4x4 house a couple of months ago... still waiting for the roofing material... After reading extensively that this design, elevated at just over four feet, with an access bench at least 36 inches diagonally from the front porch would prevent raccoons, who can't access anything at a distance greater than their length... well, its not true... I had to add the steps for a pregnant little female (you can see her in the photo) to reach it, but I watched in amazement as the raccoons easily cleared the distance without the steps... even moved it an additional 4-5 inches, which is what is pictured here, but the larger raccoons could still make it, with some grappling, but they made it... even wrapped the front edge with 6 inch pvc, thinking they couldn't grasp it... but, on several occasions I stood and watched as they repeatedly made it to the deck....  so a few hundred dollars later, it appears they pretty much get where they want to go...They haven't bothered so much since I stopped putting food on the house's front porch, but the ferals don't much bother with it either... The ferals would get up to eat, but never could get them to go inside, which is 2.5' x 4', and filled with straw... any suggestions on how to get them inside would be appreciated greatly, lol... anyway, the mother has delivered two liters, which she brought to us at around 3-4 weeks of age, but could not get her to stay, which was why we did it in the first place... anyway, just wanted to caution everyone that the old wives tale that raccoons can't jump is totally false... we would never harm them, or the possums that frequent our back yard, but separating them is a little more difficult than we first imagined...
 

ondine

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Oh my stars, that is the most beautiful house I've ever seen!  All that work and the little buggers still made the jumps?

I read somewhere that aluminum flashing around the edges might work.  You're in for a lot with this house, maybe a few more bucks and that would work?  I hope so!

I also hope that once the raccoons realize there's no food, they'll back off.

Maybe a repellent of some sort?  Sorry, that's all I can think of.  Someone may come along with other suggestions

But man, that house is gorgeous!
 

shadowsrescue

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That feral cat house is spectacular.  I have tried so many things to keep the racoons away and nothing works.  I tried the aluminum flashing and they still scaled the table I had.  I find that here in Ohio, the racoons don't necessarily hibernate, but they are scarce when it is cold.  Yet when a warm spell arrives they are out in full force. 

I have come to the conclusion there is no way to outsmart a racoon.  If they think they smell food, they will find a way to get to it. 
 
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lad347

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thanks, the project kind of took on a life of its own... yeah, actually the consensus seems to be I made a mistake by including the feeding area...

seemed like a good ide at the time, lol...  going to stop putting food up there in the hope the ferals will use it this winter to keep warm...  

i see another construction job in my future
 

ondine

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Even if you build a separate feeding area, I would try not to leave the food out at night.  Raccoons tend to forage at night, so just taking it up between dusk and dawn is a good idea anyway.

It will also keep ants and other pests out of the sleeping area.
 
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charlismom

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That's so beautiful.

A note on raccoons...if they want in, they're getting in.   But please, whatever you do, make sure there is an escape door for the cats to get out the back should raccoon get inside. 

A friend of mine lost two feral cats in one night when two raccoons got into their house and they couldn't escape and the raccoons killed both cats, just horrible.

I have a feral that lives on my deck, Oki...he came to me 5 and a half years ago.  Initially we built his house for him, insulated it, put a nice heater mat in there...he would not go in.  so I was standing there looking at it, and I said to my husband, I hate to do this, but can you cut an escape door in the back?  Maybe that will work.  Sure enough, soon as the door was cut in, in he went.  And now after the story about my friend's ferals, I'm so glad that little kitty was smarter than I was.  Love that little boy, he's still with me.
 

catapault

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Am I understanding this correctly - The raccoon jumps, grabs the front of the porch, and hoists itself up. Yes?

If so, what do you think about this - Extend a short "arm" from each end of the porch. Have a round pole between them. Before you install the pole slip a loose fitting PVC pipe over the pole.

I'm thinking the raccoon would grab the pole, it spins, and dumps the raccoon off. Maybe?
 

buffy2011

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Very nice house there Lad347, I'm thinking Catapault might have an idea there. Those PVC pipes you have mounted maybe you can make them so that they move and like Catapault said they will spin. I've been threw this with the raccoons over and over again. They had a hard time but eventually got up because my cat feeder was up against the house and they used the house to climb up. I wanted to put it out in the middle of the yard so there was nothing for them to jump from to get up. I figured jumping straight up from the yard would be hard for them if you had it high enough.  But I don't have any shelter out in the middle of the yard. I had something planned like you did but couldn't find what I wanted for the underneath. They climb that pole underneath and then they stretch there body to the sides and if they can reach the side with there front paws they can get up. So you have to make the stretch much longer than there body. I had intentions on trying that but I couldn't find what I was looking for to mount the big platform on and the feeding box that would be strong enough. Another idea I had was to put some kind of long cylinder at the top of the pole and when they climb up they will be inside of the cylinder and no where to go. I think every sight I have read we all have tried things to keep the raccoons away. Just some thoughts maybe you want to try. Sleeping and feeding in the same area is not a good idea. I did that to and changed that right away. They couldn't stay and keep warm they had to run right away because something was coming.  My husband just built me a house for them this winter, I'll have to send a picture of it.  And I made a new feeding station also. My feeding station is kept close to the house because I need electric for the heated bowls. But not sure if anything is going to get used this winter, my feral disappeared two weeks ago. Its nice to see how good you are taking care of the ferals.
 

david68

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Raccoons are very intelligent and persistent and, given time, can circumvent just about any exclusion methods we try to implement--at least anything that doesn't also exclude cats as well.

I'm aware via a game camera that I'm feeding two very fat raccoons in addition to my TNR colony on a farm outside town. I have to drive ~40 miles round-trip for each feeding, so I can't remove the food at night. I just try to feed early in the day when the cats are around, but not the raccoons.

All my TNR cats have had rabies shots, so that's the best I can do in this imperfect world. The only other option I can think of would be to stake out the place around the time the raccoons typically appear and shoot them when they show up. My apologies to anyone offended by that. I'm not really planning on it.

Via the camera, I can see that the cats leave the feeding area or keep a safe distance when the raccoons appear.
 

furmonster mom

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...  Before you install the pole slip a loose fitting PVC pipe over the pole.
I'm thinking the raccoon would grab the pole, it spins, and dumps the raccoon off. Maybe?
Interesting idea, but I'd be concerned that the PVC would get scratched up enough to provide traction,  then it would lose it's effectiveness.  

Maybe a metal pipe... greased for good measure. 
 
 

cat angel

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I need to buy a nice cat house that will be good for a cat family and siblings. Do you guys know anyone who is passionate about building cat houses in NJ? Thanks 
 

shadowsrescue

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There are places online where you can purchase houses, but they are expensive.  If you are handy or no someone who is, there are plans online for Feral villas.  You also can make shelters out of rubbermaid containers that are quite warm.  I have used plastic sterlite containers, line them with Reflectix insulation and put an outdoor approved heat pad in the bottom.  My cats just love them. 

Here are a few links:

http://www.neighborhoodcats.org/HOW_TO_FERAL_CAT_WINTER_SHELTER

http://www.cozycatfurniture.com/cat_houses.html

http://store.stabobspethouses.net/hekiho.html
 
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