Raccoon problems

lrosewiles · Feb 21, 2015

Our visiting racoon appears to have moved on, I haven't seen him the last few days. I hope the shelter and food helped him make it through this freezing weather and to keep onward to get to wherever he is going. No incidents with our cats which is a relief, but a little sadness wondering what happened to this guy. Maybe we'll see him next winter, the shelter will be there.

Bless all of you caring for ferals and strays in this dreadful weather.

shadowsrescue · Feb 21, 2015

Lrosewiles said:
Our visiting racoon appears to have moved on, I haven't seen him the last few days. I hope the shelter and food helped him make it through this freezing weather and to keep onward to get to wherever he is going. No incidents with our cats which is a relief, but a little sadness wondering what happened to this guy. Maybe we'll see him next winter, the shelter will be there.

Bless all of you caring for ferals and strays in this dreadful weather.

If it has been really cold where you are, he might have moved back to his den. The raccoons around her don't come out when it is below 20. I am wondering about tonight as the low will be right around 20, but right now it is closer to 30. I think they all just want a nice warm place. It is nice of you to consider the raccoon. I bet he will be back once it warms up.

jodig · Feb 23, 2015

We are dealing with a raccoon issue too. About 2-3 of them come by per night. They make the water bowl so dirty and are such a nuisance. Sometimes they get pissed off at each other if they are trying to eat out of the same food bowl and they cause a ruckus growling at each other. They are so annoying though I do admit I feel bad for them from time to time as I have a soft spot for all animals. They look so huge and well fed though. Any clue what they eat in the wild?

I once put some food on top of one of the shelters and the buggers actually climbed the shelter to get to the food! The other day I saw one inside the shelter eating the cat food. I know you shouldn't put food inside the shelter for this very reason, but it's been so bitter cold that I went against logic. I won't be doing that again. I'm surprised he even fit in there but I think the new shelter we just made may have slightly larger openings then the other shelters.

They don't seem to bother the cats but I once saw one reach it's paw up to try and touch one of the cats and I did not like that at all! We typically just open the door and they run. I too have noticed they don't come around if it is REALLY cold. I trust the cats are savvy enough to not get into a fight with a raccoon. That is my hope anyway.

shadowsrescue · Feb 23, 2015

JodiG said:
We are dealing with a raccoon issue too. About 2-3 of them come by per night. They make the water bowl so dirty and are such a nuisance. Sometimes they get pissed off at each other if they are trying to eat out of the same food bowl and they cause a ruckus growling at each other. They are so annoying though I do admit I feel bad for them from time to time as I have a soft spot for all animals. They look so huge and well fed though. Any clue what they eat in the wild?

I once put some food on top of one of the shelters and the buggers actually climbed the shelter to get to the food! The other day I saw one inside the shelter eating the cat food. I know you shouldn't put food inside the shelter for this very reason, but it's been so bitter cold that I went against logic. I won't be doing that again. I'm surprised he even fit in there but I think the new shelter we just made may have slightly larger openings then the other shelters.

They don't seem to bother the cats but I once saw one reach it's paw up to try and touch one of the cats and I did not like that at all! We typically just open the door and they run. I too have noticed they don't come around if it is REALLY cold. I trust the cats are savvy enough to not get into a fight with a raccoon. That is my hope anyway.

Do these raccoons come out in this bitter cold? The raccoons here in Ohio don't come out when it is below 20 or when there is a lot of snow.

They like to wash their paws in the water bowl here too. I just have to change the water after they make their mess. They get into the food here too, but only when they come in the early evening and I haven't picked up the food yet. Once they know you have a food source, they are very hard to get rid of.

I have a table that is 36" off the ground. We even put the table up on paver stones to make it taller. On top of the table, I had a shelter that I could place food inside. I then put flashing all around the table so the raccoons could not climb. They still found a way to get up there. Raccoon don't jump, but they can climb to reach almost anything. They used the side of my house to claw their way up. I stopped leaving food out over night.

jodig · Feb 23, 2015

I have noticed that they do not come out at night to eat the food when it is bitter cold.

My ferals free feed during the day (other cats stop by for a treat too), then I split a can of wet food up between the four of them for dinner. They are inevitably always "hungry" still after dinner so I give them some more dry food. Then I forget to pick it up before it night time.

The raccoons do make such a royal mess! Did you ever notice how they scoop the food up with the hands? It's actually sorta cute but they do scare me.

catwoman707 · Feb 23, 2015

JodiG said:
I have noticed that they do not come out at night to eat the food when it is bitter cold.

My ferals free feed during the day (other cats stop by for a treat too), then I split a can of wet food up between the four of them for dinner. They are inevitably always "hungry" still after dinner so I give them some more dry food. Then I forget to pick it up before it night time.

The raccoons do make such a royal mess! Did you ever notice how they scoop the food up with the hands? It's actually sorta cute but they do scare me.

Yes they do use their hands to scoop up the food and eat, it's so cute to watch I think

This is why the water dish is so dirty after they go, they use it to wash their hands.

There's no need to be afraid of them, they aren't aggressive unless there's a real threat to their food, which is why they don't hurt cats, cats are smart enough to know not to stand up to them, and just back down and let them eat.

Racoons will get used to a person and will stick around despite your presence, but that takes many times too. I would never try taking food away from them of course either.

However they are a huge threat to baby kittens. Dessert........

I used to have this great big racoon wait with the cats in my colony for me to show up to feed. I gave him his own pile of food so he left the cats to eat theirs, and he would come right up to me when I got out of my car with the container of food and follow me to where I put it out for him.

It was a bit intimidating I must admit, this great big bear looking racoon at my feet! But no aggression, he just wanted to eat

jodig · Feb 23, 2015

CatWoman707, I think you described why they scare me. They are like little bears!

That is seriously adorable and a little puzzling that they wash their hands after eating. They eat out of the garbage for Christ's Sake and then they wash their little delicate hands. lol

I do feel bad when I scare them away. A few times they will be shoveling food in their mouth as they run away and I feel so bad.

My husband says they carry disease and mites. Is this true? I don't see how they would carry more disease than the ferals other than my ferals are vaccinated. I guess there is also the fear of rabies too.

catwoman707 · Feb 23, 2015

JodiG said:
CatWoman707, I think you described why they scare me. They are like little bears!

That is seriously adorable and a little puzzling that they wash their hands after eating. They eat out of the garbage for Christ's Sake and then they wash their little delicate hands. lol

I do feel bad when I scare them away. A few times they will be shoveling food in their mouth as they run away and I feel so bad.

My husband says they carry disease and mites. Is this true? I don't see how they would carry more disease than the ferals other than my ferals are vaccinated. I guess there is also the fear of rabies too.

I know it! That always got me too, how clean they like their hands after eating out of them

Years ago I used to shoo them away too, I didn't want them to take away my colony cats food, until I figured out the simple solution, to give them their own pile of food close to where they are so they would get to it before reaching the cat's food.

Most feral cats are unvaccinated unless they were TNR'd, so I look at racoons the same as feral cats regarding disease. Without getting bitten, etc there's nothing to worry about that way.

As far as mites, so do cats. ALL cats have mites, but their systems keep mites under control and unseen. It's the unhealthy, malnourished who are not able to control mites that will get invaded by mites.

Rabies, highly unlikely that you will see a racoon out looking normal if it were infected with rabies. There is only a very short window of time between an animal becoming infected, and it dying.

kenneth haley · Feb 26, 2015

Raccoons are one of my favorite critters to watch.

Very entertaining, but... I've seen them go from passive to full on , mad as hell in a blink of a eye with no warning.

Also, like cats, their populations can explode given enough resources(food).

Best that I have been able to come up with is, only give the ferals what they can eat and clean up before night fall.

I helped this guy out for 13 years. He had a broken leg and was blind from cataracts. Frostbite ears and no tail. Needless to say he could not compete with healthy coons.He would visit us in the middle of the day.

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kenneth haley
Feb 17, 2015

cherryp · Mar 18, 2015

I sympathize with anybody who feeds feral cats and who has a raccoon and possum problem. I have to sit and watch the feral's eat as the raccoons and possums will chase the cats away and eat all their food leaving a horrid mess on my deck. The feral cats have moved onto my covered deck and discovered my garden lounges with cushions thereon.
I've tried plastic owls which make noise and have flashing eyes; turning in the sprinkler system, dog hair and even hot sauce in the food which didn't make the raccoons go away.
I have one very timid feral who hides when she sees me and will only come out to eat when I'm gone. Any hints on this would be appreciated? If been trying to tame this cat for a year.
Thank you.

shadowsrescue · Mar 18, 2015

Cherryp said:
I sympathize with anybody who feeds feral cats and who has a raccoon and possum problem. I have to sit and watch the feral's eat as the raccoons and possums will chase the cats away and eat all their food leaving a horrid mess on my deck. The feral cats have moved onto my covered deck and discovered my garden lounges with cushions thereon.
I've tried plastic owls which make noise and have flashing eyes; turning in the sprinkler system, dog hair and even hot sauce in the food which didn't make the raccoons go away.
I have one very timid feral who hides when she sees me and will only come out to eat when I'm gone. Any hints on this would be appreciated? If been trying to tame this cat for a year.
Thank you.

If there is food available the raccoons will find it. I feed in the morning and again in late afternoon/early evening. All food is picked up by dark. If not the raccoons,skunks and opossum all find it. I once had a tall table that I wrapped metal flashing around. THe cats could jump up and for awhile it kept the raccoons off. Then they just climbed my house and landed on the table. I have seen ideas where you can build something, but I am skeptical that anything will really work. Here is a link to an idea http://www.forgottenfelinesofforsyth.org/newslettervol3page4.htm

I would try feeding the cats earlier in the day/evening before these critters come out at night.

Raccoon problems

lrosewiles

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shadowsrescue

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jodig

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shadowsrescue

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jodig

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catwoman707

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jodig

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catwoman707

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kenneth haley

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cherryp

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shadowsrescue

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