A tragic mystery

I've had rats pull doves through 1x1 wires, but I've never met a rat that could break a chain.
I've seen some big coons, but none that could break chain.


Poor, poor kitties, I hope the mystery is solved soon, so that steps can be taken to prevent any more lost lives.

I don't know about the chain, but the way the kittens were killed sounds like classic raccoon to me. My best friend when I was a child had a pet raccoon that they kept from the time it was a tiny abandoned baby. She lived in the house, mostly, and was very tame.

One day, they had baby chicks. Cooney killed every chick, and spread their intestines all over the back deck like spagetti. It was bizarre, and she didn't eat the chicks. She definitely did not have rabies.

Those raccoons and your cats compete for food, maybe the raccoons try to kill the kittens when they are small. And their little arms can reach into the cat carrier and pull out the kits.

What a horrible site that must have been. I cannot even begin to imagine. Condolences to your family for this tragic loss.

Maybe some sicko humans out there broke the chain somehow, and went off with the kittens just so they could watch a coon in action.

I'd definitely recommend staying up with a weapon. If you just videotape, it'll probably result in the loss of more kitten lives if something happens during the night again..

Originally Posted by Beckiboo

I don't know about the chain, but the way the kittens were killed sounds like classic raccoon to me. My best friend when I was a child had a pet raccoon that they kept from the time it was a tiny abandoned baby. She lived in the house, mostly, and was very tame.

One day, they had baby chicks. Cooney killed every chick, and spread their intestines all over the back deck like spagetti. It was bizarre, and she didn't eat the chicks. She definitely did not have rabies.

Those raccoons and your cats compete for food, maybe the raccoons try to kill the kittens when they are small. And their little arms can reach into the cat carrier and pull out the kits.

What a horrible site that must have been. I cannot even begin to imagine. Condolences to your family for this tragic loss.

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but to strew their parts around and take their HEADS? is that classic raccoon behavior? i've never observed raccoons, so i have no idea... :S

Originally Posted by Beckiboo

I don't know about the chain, but the way the kittens were killed sounds like classic raccoon to me. My best friend when I was a child had a pet raccoon that they kept from the time it was a tiny abandoned baby. She lived in the house, mostly, and was very tame.

One day, they had baby chicks. Cooney killed every chick, and spread their intestines all over the back deck like spagetti. It was bizarre, and she didn't eat the chicks. She definitely did not have rabies.

Those raccoons and your cats compete for food, maybe the raccoons try to kill the kittens when they are small. And their little arms can reach into the cat carrier and pull out the kits.

What a horrible site that must have been. I cannot even begin to imagine. Condolences to your family for this tragic loss.

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Wow! That's exactly my childhood raccoon story! I got 'cooney' when he was just about 5 weeks old and he lived in the house most of the time when he wasnt in his cage outside. He even went on family vacations with us. When he was around 5yrs old, my Dad hatched some baby ducks and when he put them in a pen outside, Cooney killed every one of them! He ate only their heads, leaving the rest of them spread out all over. My Dad told us Cooney died from eating too many duck bills...but a few years ago he admitted he shot Cooney when he found all the dead ducks
My sister still hasnt found out anything. They live outside of a very small town and their farm is the only one for miles around them. They havent seen or heard anything and the video camera hasnt picked up anything but cats playing in the dark. I'll post an up-date as soon as I hear anything!

How about chaining up the carrier again, as bait, and setting the camera to view that?

I'm wondering though....if its a huge pet crate....Raccoon's arms aren't especially long. I can't imagine a racoon getting to ALL the kittens, wouldn't you think they'd cluster towards the back of the crate, especially if the racoon got to one?

Salem cat....Do you have weasels where you live? They also can be fierce hunters.

Here's a thought...maybe there was more than one raccoon. One might have been in the back reaching in the hole and scaring them up to the front, where the other one grabbed them when they were close enough.
And I just talked to my sister and she explained that the chain was wrapped around the railing and then both ends were bolted at the back corners of the pet taxi and when the plastic broke where it was bolted on one side of the taxi the chain slipped free from the railing. That's also why the chain was still attached to the other side of the taxi where it was still bolted on when she found it. Still it had to be a pretty strong animal to break the plastic on the taxi because she said she had washers on sides, above and below the bolt and nuts to secure the ends of the bolts. My brother is bringing his 'distressed kitten call' to put out at night there, and maybe it will loure this animal in..but she's afraid it will bring other's in that dont know about her place. She's got a good point there, so she doesnt know about putting the call out or not. I'll keep you posted!

Originally Posted by stampit3d

Salem cat....Do you have weasels where you live? They also can be fierce hunters.

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Now, that's a great thought too! I never thought about weasels! Yes we have weasels all around the area. I'll mention that to her and see if she has seen any around.

Originally Posted by RinaDaventry

I'm wondering though....if its a huge pet crate....Raccoon's arms aren't especially long. I can't imagine a racoon getting to ALL the kittens, wouldn't you think they'd cluster towards the back of the crate, especially if the racoon got to one?

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Raccoons can get those metal popcorn tins open by shaking and pulling on the lids. I'm sure they did the same to the kits, just shook the carrier until they could grab them. Just think of how determined cats are when hunting-raccoons are just as determined and have little hands!

And yes, I have seen evidence of them strewing body parts around a yard or deck. Very gross to us, I don't know what it means to them. I despise raccoons right now, because they are bothering my cats. But they are just acting on their nature. They are wild animals, doing their best to survive. While it seems horrible to us to murder baby kittens, it is part of what raccoons do. Just like cats kill birds and mice and crickets.

Wow! Hearing these grisly raccoon anecdotes makes me doubly glad I followed my instincts two year ago. I was trying to trap a white kitten I had been ffeding daily in front of my house. I accidentally caught his mother instead, whom I promptly brought in with the intention of spaying her on general principals. I went back out to find the kitten, who was grinning at me, I found him being contemplated by an enormous raccoon. Instinctively, I grabbed the little guy & swooped him into the house before he knew what happened. Needless to say, he exploded out of my hands & scampered wildly about, (enlivening the evening for my then 8 cats in residence.) I managed to catch, cage & neuter him and he has his forever home with me. I always assumed the raccoons left the local cats alone, but now I think it more likely that I really saved my little Moogie's life in those few minutes.
(His mom was too wild to keep, even for me, so she still lives outside & dines here most days, though I think she has another feeder in the neighborhood.)

Originally Posted by trixshar

Wow! Hearing these grisly raccoon anecdotes makes me doubly glad I followed my instincts two year ago. I was trying to trap a white kitten I had been ffeding daily in front of my house. I accidentally caught his mother instead, whom I promptly brought in with the intention of spaying her on general principals. I went back out to find the kitten, who was grinning at me, I found him being contemplated by an enormous raccoon. Instinctively, I grabbed the little guy & swooped him into the house before he knew what happened. Needless to say, he exploded out of my hands & scampered wildly about, (enlivening the evening for my then 8 cats in residence.) I managed to catch, cage & neuter him and he has his forever home with me. I always assumed the raccoons left the local cats alone, but now I think it more likely that I really saved my little Moogie's life in those few minutes.
(His mom was too wild to keep, even for me, so she still lives outside & dines here most days, though I think she has another feeder in the neighborhood.)

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Wow, what a happy ending for a kitten save. To be able to spay his Momma, too! Some cats truly are just happier outside on their own, with a little food from us to ease their way.