Ughhh. I have always had a few raccoons that come up onto the deck from time to time. They can smell the remains of food in the feeding stations. They sniff around, drink water, wash their paws and leave. On occasion the cats hiss at them to make them leave. This winter there has been 2 raccoons that come out each time the temperature is above 20. They have even been around at 6:30am when I am feeding the cats. Yet they have only been a nuisance.
Last night one arrived around 10pm. I have a feral villa shelter up on a table near the house. The raccoon went inside and stayed there for hours. I can see the happenings on my deck the next morning from the surveillance cameras I have. The raccoons have never done this before. Then he went into the heated shelters where Shadow and Stellar sleep. This bold raccoon was in a rubbermaid box as well as a tent shaped shelter all night. He even slept on a chair cushion for awhile. When I went to set out food this morning, the cats were not there. This is odd. I found Shadow under the deck and Stellar came from next door. I figured something had frightened them, but thought it might have been the wind and sleet. When I checked the cameras more closely, the raccoon was still in their shelter. It took my DH over 20 minutes to get the raccoon to leave. I wondered if something was wrong with it. I found it an hour later under my deck. Then next it was back on the deck and climbing into the feral villa. It curled up and would not leave. I decided to call Critter Control. The cats refused to come onto the deck. They would come to the edge smell it and then run away.
Dh and I went out and blocked the raccoon inside the shelter. It was not air tight so it could still breathe. Critter Control arrived and it should have been fairly easy to snare it and drop into the trap. The trapper was not good. After 10 minutes of not getting the snare around its neck, the raccoon just jumped out. Off he ran. I was so mad. Fortunately I wasn't charged. He wanted to set traps, but with the cats that is not an option.
Shadow finally came back, but Stellar is still gone. I so worry about the raccoon coming back tonight. He didn't seem threatening, but it could become a huge problem. I may have to trap him myself.
Another one of the worries of caring for ferals. It's always a constant worry.
Last night one arrived around 10pm. I have a feral villa shelter up on a table near the house. The raccoon went inside and stayed there for hours. I can see the happenings on my deck the next morning from the surveillance cameras I have. The raccoons have never done this before. Then he went into the heated shelters where Shadow and Stellar sleep. This bold raccoon was in a rubbermaid box as well as a tent shaped shelter all night. He even slept on a chair cushion for awhile. When I went to set out food this morning, the cats were not there. This is odd. I found Shadow under the deck and Stellar came from next door. I figured something had frightened them, but thought it might have been the wind and sleet. When I checked the cameras more closely, the raccoon was still in their shelter. It took my DH over 20 minutes to get the raccoon to leave. I wondered if something was wrong with it. I found it an hour later under my deck. Then next it was back on the deck and climbing into the feral villa. It curled up and would not leave. I decided to call Critter Control. The cats refused to come onto the deck. They would come to the edge smell it and then run away.
Dh and I went out and blocked the raccoon inside the shelter. It was not air tight so it could still breathe. Critter Control arrived and it should have been fairly easy to snare it and drop into the trap. The trapper was not good. After 10 minutes of not getting the snare around its neck, the raccoon just jumped out. Off he ran. I was so mad. Fortunately I wasn't charged. He wanted to set traps, but with the cats that is not an option.
Shadow finally came back, but Stellar is still gone. I so worry about the raccoon coming back tonight. He didn't seem threatening, but it could become a huge problem. I may have to trap him myself.
Another one of the worries of caring for ferals. It's always a constant worry.