Racoons
Okay- this does not have to do with home renovation, but a hammer is involved. I heard a ruckus on the front porch and I know that the raccoons have been having some late night parties on our porch so I went to look out the window. I saw a couple of raccoons checking to see if there was any left over cat food for them. So I opened the front door hoping to scare them away, but instead I saw three raccoons staring right back at me so I closed the door, went downstairs and got Nick. He said, “I’ll get them!” and grabbed a hammer from the shop. I told him he couldn’t hurt them, and to not get hurt himself as he headed out to the porch. (I don’t know why, but I’m a bit afraid of raccoons, unless there’s a window or door between them and me- I think it has to do from when they killed two kittens that I had once.) Anyways, Nick also grabbed a broom on his way out and there were at least five raccoons on the porch. He started swinging the broom at them and had to swat a couple to get them to leave. He didn’t use the hammer. Then they climbed the large cedar tree in the front yard (I didn’t know they climbed trees!) and Nick proceeded to spray them with the hose. I then let the cats in the house from the back door, even though they do just fine protecting themselves, and I brought in their food and water bowls. I guess it’s past time to start using the cat door that Nick’s dad re-installed for us a long time ago. It is a magnetic door, so the raccoons wouldn’t be able to get in. Do you think if I keep the food inside they’ll stay away? Anything other ideas that you have that might work to keep them away? I think they’re cute animals, but I really don’t like them except in pictures. And if they figure out how to get from the tree to our roof, I’ll be really mad!
5 Comments
Julie·September 30, 2006
Keeping the cat food in is a must. The racoon will return often to
check - just in case you leave out something. They will not forget
there was food there for a long time.
The cat door is risky - racoons
can figure out how to open them. The only type of door that I’ve
heard about that keeps them out is the one that uses a special
collar that the cat has to wear for the door to open.
Nick·September 30, 2006
Yeah, the cat door is that kind. The cats have a magnet on their collar that lets them in, but keeps out non-magnet wearing racoons.
Sandy Rauen·October 1, 2006
Hi Trissa and Nick! Wow! what great progress you have made! It looks wonderful!
Just a comment about raccoons and your cat door. This summer, with the vicious pit-bull, Shade, visiting again, we have again put the cat food on our dining room table (the usual cat haunt of our laundry room is currently under construction to be remodeled, ha!). One of our late night “adult” children claims to have shewed a raccoon out of the house who was visiting the vittles on the dining room table. We do have a small cat “window”! DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE RACCOONS! The good news is …they hate bottle rockets!
chooch·October 1, 2006
While your Mom and Iwere soaking in the hot last summer about fourteen months ago. She looked up in a cherry tree in the green belt. There lo and behold wa a Racoon stripping the cheries off the tree. Iwas strehed out about three or four feet. The Crows were madder than ahatter kept pestering the racoon to no avail.The racoon got all the cherries. Love Dad. Chooch
Derek·October 2, 2006
Our neighbour had an encounter with a raccoon, the raccoon opened the dog food, that was in a sealed tupperware bin, and chowing down on it. He was staring down my neighbour. He chased the raccoon around the side of the house, the raccoon just went around the house and back to the food. The raccoon didn’t leave until he removed the food. A couple weeks ago, I almost ran one over in the middle of the day, I thought they usually slept during the day.