Conference misery::feline_v1

    My barn cats co-exist with a pair of raccoons that seem to have
    settled in for the winter. They seem to get along with no problems,
    but I wouldn't want them in my house!  'Course these cats are used
    to the pet fox and used to live with a veritable herd of ferrets.
    
    Can the raccoon fit through the cat door?
    

If hungry, a raccoon will eat what it can...including any cat it can get.
If there is easier food around, they will eat that.  They survive very
well.  I have a friend who lost her cat to a raccoon - she SAW it carried off.
Her cat, Tooey, was a full-grown male.  He was old, but still pretty spry
so we suspect he put up a fuss.

You should be concerned...and as long as there is food around, there will
be raccoons around.  Kittens are CERTAINLY in danger.

I would also be concerned about the diseases the fleas on a wild animal can
pass to your cats.  Please talk to your vet about worms in particular.

    Racoons carry ALL the feline and canine diseases. Ask any vet about
    the two coming in contact with each other, and they will tell you
    to get rid of the racoons anyway you can. (I don't agree with that
    but a have-a-heart trap would work.)
    
    My family has just had a terrible problem with skunks. They were
    getting after their cats and harrassing them terribly. They used
    a Have-a-heart trap and relocated the skunks to another territory.
    
    Barbara

    I have seen in some pet stores and through magazines such as CAT FANCY,
    a device that turns is used with your pet entrance.  It is rather
    expensive, somewhere around $150-$200, but from the demo's that I have
    seen it is a sure fire way to keep other animals out.  It is a collar
    that your cat wears and it has some type of magnetic device or
    (something) that makes the door unlock when your cat is a few inches a
    way from the door (like when he is walking in), and when he is out of
    range, the door will lock back up, thus eliminating unwanted guests. 
    Kind of like giving your cat security clearance, so to speak.
    
    The device is nice if your willing to pay the price.
    

    Re: .2 (cat carried off by raccoon)
    
    This wasn't Maureen's Touey, the cat who had lost an eye, I hope....
    

    I have also an onging problem with racoons. I got rabies shots for all
    my horses as coons can carry it and the cats live in the barn. The cats
    already get rabies shots. I find myself moving the feeding station
    after a month or two trying to keep the racoons from finding it. I
    leave no food out at night as racoons are most active at dusk and early
    evening. The food is never in the hayloft where the cats sleep for the
    safety of the kittys. If you could move the food somewhere else and
    lock the cat door for a few nights it could encourage the coons to look
    elsewhere for dinner.
    Sandy
    

    Yup, watch out for the racoons!
    
    We had some friends that had a racoon take up residence (unbeknownst)
    in their chimney.  They lost a kitten to it when it came down through
    an open flue during the night.  :(
    
    	-td

    My mother feeds raccons along with other "night predators" on a nightly
    basis.  Racoons seem to LOVE dry cat food, bread w/ peanut butter,
    marshmellows and other assorted food.  Her cat, Sam, will eat side by
    side with the racoon ("Racky") with no problem.  Neither are a threat
    to each other so they basically leave each other alone, even when the
    racoon brings her family.
    
    One thing that might work to keep the racoons out of your house without
    locking your kitty door...  try putting some food outside for the
    racoon.  Maybe he'll eat this, get full, and leave the inside food
    (your house and cats) alone.
    
    Mary

    
    I must have wimpy racoons! Our house sat empty for about 8 months
    before we bought it. There is a good sized stream going through
    the front yard, and when we looked at the house there were bizillions
    of coon prints all over the bank of the stream. We saw this on several
    occasions before we moved in. I expected problems with them, but
    once we actually moved in they dissappeared. We have a German Shepard,
    2 outdoor/indoor cats, and a horse. I have never had a problem with
    the horse feed in the barn, nor the cats' dry food that is left
    outside for them at all times. I was pretty surprised that they
    just dissappeared like that, especially with the stream right there...
    easy access to water and all. The only one I have seen was one my
    cat (at about 9 months old) brought home to us one night and left
    on the porch. It was about half the cat's size, I'd say, and I am
    sure it was a baby (obviously a cat could not have killed a mature
    racoon!!), but I can't help but wonder where *mom* was....oh well,
    guess I do have wimpy coons!! :-)
    
    sure 
    

    I LOVE racoons and all wildlife for that matter.  Last summer, I
    always left dry cat food on the deck after T.K. and Nikki were in
    for the night just to watch the racoons eat it.  The cats would
    sit right up against the window and drool.  Racoons might be nasty
    but they look SO cute.  I once saw Nikki and an opposum on the deck
    together.  Like the previous reply, they were unfazed by each other's
    presence, though I was scared to death when I went to call him in
    for the night and saw that his "friend" wasn't another cat!
    

    
    We apparently have a family of racoons behind our house, too.  I say
    apparently because I've never seen them, but my son's been awakened in
    the early hours by Smudge hurling herself against the slider trying to
    get to them - she's very territorial :^}
    
    About putting food out for the 'coons - one caution would be not to put
    out fishy-smelling food, as that will attract skunks!
    
    

    
    
    On the subject of putting food outside:
    
    I tried feeding my cats outdoors last summer, while the weather was
    nice and they all seemed to want to be out all the time.
    
    This worked well for awhile, but ultimately the food started to draw
    neighborhood dogs to my house.  Needless to say, this is not too
    healthy for cats.  I no longer have a dog of my own, so there is 
    nothing to deter other dogs from coming in the yard.
    
    My cats are clever enough to run away from dogs, but I didn't want 
    them being harassed, so I stopped the outdoor feedings.
     
    People who have suggested feeding the raccoons - what kind of food
    would you suggest?  I doubt there is such a thing as "raccoon food."
    If they would eat stuff like rabbit food, I doubt that would draw
    any self-respecting dogs.  Since the raccoons like cat food, however,
    I'm not sure they would enjoy a vegetable-based food like rabbit food.
    
    

    
>                                Since the raccoons like cat food, however,
>    I'm not sure they would enjoy a vegetable-based food like rabbit food.
    
    
    I don't know about that. They seemed to *LOVE* my sweet corn (I got all
    of 3 ears for myself). They also seemed to know just when to pick it,
    too. I must admit, they did look cure eating it.
    
    Deb

    The mention of skunks reminds me that there was a newspaper
    article a day or so ago in which a vet said tomato juice was
    not much help removing skunk odor.  She recommended......Massengill.
    Just in case your babies have a skunk encounter.
    

    Since both skunks and raccoons love dry cat food, and both can give
    a good bite if startled or cornered (+ the skunk sprays, too), I
    suggest a Hav-a-heart trap and move the cutey out of your area.
    When I was living at home, we had a whole family of coons who came
    buy at night for the handouts.  We even had a pregnant female who
    I could get to sit in my lap and handfeed.  Someone took her home,
    and their neighbor caled the police, who took her away.
    Cats & dogs in my neighborhood now (Middleboro) have been attacked 
    and badly injured by both skunks and raccoons.  Most recently (DEC) 
    a spray job from a skunk (PHEW!)
                                                                
    
    Lynne (P.S. but they are cute!)

    RE. 14
    YUP, reminds me of one night, our saint bernard got sprayed by a
    skunk, (it was late maybe 12:30 or so) and the only stores that
    were open were the 24 hour variety. We drove all around the city
    before we found a store that had Massengill and when we did we bought
    6 boxes (2 bottles in each). The cashier looked at my husband and
    I like we were some crazy people, so trying to defend our honor
    I said, "Our saint bernard was sprayed by a skunk." That bought
    gales of laughter so we payed the bill and left.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    
    What fun stories people with animals can tell.
    
    After that episode we found out about sknnk off from the vet and
    were never without it. Works better
    
    Barbara

    When you consider the vet costs that you will have to pay if
    your cats are injured or infected by the raccoons the $150-$200
    for the special cat door is a bargain.  I HIGHLY recommend it!
    I have seen ads for it in Cat Fancy and insome of the animal
    care catalogs I get.  I'll be happy to find it for you.
    
    At the risk of getting yelled at for starting another rathole:
    I sincerely hope you will think long and hard before letting
    your cat have a litter.  The cat overpopulation problem is
    unbelieveable!  It is NOT necessary nor desireable for a cat to 
    have a litter before being spayed.  Just my .02.  Thanks for
    listening.
      Nancy DC

    Thanks Nancy!!!
    
    cin
    

    I'd like to offer my advice (not entirely unfounded, I've heard
    it shared by vets and other animal "pros" alike) to discourage feeding
    wild animals, such as raccoons and even squirrels.  Wild animals
    are often carriers of rabies and other nasty things you don't want
    your animals, or you, to catch.  As cute as they might be, a racoon
    who gets too tame might end up biting you or your animals if it
    starts to expect food and isn't alarmed by human presence.  The
    racoons can find their own food in the forest--they've had practice
    at it.  :)
    
    ---kim

    Re:  what to feed racoons...
    	My mother feeds them everything and anything... mostly table
    scraps.  But, if she doesn't have any table scraps, she puts out the
    dry cat food, peanut butter sandwiches, and marshmellows.  Don't forget
    to put out a bowl of water - Racoons are very clean and like to wash
    their feet and food before eating.  If she doesn't have food out "in
    time", the racoons come up and scratch at her glass slider.  One of
    them (the one she calls Racky) lets her pet him/her.  I'm not to up on
    racoon diseases, but I know that if you see them during the daytime,
    then something is wrong.  Last summer my mom found a racoon under her
    shrubs during the day.  The racoon was badly hurt (caught in a trap?)
    and trusted her enough to go for help.  As much as she likes the
    racoons, she called the NJ humane society and they came and took the
    racoon.
    
    Re:  attracting scunks.
    	Once again, by feeding the racoons, my mom attracts not only the
    racoons, but possums and skunks.  Sam (her cat) has been skunked 2x and
    now avoids skunks like the plague.  I've also heard that Massengill is
    a good skunk smell remover.  I've also heard that 1 part Clorox Bleach
    to 3 parts water is also good.... you just might end up with a blonde
    pet, though.
        
    Re:  feeding pets outside attracts all sorts of wild animals.
    	Yes, it does.  But with all the building going on now, the animals
    are losing their natural habitat and food sources.  This is one way
    that they get a meal (even if it isn't "right").  The racoons my mother
    feeds now live in the drain sewer across the street instead of the
    apple orchard (now an office park) behind her house.
    
    Mary

    Thanks Nancy!!!
    
    E.T.

    Raccoons like jelly sandwiches.
    

    I think Raccoons like almost anything.
    
    We also feed the animals - and we had a skunk who visited for a
    while.  Never bothered me that s/he was there.  Of course, I don't
    have outdoor cats to worry about.  If I did I wouldn't feed them
    like that.
      My rational was that they'd get into the food in the trash anyway
    so I might as well leave the food where they can get at it without
    making a mess  ;-)
      Nancy DC

    re:.23
    
    Nancy-
    
    	Nippa has a friend who is a *hugh* skunk........She seems
    	to enjoy the skunk more than the neighbors cat.......Imagine
    	coming home at nite, only to be greeted by this monster....
    
    	Michele & Nippa
    
    p.s.
    It's never givem us any problems either.

    Jack discovered, by accident, that skunks are rather near-sighted 
    when he discovered himself less than 3 ft from our "friend".  He
    just stood still and the skunk wandered off seeming to never have
    noticed him.  (whew!)
    

    I've a family of raccoons (started with mum & 3 kids last year, haven't
    seen them this year) who come up to the back porch expressly for the
    cat food I leave out for Skunk (her nickname...she prefers to live
    outdoors except when it's below freezing).  There's also the occasional
    possum who comes, and I once saw a coon and a possum on opposite sides
    of the food bowl snacking away and ignoring one another while Skunkchen
    looked on!
    
    Does anyone have any information about the hazards of those
    key-collars?  I don't know what technology is involved, but I'd hate to
    use them and then find that they pose radiation danger. But if they're
    safe, then I wouldn't mind getting them for my "kids", it'd be nice to
    let them have the security of the house without emulating Ann Broomhead
    (who, you may know, has many interesting tales to tell of wildlife...
    particularly racoons...coming in thru her unguarded cat door!).
    
    						=maggie

    Re:  Feeding wild animals and those who do....
    
    Just offering up advice from veteranarians, etc.  Certainly feeding
    animals is the individual's perogative.  As a personal aside, I
    hope no one gets bit, tho!  :)
    
    
    ---kim

    I too feed the critters in my yard.  My cat is an inside kitty and only
    is allowed out to the patio......which is enclosed and locked at all
    times.  I get huge skunks, possems, coyates, possum, squirrels, birds,
    deer and rats.   I consider them my "outside pets" and as long as you
    don't bother them, they don't bother with you.  During the day when I'm
    filling my bird feeders the chicadees land on my arms, head and
    shoulders and that's a thrill in itself.  But to see the other "guys"
    all getting along in my yard.  The Racks (racoons) are my personal
    favorites and I have a large herd of them with a big mama and her kids
    and the big daddy.......  We enjoy them every so much.