Just thought I'd tell about my attempts to get rid of a couple of raccoons that keep raiding the cat food and knocking over garbage cans.
Ok, my first attempt a couple of years ago to keep the raccoons out of the cat food was to put it in an old fiberglass sit in sauna thing where you just have your head sticking out the top.
Actually worked for a couple of nights before they figured where the hole was. Then I taped across it with some duct tape and aluminum. They had that pried off the next night.
So then I got the idea of just putting it in our upright freezer.
Well, they must have been watching. It was open the next day melting.
So I bought a neat metal cabinet at an auction and put one of those carabiner clip things through the latch on the bottom section. That did it. They have managed to spin it around (the clip is shaped like a fish and sometimes its stuck in the fin area)
But they still get whats left in the dish at night and go through the empty cans in the trash.
Now I've been looking at the bigger live traps (in case I catch a cat) and the elderly couple I mow for have one sitting out in the weather behind their garage, so I asked to borrow it.
baited it with a little cat food. First 2 nights it was turned over and empty.
I waited a week, made sure the door catch was working and tried it again
Caught one of the Spring juviniles. He was just pulling himself around the cage in summersaults and stopped and just looked when I approached.
Our cats didn't pay any attention to him. Probably knew him on a first name basis. I had seen a big basketball sized one with some babies this Spring and she was the one I wanted to get rid of the worst.
So anyway...I always give our cats one can of soft food in the morning, divided 7 ways. Took a little hunk over to the raccoon. he took it and ate it. Not particulary afraid.
Well, geesh. Why should he be..I've been inadvertantly feeding him every night.
So I load him up in the van, drive him a couple of miles out into the country, over the interstate and let him go next to a woods across from a cornfield. (sorry cornfield)
He just slowly waddled out of the cage and made his way into the woods.
1 down.
So I thought with Ricky missing mamma might show. I reset the cage and sure enough, its the basketball size queen.
Now, this one is mean as a snake and hissing and doing bad.
That cage was pretty flimsy looking. I know now why there is a metal plate under the carrying handle, and it suddenly doesn't look big enough.
I put it in the back of my Honda Civic and give her a ride to the day befores location. Remembering that the ***** got out the forst 2 times and this one definately wants out, I leave my seatbelt off ready for action. I'm keeping an eye in the mirror and the windows are down.
If that thing gets out, I'll jam on the brakes and get out ASAP!
Made it to the same place and use a long screwdriver to release the trap door. She goes snarling out making good time. No slow waddle for her.
So that day, I take the trap back. Next night, I come back from the movies after having left the garage light on. Yup...2 racoons in the bowl of cat food.
The other 2 juviniles I had hoped were gone somewhere since Spring. Heck one didn't even leave when I walked up, had to yell & chase him off.
Going to go mow again today..and borrow that trap again.
Ok, my first attempt a couple of years ago to keep the raccoons out of the cat food was to put it in an old fiberglass sit in sauna thing where you just have your head sticking out the top.
Actually worked for a couple of nights before they figured where the hole was. Then I taped across it with some duct tape and aluminum. They had that pried off the next night.
So then I got the idea of just putting it in our upright freezer.
Well, they must have been watching. It was open the next day melting.
So I bought a neat metal cabinet at an auction and put one of those carabiner clip things through the latch on the bottom section. That did it. They have managed to spin it around (the clip is shaped like a fish and sometimes its stuck in the fin area)
But they still get whats left in the dish at night and go through the empty cans in the trash.
Now I've been looking at the bigger live traps (in case I catch a cat) and the elderly couple I mow for have one sitting out in the weather behind their garage, so I asked to borrow it.
baited it with a little cat food. First 2 nights it was turned over and empty.
I waited a week, made sure the door catch was working and tried it again
Caught one of the Spring juviniles. He was just pulling himself around the cage in summersaults and stopped and just looked when I approached.
Our cats didn't pay any attention to him. Probably knew him on a first name basis. I had seen a big basketball sized one with some babies this Spring and she was the one I wanted to get rid of the worst.
So anyway...I always give our cats one can of soft food in the morning, divided 7 ways. Took a little hunk over to the raccoon. he took it and ate it. Not particulary afraid.
Well, geesh. Why should he be..I've been inadvertantly feeding him every night.
So I load him up in the van, drive him a couple of miles out into the country, over the interstate and let him go next to a woods across from a cornfield. (sorry cornfield)
He just slowly waddled out of the cage and made his way into the woods.
1 down.
So I thought with Ricky missing mamma might show. I reset the cage and sure enough, its the basketball size queen.
Now, this one is mean as a snake and hissing and doing bad.
That cage was pretty flimsy looking. I know now why there is a metal plate under the carrying handle, and it suddenly doesn't look big enough.
I put it in the back of my Honda Civic and give her a ride to the day befores location. Remembering that the ***** got out the forst 2 times and this one definately wants out, I leave my seatbelt off ready for action. I'm keeping an eye in the mirror and the windows are down.
If that thing gets out, I'll jam on the brakes and get out ASAP!
Made it to the same place and use a long screwdriver to release the trap door. She goes snarling out making good time. No slow waddle for her.
So that day, I take the trap back. Next night, I come back from the movies after having left the garage light on. Yup...2 racoons in the bowl of cat food.
The other 2 juviniles I had hoped were gone somewhere since Spring. Heck one didn't even leave when I walked up, had to yell & chase him off.
Going to go mow again today..and borrow that trap again.
