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Raccoon

Big SOB has been terrorizing household intermittently for ages. Comes in through cat door; scarfs up cat food; messes his water dish. We blocked up cat door; cat has to use window giving on dark yard; have it open minimum, but anxious-making.

Found raccoon in kitchen at night. BIG! Rushed out OPEN back door, brushing past my legs; no injury fortunately. So can't leave computer room door open for air at night.

OP has volunteered to kill it w/blow to head, but he doesn't realize how big and fierce they are. Also, first have to catch it!!

Point is: Why are RACCOONS -- biggest pest around -- "protected" !!!? I asked Animal Shelter for help -- send someone to trap him, or lend me a cage. They said haven't done this for years. Gave me info about "protected" status. I'M THE ONE WHO NEEDS PROTECTION!

Not ept enough to construct own cage, though have plans/descriptions. Cost of materials - have to be VERY strong. Ever see the CLAWS on those critters!

Choices: Rent a cage. Buy a cage. Put up with cat door problem. Other?

*******SPRAY SOMETHING ON STEPS THAT THEY ARE SAID TO AVOID. Anybody know a product?******

OK, end sob story. Excuse venting.

HB

Reply to
Higgs Boson
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Do away with the cat door and keep your cat in the house.

Reply to
gfretwell

BTDT. Tried various scare tactics (motion sensor lite, pan of ammonia, etc) Nothing worked. Finally got a trap. Bye bye raccoon.

Traps are cheap. $25 at Harbor Freight

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Peanut butter is a good bait.

FWIW, in Colorado it was legal to release them only in the plains east of I-25, not in the mountains.

Reply to
Retired

[....]

This is sometimes suggested, but I think it's cruel to keep a creature conf ined in the house 24/7. Never have done this during a lifetime of cats. Thi s one in particular has a very independent personality. We tried keeping h im in when he was little, but it never worked.

No, I don't want to wreck his life and make myself crazy because of raccoon !

HB

Reply to
Higgs Boson

[...]

Thanks. Someone from another NG mentioned them & I went there, but with s& H it comes to over $40.0. Have checked many other sources. If I have to b uy large trap, I guess I will, but...

THERE'S SUPPOSED TO BE SOMETHING THEY CAN'T STAND THAT I WOULD LIKE TO TRY SPRAYING BEFORE SPENDING ALL THAT $$.

I found these on-line. If you used, pls post whether it worked or not. Tha nks!

Spicy Deterrent Many reviews will tell you that there is no such thing as a real raccoon re pellent. If you've tried it all from sounds to other tactics, then you migh t as well try this one too. All you need is some really spicy sauce (tabasc o or chilly), a gallon of water, and some regular detergent soap. Mix all t he ingredients to prepare a spray. Put it in a spray can and spray it all a round your garden. They cannot stand the smell, so they won't even get past the plants.

Hot Pepper Repellent Here is another natural repellent that you can try out. Get yourself a chop ped Jalapeño pepper, a chopped onion (yellow), and a tbsp. of cayenne pep per. Add these three to 8 cups of water and bring it to a boil. Once it coo ls down, strain the liquid to remove the chunks of the peppers. Fill it in a spray can and spray away.

Granular Repellent There are quite a few granular raccoon repellents available at pest-control outlets, which just have to be dusted around the area. They are made of su bstances like ammonia or predator urine. Raccoons sense the presence of the ir predators through the scent of the urine. And so, when they smell the gr anules, they mistake it for the predator and steer clear of that area.

Read more at Buzzle:

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HB

Reply to
Higgs Boson

We have four cats, none of them even want to go outside. Trust me, if you ever see a cat hit by a car, you might change your mind.

Reply to
FrozenNorth

They would probably deter your cat also.

Reply to
JAS

I would probably rent a friend's big dog for a week or so.

Use a "dog anchor", which is a big screw that screws into the ground to keep the dog in your yard, but on a leash long enough that he can wander wherever he/she wants, including to the back door. That will keep your cat inside and the raccoon outside.

Once the raccoon realizes that the cat's food and water is now protected by a big dog, he'll look for an easier meal somewhere else, and that shouldn't take longer than a week or so.

Feed the dog hamburger, and you'll both be happy with the arrangement.

Reply to
nestork

Legal to release them a couple feet under water?

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

About twenty years ago, a friend of my Dad's got tired of the squirrel in his bird feeder, so he shot the squirrel. (Military vet, out in the country, good backstop, nice and safe). Next day he shot the next squirrel. And he gave up after 300 squirrels.

Whatever you do to shoot, trap, scare, spray, or motivate the raccoon. Please plan to do it every day, forever.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

I had one snatch our cats out the window. Likely killed one of them but we'll never be sure. I hired a trapper. But unlike Billy The Exterminator, here, they kill them. Trapper said it was the most viscous animal he'd ever seen. I would never have a cat door here.

Reply to
Julie Bove

In my area we cannot kill them

but live trapping and relocating is OK

Take it at least 15 miles

Reply to
philo 

We have a doggie door , and we live out in the woods ... We had a problem with 'coons eating the bird food , they climbed up that angle iron post like it was a highway . Had video of the post shaking around because there was a 'coon on top , the dog is wandering around sniffing the ground , completely oblivious to the raccoon just 4 feet above her . I suspect a younger dog might have tripped to the situation Goldie is pretty old for her breed .

Reply to
Terry Coombs

I'm remembering the story of the city on the west side of the river, that had a major raccoon problem. So they hired a firm to take care of it. They trapped several thousand racoons, and moved them to the east side of the river.

The next year, the city on the east side of the river called the same trapping firm. They had a major raccoon problem.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon
  1. Shoot
  2. Shovel
  3. Shut up

Where most people go wrong is step 3.

By the way, you know how annoyed you are that a nasty old raccoon dares tre spass in your yard? We're just as annoyed you let your nasty old cat wande r into our yard. It may be cute to you, but we didn't sign up to take care of your cat and repair the damage it does.

Reply to
TimR

nfined in the house 24/7. Never have done this during a lifetime of cats. T his one in particular has a very independent personality. We tried keeping him in when he was little, but it never worked.

Our house cat is basically an indoor creature. She'll occasionally sneak ou tside if we're not watching the door, but she'll go out about 15-20 feet, s it there for 5-10 minutes, then run back inside when she has a chance.

Vis-à-vis raccoons, I shoot the bastards on sight, although I rarely get a chance to see them.

Paul

Reply to
Pavel314

TRY SPRAYING BEFORE SPENDING ALL THAT $$.

n repellent. If you've tried it all from sounds to other tactics, then you might as well try this one too. All you need is some really spicy sauce (ta basco or chilly), a gallon of water, and some regular detergent soap. Mix a ll the ingredients to prepare a spray. Put it in a spray can and spray it a ll around your garden. They cannot stand the smell, so they won't even get past the plants.

chopped Jalape?o pepper, a chopped onion (yellow), and a tbsp. of c ayenne pepper. Add these three to 8 cups of water and bring it to a boil. O nce it cools down, strain the liquid to remove the chunks of the peppers. F ill it in a spray can and spray away.

trol outlets, which just have to be dusted around the area. They are made o f substances like ammonia or predator urine. Raccoons sense the presence of their predators through the scent of the urine. And so, when they smell th e granules, they mistake it for the predator and steer clear of that area.

We had a squirrel plague some years back during an extended drought. We tra pped with Have-a-heart traps and carried over 70 off across the river. One day I was in a bad mood so I blew one away with the shotgun; didn't see ano ther squirrel for two years.

Paul

Reply to
Pavel314

an extended drought. We trapped with Have-a-heart traps and carried over 70 off across the river. One day I was in a bad mood so I blew one away with the shotgun; didn't see another squirrel for two years.

I'll have to remember that, in case I have a squirrel plague. Thanks.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

(some snipped)

I know dis guy dat knows dis odder guy dat can make dis problem go away...for a price.

Two Fingers Malone

Reply to
LVetter

On the other hand have you seen the devastation feral cats have on the environment? This is an invasive exotic, no less damaging than the python or the Lion Fish. There are as many people in the world who would trap and remove your cat as there are who would want to get rid of a raccoon.

Reply to
gfretwell

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