# racoon needs to die....



## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

i have a cat and i leave my screen door unlocked so she can go in and out
if i lock the screen door, i have to close the sliding glass door so that cat doesn't paw at the screen and ruin it
i prefer to keep the glass door open for air flow as i don't have a/c, nor want it yet

well a racoon has discovered that there is cat food in my house and it comes in while i am sleeping or away

it devours the cat food and terrorizes my cat while i am at the golf course or wakes me up when it comes in at night

i went to toronto a couple of days ago and came home to my cat hiding under my bed with her food and water dishes both empty

this racoon has been in the house on at least 5 occassions
i have tried closing the glass door for a week or so but it eventually comes around again

any ideas on getting rid of it?


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## bryanc (Jan 16, 2004)

Get a dog.... or a bigger cat


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

i don't like dogs and racoons are very nasty when it comes to fighting
i would need several cats to take care of this masked bandit
luckily my cat has sense to believe in discretion being the better part of valour

i may just need to put my name on the gun registry, just for a while...


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## NBiBooker (Apr 3, 2004)

Here's a thought - lock your cat in at night and when you're away.


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

NBiBooker said:


> Here's a thought - lock your cat in at night and when you're away.


that of course is "a" solution, but as I mentioned earlier, the screen door provides lots of air flow, and I like allowing my cat the freedom of going in and out while I am not around as opposed to being cooped up inside


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## darkscot (Nov 13, 2003)

the move "Over the Hedge" had a cat in it. The cat had access to enter/leave house via a pet door, and it's lock was triggered by a signal on his cat collar. I wonder if this is available somewhere. Would solve your problem I think.


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Why not fix that raccoon a bowl of "something special" and set it outside the door one night while the cat is locked in?


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## Chris (Feb 8, 2001)

A .22 calibre solution might also be considered. Given you're in Toronto, it should be no problem finding one!


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## ErnstNL (Apr 12, 2003)

I know you live in a rural area but aren't you inviting thieves of the human persuasion into your house too? 
Lock it up. Cats can live happily indoors for the hours you are away.


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Chris said:


> A .22 calibre solution might also be considered. Given you're in Toronto, it should be no problem finding one!


He's not in Toronto. He's in rural Ontario. Moved from TO to Shangri-La a few years back.


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

SINC said:


> Why not fix that raccoon a bowl of "something special" and set it outside the door one night while the cat is locked in?


maybe that's the best answer


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## Digital_Gary (Sep 18, 2003)

> Get a dog


Raccoons will surprise you. 

Get a live trap and relocate it far away. Of course, it is only a temporary solution since it or another one will eventually came back. 

I have seen the collar activated pet door advertised. Might be the best solution.
http://www.petsafestore.com/stinelcatdog.html
http://www.hitecpet.com/autpetdoor.html
http://www.k9electronics.com/product/ST861/861LargeElectronicInfraRedDogDoor.aspx


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

darkscot said:


> the move "Over the Hedge" had a cat in it. The cat had access to enter/leave house via a pet door, and it's lock was triggered by a signal on his cat collar. I wonder if this is available somewhere. Would solve your problem I think.


i have seen this solution
it's a good one, but seeing as it's only one racoon
earlier this year i got it's sibling up a tree and gave it a good whupping
that one hasn't come back

the racoon in question is tailess and therefore very easy to spot


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

Chris said:


> A .22 calibre solution might also be considered. Given you're in Toronto, it should be no problem finding one!


i don't live in toronto
i moved away 2.5 years ago to a rural area


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## Digital_Gary (Sep 18, 2003)

> the racoon in question is tailess and therefore very easy to spot


If 2 have figured it out, more will. And I'd be surprised if the one you chased off hasn't come back. Maybe you haven't seen it come back but I bet it's still snacking when you aren't home.


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

ErnstNL said:


> I know you live in a rural area but aren't you inviting thieves of the human persuasion into your house too?
> Lock it up. Cats can live happily indoors for the hours you are away.


when i am away for hours at a time, i lock the hinge doors and the screen/glass sliding door combo is only opened enough to allow a cat (and racoon) entry

part of the magic of living in shangri-la


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## gastonbuffet (Sep 23, 2004)

A Hezbollah Racoon?

Maybe taking the fight outdoors is the answer? 

nothing funny about my comments? oh well


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

Digital_Gary said:


> If 2 have figured it out, more will. And I'd be surprised if the one you chased off hasn't come back. Maybe you haven't seen it come back but I bet it's still snacking when you aren't home.


i helped the racoon figure it out since i used to leave my cat's food outside while i was away
that of course has stopped
i have yet to see the other racoon again, but have seen the tail-less one on too many occassions

i think i need to go shopping for something "special" for the racoon to snack on as per SINC's suggestion


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

http://www.yardener.com/KillingTheRaccoonHumanely.html


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## miguelsanchez (Feb 1, 2005)

MACSPECTRUM said:


> i may just need to put my name on the gun registry, just for a while...


problem solved...webley tempest










muzzle velocity less than 500 feet per second, you don't need to register it, have an FAC, etc.

and it's deadly accurate.

good luck,

miguel


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

i've just put a call into my local township office re: regulations of raccoon disposal/removal and they referred me to animal control who didn't answer my question but told me they can remove the critter for a fee

now waiting for call back from head honcho at animal control

would hate to find out i didn't remove/dispose of said raccoon in the correct way

by-law enforcers (aka hitler youth) love handing out tickets to bmw driving residents who have only been living here 2 years


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## Vandave (Feb 26, 2005)

MACSPECTRUM said:


> maybe that's the best answer


Don't do that. It's cruel to poison an animal.

If you want to kill it, then just shoot it.


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## darkscot (Nov 13, 2003)

Do you really need to kill it? Keep shooting all your shangri-la "benefits" and shangri-la will be no more.

I have a big fox stalking my chickens. I could shoot it. Or I can pay some $$ and get good fox-proof chicken wire for my pen.

Learn to live with nature. Can't blame the poor '**** for grabbin a free meal. We are encroaching on their territory, not the other way around.


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## MLeh (Dec 23, 2005)

Poisoning is always a bad option, especially where there might also be other domestic pets (the neighbours dog or cat) wandering around.

Our neighbour is pretty good with a sling shot, and we have a big stick we use for raccoons. They've not been too bad lately since we stopped putting garbage out before garbage day.

The funny thing is - raccoons are pretty resourceful - they can open doors and remove lids from garbage cans.


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

darkscot said:


> Do you really need to kill it? Keep shooting all your shangri-la "benefits" and shangri-la will be no more.
> 
> I have a big fox stalking my chickens. I could shoot it. Or I can pay some $$ and get good fox-proof chicken wire for my pen.
> 
> Learn to live with nature. Can't blame the poor '**** for grabbin a free meal. We are encroaching on their territory, not the other way around.


i've tried negotiating with the raccoon, but he doesn't respond to my overtures

i have yet to fire one shot in anger here at shangri-la
i have fired a pellet rifle at non-biological targets

i'll wait for animal control to call me back and see what they charge for '**** removal


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## MacDoc (Nov 3, 2001)

why not a door that fits cat not racoon or train cat for window


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## The Doug (Jun 14, 2003)

Calling animal control is the best thing to do but you also have to change your habits, even though it's against your druthers - otherwise another raccoon will come along in no time and you'll go through the same thing again and again. They all know the cat food is there, that they can get to it, and they'll keep coming back. Eliminate what's attracting them, eliminate their access to what's attracting them, or you'll be back to square one in no time.

Up to a few years ago we had quite a few raccoons rummaging through the garbage in our neighbourhood, knocking over garbage cans every night, shredding garbage bags, spreading garbage all over the place, making a huge mess all the time. In 2003 the town switched all of us to tall lidded garbage bins (that are picked up by a truck w/ a mechanical arm) which are too high for raccoons to get into, and far too heavy for them to knock over. Since then we've hardly seen any raccoons at all - they don't come around anymore as there's no food that they can get to.


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## darkscot (Nov 13, 2003)

***** will slip in anywhere, MacDoc.

Glad to hear you haven't killed anyhting yet. Pellet rifles can be a good, less-lethal deterrant, but for how long. Good luck!


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## MacDoc (Nov 3, 2001)

Also if you put the cats food up on something outside - racoons can't jump.


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## scootsandludes (Nov 28, 2003)

Try moth balls, racoons hate that stuff. Don't put it by the door, cause it's pretty nasty stuff, but around your deck or whatever that leads to the door.

We use to have racoons that frequent the outside of the studio I use to work at, and they left their droppings at the front door, put some moth balls around for a while, and they stopped showing up.

The real problem with racoons is the droppings, lots of airborne bacteria that can seriously get you, your family and pet really sick. So either scare it off with moth balls or hire a trapper to get rid of the problem.

You should also probably move the food dish to another room or the basement, so it can't find it easily. Don't feed it like somebody suggested, cause that just keeps it coming back, and they will crap all over the place.

vince


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## Kosh (May 27, 2002)

Easy solution. Get a new screen door where the bottom half is glass or metal and the top half has a screen. Your cat can't claw the screen, you still get air flow, and no critters get in.

Otherwise, close the glass door to keep the cat in, and use a live trap with sardines to trap the racoons. You'll probably trap a skunk or two, or cats, but you'll get the raccoons. If you catch a cat or skunk, just let them go. I'm not sure how she let the skunk go, they won't spray while in the cage, but once let go, you think they would. She probably used a string or broom to open the cage from a distance. Cats, once caught, won't generally come again - they tend to learn their lesson.


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## Digital_Gary (Sep 18, 2003)

> 'm not sure how she let the skunk go, they won't spray while in the cage


Oh ya? Tell that to my Mom  
A trapped skunk ruined her bath robe 

I've heard if you throw a blanket over the cage for a while, the skunk will go to sleep. You can open the door once it's asleep.

This is of course something I haven't tested


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

moth balls sounds like a solution that i will try
thanks !


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## Digital_Gary (Sep 18, 2003)

MACSPECTRUM said:


> moth balls sounds like a solution that i will try
> thanks !



I've heard that works too but it did nothing for my father-in-law.


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

Digital_Gary said:


> I've heard that works too but it did nothing for my father-in-law.



moth balls keep away fathers in law too?
if only i knew while i was married


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## dona83 (Jun 26, 2005)

Racoons stole my food while i was campin' in april... dragged my cooler bag 20m away, opened it, and took the hot dogs. 

Also around 2 years ago i walked out my door to see a racoon, and we both stared at each other for a good 5 minutes before it scampered off.

I heard that racoons out east tend to have rabies.


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

ok, so I just got off the phone with animal control and there are indeed rules and regulations as per Ministry of Natural Resources with regards to the capture/disposal of raccoons

1. raccoon must be live trapped
2. can only be held for 24 hours (good lawyer)
3. must be then released within 1 km of capture point OR humanely euthanized via firearm (lots of paperwork) or other approved method

animal control will be over tomorrow a.m to set a trap
they charge $50 for capture and 'disposal'

one intersting note is that raccoons can pass diseases along to cats

soon to be $50 well spent


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## Digital_Gary (Sep 18, 2003)

MACSPECTRUM said:


> moth balls keep away fathers in law too?
> if only i knew while i was married



No, I said it *didn't* work for my F-I-L


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## martman (May 5, 2005)

MACSPECTRUM said:


> ok, so I just got off the phone with animal control and there are indeed rules and regulations as per Ministry of Natural Resources with regards to the capture/disposal of raccoons
> 
> 1. raccoon must be live trapped
> 2. can only be held for 24 hours (good lawyer)
> ...


I had no idea about the $50 solution. WE have racoon problem here in TO.
They sh*t on the gound under our spruce tree every night. 
Not only do we have to scoop our cat's litter we also have to scoop the racoons! $^Q^!$^$!^$!#$!#
I'd love the $50 option but in the city they won't do that so all that is left is move 'em 1 km which I believe is pointless.


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

did u call the city re: the $50 solution?
this was offered not by the city/municipality, but by animal control


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## darkscot (Nov 13, 2003)

They sh*t under your spruce tree and that is a big problem? 1 km is nothing to a racoon, I bet. Your spruce will still be an inviting toilet.


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## FeXL (Jan 2, 2004)

A buddy has a big old orange tabby tomcat that tangled w/ a '**** probably 14 years back. '**** tore off one front leg at the elbow. Healed up nice, Boots still goes out and mouses around the farmyard.

Occasionally he'll put the short leg on the ground but, for the most part, he gets along fine as a 3 legger.


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## guytoronto (Jun 25, 2005)

Don't bother paying anyone to remove the raccoon. As soon as he moves out, another will move in. The best you can do is learn how to co-habitat with him.

A modified door / auto cat door is your best option.

http://www.epetpals.com/cgi-bin/commerce.exe?preadd=action&key=035368002540


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## GratuitousApplesauce (Jan 29, 2004)

Do not poison or shoot the racoon. As someone else suggested, it's you who should adjust your habits, to cause minimal damage to the creatures who live in and share your environment. The racoon shouldn't have to pay the ultimate price because you decided to live in its neighbourhood leaving easy-to-get food out for the taking. The animal removal is only a temporary solution.

I have a cat door with a lock on it. You can buy them at pet stores. Mine is a "Staywell" brand. The cat comes in at night and the door is then locked. During the day the cat can come and go. I haven't heard whether the ones where a cat wears a magnetized or infrared collar that unlocks the cat door work very well, but our cat has a tendency to figure how to remove any collar known to man, so that's not a solution for him.

One good solution to make your cat want to be in at night is to not leave food out for the cat all day. This will minimize your problem with the racoons too. Your cat may protest at first but will quickly learn the new rules. You feed the cat it's daily amount around your dinner time and leave it out for half an hour or so, then put the cat dish away. The cat will gradually adjust to making sure it's in the house around dinner time and will learn to eat it's daily food in the evening. Then it will want to sleep and be less active, just when you want to sleep too.

Whatever you do, don't feed your cat first thing in the morning, unless you want Fluffy deciding at 4am it's time for you to get up an feed her, so she starts racing around the house like a maniac.

If you are going away overnight, befriend a cat-loving neighbour who will come over to your house and feed the cat and who will lock your cat door and unlock it in the morning. Your vet could probably tell you who the real cat lovers in your area are.

Also, if you see the racoon, throw stones at it, spray it with the hose, yell and scream like a lunatic, anything to convince it that you are one psychotic beast who it's best to avoid. Don't corner it though.


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## martman (May 5, 2005)

Racoons in TO don't care about yelling and screaming. We use a super soaker squirt rifle! One good shot right between the eyes keeps 'em away for a few hours. They come back though because of the luxury toilet facilitites (the spruce tree).


I've researched this a bit apparently rabbies has NOT been reported in Toronto racoon populations for a long time. It is possible to happen but apparently not very likely. If it was they might try some kind of eradication.

I dissagree with the learn to live with them approach in big cities. The populations are out of control. This is not a situation of nature it is a real problem. They are ruining people's roovesand pose a potential health hazard. I think urban populations should be controled. I advocate an anuall cull till better solutiuons can we worked out (birth controll, operations etc)


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## miguelsanchez (Feb 1, 2005)

on a sort of related tangent, this is what can happen when two different species decided to mix it up:

dog vs porcupine:


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## Beej (Sep 10, 2005)

No one suggested more traditional methods used throughout human history? 

Kill a few raccoons, mount their heads on little spikes, and place your new decorations in places that will get noticed by future raccoons. You could even make a raccoon (un)welcome mat with the bodies.

I think I'm in a bad mood.


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## GratuitousApplesauce (Jan 29, 2004)

martman said:


> I dissagree with the learn to live with them approach in big cities. The populations are out of control. This is not a situation of nature it is a real problem. They are ruining people's roovesand pose a potential health hazard. I think urban populations should be controled. I advocate an anuall cull till better solutiuons can we worked out (birth controll, operations etc)


Maybe, but we are talking about a rural area in Macspectrum's case.

Racoons are not a huge problem where I live because most people know enough to secure their garbage and homes. We would have even fewer of them if everyone was more aware.

But even in the cities the populations are out of control because humans are sloppy about leaving things out for them to eat. The populations would not be out of control if people cared enough to secure their garbage. Racoons are not like mice and rats that can get inside where people live quite easily.

In BC there is a similar problem with a much bigger animal, - black bears. In Vancouver suburbs and many smaller towns bears get into garbage and dumpsters to feed. It's against the law to not secure your garbage in many areas. Some people advocate just shooting the problem bears, but most people realize that people can adjust their habits so that bears have nothing attracting them to urban areas. But it's us who are encroaching on their turf, not the other way around. It's our responsibility to deal with them humanely.


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## dona83 (Jun 26, 2005)

miguel... owww.


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## martman (May 5, 2005)

GratuitousApplesauce said:


> Maybe, but we are talking about a rural area in Macspectrum's case.
> 
> Racoons are not a huge problem where I live because most people know enough to secure their garbage and homes. We would have even fewer of them if everyone was more aware.
> 
> ...


Largely I agree with you but bears are endangered racoons are not. 

The big problem here is asses that leave food out for them. This should carry a whopping fine.

Actually the population of racoons in urban centres is increasing not because we are encroaching but because the life is easy. They don't have to hunt only forage (especially durring garbage day). On top of that they face no danger. They have no predators here, not even humans because they are protectewd by law as if they were endangered of something. Yes people should be more careful but still there are way too many racoons in Toronto and other major urban centres.


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## ArtistSeries (Nov 8, 2004)

Why don't you take that 50$ buy a big bag of cat chow and let the racoon fatten up at one sitting, so that he's too big to fit in the door? beejacon


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## GratuitousApplesauce (Jan 29, 2004)

martman said:


> Largely I agree with you but bears are endangered racoons are not.
> 
> The big problem here is asses that leave food out for them. This should carry a whopping fine.
> 
> Actually the population of racoons in urban centres is increasing not because we are encroaching but because the life is easy. They don't have to hunt only forage (especially durring garbage day). On top of that they face no danger. They have no predators here, not even humans because they are protectewd by law as if they were endangered of something. Yes people should be more careful but still there are way too many racoons in Toronto and other major urban centres.


I think we are agreeing that garbage is the reason that the population is large and growing in cities. Because people don't care about racoons, many will find it easier to kill them than to take any measures to take away their easy food supply. The easy access to food is what increases the populations. All those extra racoons wouldn't have been born if the food wasn't there.

Whether they are endangered or not, it's no reason to kill them, in my opinion. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think that black bears are endangered here in BC at least (grizzlies likely are), it's just that people think a little bit more before killing a bear than a racoon. We have a moral responsibility to treat other creatures with respect, endangered or not, not just take the easy solution.


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## Kosh (May 27, 2002)

MACSPECTRUM said:


> one intersting note is that raccoons can pass diseases along to cats


I was going to mention that and that you shouldn't let your cat out at night, but I didn't want to sound too patronizing.

Raccoons can also pass on diseases (rabies) and parasites to humans:
http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/dfw_roundworm.htm

So yes they are more than a pest, they are a health risk IMHO.


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## martman (May 5, 2005)

Now you've got me scared and pissed off.
This constant use of our tree as a latrine is more of a problem than I thought it was. Thanks for the link Kosh.


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## HowEver (Jan 11, 2005)

.


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## martman (May 5, 2005)

HowEver said:


> There are a lot of reasons why cats who are allowed outdoors live only 1/2 or 2/3 as long as indoor-only cats...


Yes I can tell you all about this. One of our cats has feline AIDS...


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## Dr.G. (Aug 4, 2001)

"any ideas on getting rid of it?" Might I suggest a dog bred to hunt down badgers and wolverines? A racoon would be no match for one of thesd d-dogs.


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## Chris (Feb 8, 2001)

MACSPECTRUM said:


> i don't live in toronto
> i moved away 2.5 years ago to a rural area



My apologies. I hadn't realized that. Belated congrats on getting out of the Big Smoke. :clap:


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## Kosh (May 27, 2002)

HowEver said:


> There are a lot of reasons why cats who are allowed outdoors live only 1/2 or 2/3 as long as indoor-only cats...


Some might, but mine when I was in Manitoba, lived a long full life and spent half it's time out doors (during the day, not at night). Mind you this was in a small village where there was no raccoons or skunks, just squirrels and the odd fox, maybe.


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

so animal control popped by, dropped off a live-trap and two days later one raccoon was caught and has shuffled off this mortal coil

MACSPECTRUM 1 - RACCOONS 0


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

"Thought he was a goner, but the cat came back, 'cause he wouldn't stay away."


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## The Doug (Jun 14, 2003)

MACSPECTRUM said:


> so animal control popped by, dropped off a live-trap and two days later one raccoon was caught and has shuffled off this mortal coil
> 
> MACSPECTRUM 1 - RACCOONS 0


So, now a raccoon is dead because you leave your door open.  tptptptp


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

and now my cat won't get some disease and die because of a raccoon


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## LaurieR (Feb 9, 2006)

martman said:


> The big problem here is asses that leave food out for them. This should carry a whopping fine.


You forgot to mention those who leave their doors open for them too...


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

i leave my door open for my cat, not for "rocky raccoon"


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Some of you are being unduly hard on poor old MACSPECTRUM, aren't you?

Seems to me a man has a right to allow his cat access to the outdoors without some thief gaining unwanted access inside, be it man or beast.

Raccoons are a pest and are overrunning northern areas where they were never native.


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## MannyP Design (Jun 8, 2000)

Cats are considered as pest by some folk... regardless, there are plenty of ways to allow the cat in and out without leaving the door wide open and without letting raccoons into your house.

Killing of animals because it's convenient is idiotic at best.


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## guytoronto (Jun 25, 2005)

SINC said:


> Seems to me a man has a right to allow his cat access to the outdoors without some thief gaining unwanted access inside, be it man or beast.


Letting your cat outside is like letting your kids play in the street. Sure, it's kinda fun, but there is a serious risk of danger.

http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/c...e_at_home_hsuss_safe_cats_campaign/index.html

http://cats.about.com/cs/catmanagement101/a/indooroutdoor.htm

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pointe/9352/indoors.html

If you're stupid enough to think letting your cat outdoors is a good idea, then you deserve the consequences, like raccoons sneaking indoors.


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## RevMatt (Sep 10, 2005)

I'm on the let the cat out side. Yes, this means she is a greater risk. But it also means she is immensely happier.

Which is not to say I would have had to **** offed.


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## minnes (Aug 15, 2001)

I will have a moment of silence for the Racoon......
Ok that was enough .
Now you have to figure out a cat portal method.


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

guytoronto said:


> If you're stupid enough to think letting your car outdoors is a good idea, then you deserve the consequences, like raccoons sneaking indoors.


FYI, I never let my car out. It stays in the garage 24/7/365!


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

SINC said:


> FYI, I never let my car out. It stays in the garage 24/7/365!



i have to admit that i do let my car outside a lot seeing as a don't have a permanent garage

oh the shame of it all

i need to find a support group


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## Willy Z (Oct 25, 2004)

SINC said:


> FYI, I never let my car out. It stays in the garage 24/7/365!


So what's your average fuel consumption ??? 

I do hope you have a Block Heater for those winter nights...you never know


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

« MannyP Design » said:


> Cats are considered as pest by some folk... regardless, there are plenty of ways to allow the cat in and out without leaving the door wide open and without letting raccoons into your house.
> 
> Killing of animals because it's convenient is idiotic at best.


the animal control guy recommended it and he is an animal lover
i live on a 1/3 acre lot in a forested area
i fully understand that my cat may live a shorter life since she is exposed to many animals higher up the food chain, but i would see it as criminal to keep her cooped in all day with the splendour of nature that surrounds my home


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Willy Z said:


> So what's your average fuel consumption ???
> 
> I do hope you have a Block Heater for those winter nights...you never know


1. Zero

2. No need as they are inside.


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## guytoronto (Jun 25, 2005)

SINC said:


> FYI, I never let my car out. It stays in the garage 24/7/365!


D'oh!


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## Beej (Sep 10, 2005)

RevMatt said:


> I'm on the let the cat out side. Yes, this means she is a greater risk. But it also means she is immensely happier.
> 
> Which is not to say I would have had to **** offed.


Interesting post RM. I would agree with this approach in that it honestly deals with "pristine" vs "lifestlye" choices. We all have our lines in adapting to nature versus making choices that conflict with the nature around us. This is to be expected. 

It would be dishonest to blame the raccoon or simply claim to be protecting a pet's health when the cause is one's own choices that inherently place a pet's health at risk (amongst other related issues regarding choosing a low-density livingspace). This seems to be a matter of honestly making certain choices and your post helps make this clearer. Thanks.

What are other ehmacer's "lines" in honestly dealing with this? I suspect we have a wide variety.


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Beej said:


> What are other ehmacer's "lines" in honestly dealing with this? I suspect we have a wide variety.


In my day the problem would have been solved quickly with far less expense. About two cents for a .22 long rifle round in the trusty single shot Cooey.


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

raccoons seem to have a very good lobby
here in ontari-ari-ari-ohhhh you MUST live trap the animal, not hold him for more than 24 hours, finally release it within 1 km or humanely dispose of him
using a firearm is ok with the MNR but of course that means a whole lot more paperwork to get a firearm

$50 seems like a good deal in my book


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

MACSPECTRUM said:


> using a firearm is ok with the MNR but of course that means a whole lot more paperwork to get a firearm
> 
> $50 seems like a good deal in my book


I did say, "in my day".

I know it is different today, but that is part of the problem. Life is so much more complicated now.


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

SINC said:


> I did say, "in my day".
> 
> I know it is different today, but that is part of the problem. Life is so much more complicated now.


yeah, i don't want to mess with civil servants


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## Beej (Sep 10, 2005)

MACSPECTRUM said:


> raccoons seem to have a very good lobby
> here in ontari-ari-ari-ohhhh you MUST live trap the animal, not hold him for more than 24 hours, finally release it within 1 km or humanely dispose of him
> using a firearm is ok with the MNR but of course that means a whole lot more paperwork to get a firearm
> 
> $50 seems like a good deal in my book


Exactly. This comes down to a choice of convenience and lifestyle versus adapting to the surroundings. I don't disagree with your choice, but your wording implied something else. Simply a matter of where your wording focussed versus what you meant.

So, heads on spikes are right out?


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

i'll save my porcupine imitation for another time


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