Racoon is killing our cats- help?

Question

we have about 11 neighborhood cats that come around our place around feeding time-
we are down to 6 i think now.
there is a racoon that has been prowling around and living in the house next door which is vacant-
the dead cats have been found out back completely torn up (i hate to say that-) and the only idea that we have is that darn racoon!
any ideas to help keep the other cats safe?
btw- animal control told us to catch it and bring it in.....why can't they catch it??? no help at all.

Answer 1

The cats can live perfectly normal lives IN the house. The raccoon is natural wildlife, so are coyotes and their range is expanding. Where I live, raccoons are protected wildlife. Right now they have young. You might want to check, trapping or killing them could land you in jail.

Answer 2

You do realize that you are talking about 'stray' cats, thus free game for the critter that actually lives in the wild.

Cats are a survivor-species. If they did not want to be eaten by the racoon, they would steer clear of that vacant house.

Then again, a racoon is in the same family as cats.

If you really cannot stand this, go to a local pet store to obtain a trap. (They are not harmful)

..but know this... you will sending that racoon to its death.

So, which is the more morally right?

Answer 3

Ask animal control if they have a cruelty free trap that you could use to trap the racoon...you may get a cat or two in it, but keep setting it and finally the racoon will get trapped..then you can easily take it in.

BTW...if you put poison out...THE CATS WILL EAT IT TO!!!!!!! You have not caught the racoon in the act so you do not know for sure that it is him doing this...what ever happened to innocent before proven guilty? A dog will attack the cats just the same as the racoon!!!

A humane trap from animal control will work if you want to relocate him or give him up to wildlife rescue...think before you act please!

Answer 4

I have never seen a coon do that to a cat. We have some pretty big ones around here and I have seen the cats watch the coons. The coon goes to the trash and I have seen it take a bread bag up a tree and set and eat out of it. Don't put poison out because another innocent animal might get into it. I'm sorry about your cats. The safest way would be the traps that don't hurt the animal. If you can catch it you can take it to a park or wooded area and turn it lose.

Answer 5

Raccoons may live around humans, but they do not like humans. The sound of a human voice is known to drive away raccoons - so keep a radio outside. It doesn't have to be loud, start with a low volume level. If it doesn't get results, try increasing the volume. Leave the radio on day and night. Raccoons prefer dark places for their nests. If you can light up your attic or crawlspace, this will disturb the raccoons, possibly enough to make them move out. Raccoons are clean animals, in fact they often wash their food before eating. Because of this habit of cleanliness, they do not foul their nests. Ammonia, a chemical found in urine, is an offensive odor for raccoons. Soak rags in ammonia and place them as near to their nest as safely possible. You may also want to place soaked rags near all possible entrances. If you have difficulty reaching the nest, you might be able to apply ammonia in the vicinity with a squirt bottle. Periodically retreat the area with ammonia.


Good luck. It is terrible about the cats. Really sorry. Hope this helps.

Answer 6

So let me get this straight...you are wanting to remove NATIVE wildlife in order to protect FERAL cats? Do you not realise that those stray cats are wreaking havoc amongst native birds and animals? Feeding or otherwise supporting your local feral cat population is irresponsible at best, and down right ignorant at worst! Trap the cats, and leave the Raccoon alone! He's the one that is supposed to be there! I seriously doubt that a raccoon is responsible for the death of the cats, but whatever is responsible deserves cudos!!!

Answer 7

Contact the State Wildlife Dept and tell them what is going on and see if they can help. I had some at one apartment complex where I lived a few years ago and the folks there called the State and they set up traps and whatever they caught, they took out to the woods in the country and away from the city.

Answer 8

Hello,
First of all you can not catch the Racoon it may have rabies! I am horrified the at the Animal control ! Are they stupid? Call your local board of health and tell them about this empty house next door! keep the cats inside till you can resolve this problem, If they are not killed they could contact rabies if the racoon is infected. Call Board of Health right away. hope this help and good luck.

Answer 9

Maybe you should try getting like bird seed or something to put out like in a bird feeder if u have one. i think the racoon is hungry and thats why hes killing the cats. so instead of killing the cats for food he will jsut be eating the bird seed. We have a racoon that comes up to our back deck all the time and he eats the birdseed. GOOD LUCK WITH HIM.

Answer 10

Its very achieveable that raccoons killed the cats yet it is nature. don't be ignorant and initiate killing the raccoons. Its not in easy terms like the raccoons had some vendetta against you or your cats. Stray/unfastened canines additionally kill cats. Snakes. Birds of Prey. Coyotes. autos. by twist of fate falling out of a tree..Psychopathic human beings like Jeffery Dahmer....dont positioned all the blame on the coons!!

Answer 11

Jenn,

If you haven't seen the coon attack, I'm guessing you may have a coyote killing the cats. As for trapping a racoon, borrow a live trap from a vet and ask them what makes good bait.

I actually trapped a coon that was getting in my trash one time. Then I caught two adolescent coons who were in on the act, too.

I'm so sorry about your cats.