Sneak Thieves
Mr. Neil has a cat flap on his garage...
I think I need to put a clarification up before I go further with this post. Mr. Neil has cats. I have given him all the information on the Cats Indoors Campaign, and some of his cats are strictly indoor cats, however one cat in particular cannot be an indoor cat (Mr. Neil readers know him as Fred the unlucky cat). Please do not bombard him with info on Cats Indoors, he knows it, I know it--we've discussed it, especially after the time when young Fred showed up with four puncture marks on his hind quarters in the shape of great horned owl talons. And yes, in a perfect world for me, all cats would be indoors--however, who out there lives a perfect world? It's not always an easy task to turn a free roaming outdoor cat into an indoor cat. We're not going to change every mind in one night and we're not going to get every cat out of the wild by tomorrow morning. We do what we can, as we can, and the Cats Indoors campaign is a gradual effort.
That said, Fred is an outdoor cat who lives in the garage. There is a special cat door that only opens when Fred is standing in front of it, he has a special sensor on his collar that causes it to open. We keep all of the bird seed in the garage (and beekeeping equipment). Recently, something has been coming into the garage and living large in the bird seed--most likely a raccoon. The only way that I could find that they could be getting inside, would be the cat door, I'm sure raccoon claws could outsmart a sensor. We have a motion sensitive game camera and set that up:
Raccoon one (apparently wearing a monacle) came in through the door. I had the camera too close to the cat door and the flash WAY over exposed all the images. Non Birding Bill did a lot of tweaking to get them to this state.
Raccoon two came into join the party. If one has figured it out, it's not long before others follow.
And raccoon number three--this one appears to be smaller than the first two. So far these three have kept there shenanigans to the bird seed and have left the bee supplies along. I'm not sure what the next step is going to be. On of Mr. Neil's readers has suggested a door that uses image recognition software. I suggested leaving Cabal, his large white german shepherd in the garage for a few nights.
And so, here is one of the coons leaving, a little fatter. Perhaps they will eat so much they will not fit through the door--much in the same way Pooh got stuck in Rabbit's hole after eating too much honey.
I think I need to put a clarification up before I go further with this post. Mr. Neil has cats. I have given him all the information on the Cats Indoors Campaign, and some of his cats are strictly indoor cats, however one cat in particular cannot be an indoor cat (Mr. Neil readers know him as Fred the unlucky cat). Please do not bombard him with info on Cats Indoors, he knows it, I know it--we've discussed it, especially after the time when young Fred showed up with four puncture marks on his hind quarters in the shape of great horned owl talons. And yes, in a perfect world for me, all cats would be indoors--however, who out there lives a perfect world? It's not always an easy task to turn a free roaming outdoor cat into an indoor cat. We're not going to change every mind in one night and we're not going to get every cat out of the wild by tomorrow morning. We do what we can, as we can, and the Cats Indoors campaign is a gradual effort.
That said, Fred is an outdoor cat who lives in the garage. There is a special cat door that only opens when Fred is standing in front of it, he has a special sensor on his collar that causes it to open. We keep all of the bird seed in the garage (and beekeeping equipment). Recently, something has been coming into the garage and living large in the bird seed--most likely a raccoon. The only way that I could find that they could be getting inside, would be the cat door, I'm sure raccoon claws could outsmart a sensor. We have a motion sensitive game camera and set that up:
Raccoon one (apparently wearing a monacle) came in through the door. I had the camera too close to the cat door and the flash WAY over exposed all the images. Non Birding Bill did a lot of tweaking to get them to this state.
Raccoon two came into join the party. If one has figured it out, it's not long before others follow.
And raccoon number three--this one appears to be smaller than the first two. So far these three have kept there shenanigans to the bird seed and have left the bee supplies along. I'm not sure what the next step is going to be. On of Mr. Neil's readers has suggested a door that uses image recognition software. I suggested leaving Cabal, his large white german shepherd in the garage for a few nights.
And so, here is one of the coons leaving, a little fatter. Perhaps they will eat so much they will not fit through the door--much in the same way Pooh got stuck in Rabbit's hole after eating too much honey.Labels: Bird Feeding
posted by birdchick at 9:23 PM
10 Comments:
The part that said, Raccoon one (apparently wearing a monacle) just cracked me up. He sure looks like he is wearing a monacle. Like some disney cartoon.
That motion sensitive game camera comes in handy.
If "Fred the Unlucky Cat" came home with GHOW talon marks on his thigh, I would change his name to "Fred the LUCKY Cat."
So, how are the 'coons defeating the sensor on the cat door? Do they have computer-hacking abilities? Are we at risk for identity theft from racoons? And if so, what will they buy on the Internet once they have my credit card number?
~Kathi
I had 3 cats awhile ago, Sylvester, Max and Nova who were meant to be indoor cats. Sylvester would scratch at the window screen and howl/scream at the door when he moved from an apartment to the house, so I had let him out or strangle him (kidding).
He would often get beat up but kept going back for more abuse outdoors.
It can be a shock to the system, but kids and critters soon let you know that you are not always the boss even though you are right and they should listen and do what they're told, for their own good, etc......
I thought the raccoon camera photos were watercolour pictures when I first saw them. Very cool, the little sneaks!
When we lived in Toronto, we had a huge doggy door ( We ordered it from Miami!) and the racoons would come in at night and eat the dog food and wash in the water bowl.
They were so tame that they would come in when we we in the kitchen at nightand take food from us.
We loved them!!!!
It's Peter Wimsey Raccoon!
Both our cats are indoor cats. It took us 10 years to realize that cats are NOT meant to live outdoors. Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer are healthy, happy, and spoiled.
We have to shoot raccoons here in Georgia - they are usually rabid!
We keep our birdseed in metal garbage cans in the garage, that way any wayward critters that get in can't nibble the bag (or a plastic tub). If you take away the ability to get to the seed you'll likely thwart the raccoons.
Unless they're party pals of Fred, in which case I think you're out of luck.
Cabal would no doubt solve the raccoon problem. You might even wind up with enough pelts for a jacket.
You realize a raccoon could seriously hurt a large dog right ? Even a GSD. I stick to the recog. software, acourse if Cabal has hunted and killed raccoons that might be okay. But I don't agree with Mr. Neil on Fred being free either, an animal is an animal, you are the boss or momma. You know he wrote a short story where Fred fought a devil, honey, if that was my cat, I be the one going after the devil with a shovel. If I ever meet Mr. Neil, that is something I will tell him. Though I am sure he has been told that before. I had a siamese cat who for the nine years thought he should be an outside cat, and he ran out the door I don't know how many times, and I always chased him down, and brought him back in. Cat or no cat, I decide, not him. Water bottles help in that matter too. Is it wrong to see an animal as a child, to be protected ? I do.
If any of my cats go outside they go on a leash, and then they get to enjoy themselves and no one gets hurt. I can imagine what you do if you ever see Fred "gift" Mr. Neil.
kitmarlowescot2
You realize a raccoon could seriously hurt a large dog right ? Even a GSD. I stick to the recog. software, acourse if Cabal has hunted and killed raccoons that might be okay. But I don't agree with Mr. Neil on Fred being free either, an animal is an animal, you are the boss or momma. You know he wrote a short story where Fred fought a devil, honey, if that was my cat, I be the one going after the devil with a shovel. If I ever meet Mr. Neil, that is something I will tell him. Though I am sure he has been told that before. I had a siamese cat who for the nine years thought he should be an outside cat, and he ran out the door I don't know how many times, and I always chased him down, and brought him back in. Cat or no cat, I decide, not him. Water bottles help in that matter too. Is it wrong to see an animal as a child, to be protected ? I do.
If any of my cats go outside they go on a leash, and then they get to enjoy themselves and no one gets hurt. I can imagine what you do if you ever see Fred "gift" Mr. Neil.
kitmarlowescot2
Please don't leave Cabal in the garage! Raccoons can be carriers of rabies and other canine diseases, which Cabal could easily pick up.
Not to mention that if a domestic animal is bitten by a rabid animal, it would have to be quarantined for six months, even if it has had a rabies shot.
Their has a been increase of raccoons carrying rabies all across the country, including out west when in the 70's alot of raccoons from the south were taken west by hunters to replenish the raccoon populations, sorry for any misspellins in any of my posts.
kitmarlowescot2
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