Raccoon advice (HOA, house, neighborhood)

[southbel]

So, we live in surburbia and we're having a raccoon problem. It's a big fat one that comes into our garage through the cat door, presumably looking for the cat food. It's also now torn up the screen on our screen porch. I have one outdoor cat. Now, since I don't live in the country anymore, just shooting the vermin isn't a possibility anymore (I think the HOA would FREAK!). So, what do you do in a situation like this when you live in the middle of the burbs?

I know there's those traps but I think that would likely result in trapping my own darn cat every night. He's a sweet, not all together super bright animal. Meanwhile, I've got this destructive pest that I can't shoot. What are my other options? Any advice?

[Robynn]

can you keep the cat in for a night or 2 while you trap the raccoon?

[southbel]

Originally Posted by Robynn

can you keep the cat in for a night or 2 while you trap the raccoon?

I was thinking about doing that. Then we go make sure it goes to coon heaven after that.

[Robynn]

yes ick. I hope it doesn't give your cat rabies.

[Techgeek]

Step 1: Cat into garage and close off cat door so cat can't leave garage.

Step 2: "Have a heart" trap baited with cat food next to cat door outside garage. Racoons LOVE cat food and the animal is used to coming there to eat.

Unless Einstein and Houdini came back as racoons and had a youngin, you should have this critter trapped on night 1. Call animal control to come get it.

[southbel]

Originally Posted by Techgeek

Step 1: Cat into garage and close off cat door so cat can't leave garage.

Step 2: "Have a heart" trap baited with cat food next to cat door outside garage. Racoons LOVE cat food and the animal is used to coming there to eat.

Unless Einstein and Houdini came back as racoons and had a youngin, you should have this critter trapped on night 1. Call animal control to come get it.

Do I really have to bother with animal control? I guess I could. I just the hubby out to get a trap. This should prove interesting to see what he comes back with. He tends to overkill these things!

[Techgeek]

Originally Posted by southbel

Do I really have to bother with animal control? I guess I could. I just the hubby out to get a trap. This should prove interesting to see what he comes back with. He tends to overkill these things!

Animal control will be able to "dispose" of it properly. You don't want to:

release it too close to your house because it will just come back

poison the bait in case one of the other neighborhood cats/dogs gets in it.

I SUPPOSE you could take it out to the country and shoot it or something but why bother if Animal Control will come get it?

[thriftylefty]

I used an apple to trap one in my attic. I ran wire throughit and tied it to the trap. You have to take them at least ten miles away to free them or they will come back. The one I trapped was trying to set up a nest (for the second year in a row) I gave it to a guy who who wanted a coon skin cap.

[southbel]

Originally Posted by Techgeek

Animal control will be able to "dispose" of it properly. You don't want to:

release it too close to your house because it will just come back

poison the bait in case one of the other neighborhood cats/dogs gets in it.

I SUPPOSE you could take it out to the country and shoot it or something but why bother if Animal Control will come get it?

If animal control worked on the weekend, I would be inclined to have them take care of it. They only work M-F 7-5. This is a pretty new thing (just second night) but we know how coons can be and want to nip this in the bud right away.

[Silversides]

Crossbow