[SFBAVEG] Advice needed for racoon in my house

[Guest guest]

Kasie's reply was right on in terms of keeping cats indoors! All major humane

organizations in the US recommend keeping cats indoors. But I also had to write

in response to the rabies reference. The entire US averages one to two cases of

human rabies per year. Raccoons are the most common carrier in No.Cal but the

risk to you is still very, very low. Your cats on the other hand, be sure they

are vaccinated for rabies and keep them indoors at all times. They are just as

likely to get into some brawl outside with who knows what other animals or

vehicles. Car beats cat every time.

 

 

 

 

Erhhung Yuan <erhhung wrote:

Hi all,

 

I have just recently found out that a racoon has been sneaking into my house

through the swinging flaps of the cat door and eating (and making a mess) of

my cats' food. The racoon is quite persistent but gets scared easily when

we make eye-contact and runs out the house. I don't really know what to do.

Should I call a local animal capture and control organization? Anyone know

of any around Sunnyvale? And what would they do with the racoon--will they

simply relocate it or do something that I'd not like to imagine to happen?

 

I know it wouldn't be safe to deal with this on our own since it may carry

rabies, and I don't want it around my cats, either, in case they get into

some brawl. The cats are actually quite scared because I have found them

hiding in new, strange spots around the house--which is how I was alerted to

this problem.

 

So, I'd appreciate any advice and prior experience in dealing with such a

situation as humanely as possible.

 

Thanks,

Erhhung

 

On a more comical note, here's a story about McJob...

 

Dictionary Editors to Keep 'McJob'

 

Tue Nov 11, 4:11 PM ET

 

 

By TRUDY TYNAN, Associated Press Writer

 

 

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - McDonald's may not be " lovin' it, " but the editors of

the Merriam-Webster dictionary say " McJob " is a word that's here to stay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

<http://story.news./news?tmpl=story & u=/031110/ids_photos_wl/ra35306

56860.jpg> Photo

 

The 11th edition of Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, published in

June, defines a " McJob " as " a low-paying job that requires little skill and

provides little opportunity for advancement. "

 

 

The fast-food giant's chief executive, Jim Cantalupo, called the definition

a " slap in the face " to the 12 million people who work in the restaurant

industry, and demanded that Merriam-Webster dish up something more

flattering.

 

 

 

But the dictionary publisher said Tuesday that it " stands by the accuracy

and appropriateness " of its definition.

 

 

 

" For more that 17 years `McJob' has been used as we are defining it in a

broad range of publications, " the company said, citing everything from The

New York Times and Rolling Stone to newspapers in South Africa and

Australia.

 

 

 

With more than 55 million copies sold since 1898, Merriam-Webster's

Collegiate claims to be the best-selling hardcover dictionary on the market.

 

 

 

 

" Words qualify for inclusion in the dictionary because they are widely and

commonly used in a broad range of carefully edited sources, " said Arthur

Bicknell, a spokesman for the Springfield-based publisher.

 

 

 

" McJob " is similarly defined in the American Heritage Dictionary, the Oxford

English Dictionary and Webster's Dictionary, published by Random House.

 

 

 

The OED definition, which cites a 1986 story in The Washington Post, is: " An

unstimulating, low-paid job with few prospects, esp. one created by the

expansion of the service sector. "

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Thanks to everyone who replied to me on or off the list.

 

The racoon does seem only to come in after dusk. I do keep my cats indoors,

but I have their

litter boxes just outside the family room in the backyard. I have one of

those aluminum frame,

plexi-glass cat door that joins with the sliding glass door, and the opening

is a clear vinyl flap

only about a foot high. I understand the reasoning behind locking the cat

door, but I'd like to

keep the litter box outside (because the kitties don't always cover their

poop and it's not very

pleasant in the house) and they often like to sit on the back porch. They

don't really go out

at night, so keeping them in is not a concern--the loilet is my only

concern. I've once gone

to sleep and kept hearing one of my kitties meowing but I didn't think much

of it, until in the

morning I discovered poop in the house and I had slid the door screen too

far and blocked

the cat door.

 

I'm letting my cats have the backyard to play in also because, although the

house is fairly

roomy, I'm only allowing them to stay in a couple rooms with hardfloor--one

has really long

fur and sheds quite a bit. In addition, we have half a dozen parakeets

visiting every so often

and I want to " train " them to not get comfortable with the birds' half of

the house. You know

what happens when the cats see these fragile birds fly around the house!

 

Anyway, I've moved their food to a different part of the house now and taped

the cat door

opening half shut (it only slows down the racoon from crawling in, but it

has entered that

way regardless). I will try to bring one litter box into the house for a

week or so and shut

the cat door at night. I also saw advertisements for the electronic cat

door that only opens

when a cat gets in front of it while wearing a tiny trigger on its collar,

I'd imagine something

similar to a garage door opener. Does anyone have experience with anything

like that?

 

Thanks for the suggestions,

Erhhung