Not my Morning- Caught a Raccoon, Make that Two

[Cats Critters]

My mom woke me up this morning because the chickens where lose and seemed very upset. I get outside and Chipmunk is standing on the porch crowing (the first time I've heard him crow in weeks), but fine. Get out towards the coop all the roosters are accounted for and like Chipmunk agitated. Then I start counting hens, 2 CMs on the broken attempt at a chicken tractor and 2 CM, 2 WL/EE, and my BA/EE over by the old tractor tire. Meaning that Dolly (BR), a CM, my last BA, and George (RIR) are missing.

I start looking around checking for blood, feathers, prints, etc. I found some prints which I'll take pictures of when I buy batteries. I found some black feather in the one nesting box, which might be from my missing BA. After my first attempts at finding anything, George comes running down the hill at full speed. I checked her out and she is fine no injures just freaked out. I go to check out the field were she came out of and find a patch of CM feathers. Do a quick check on the rest of the field and down the road, and go back to the feather spot and glance a little to the right, there is another feather spot so I go to it and about a foot from there is a blood spot.

I didn't find anything else, but I presuming that I have lost my 1st CM and we will give it a couple days before we declare Dolly and the BA gone. Also it looks like Caramel (one of my cats) has damaged his leg, he is limping and it's swollen in a spot, but doesn't have any breaks that I can feel.

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

I'm so sorry!!! I hope you find them only injured, but alive!!

 

[CMV]

What are you thinking the culprit is? Something that would take chooks and attack a cat is likely to return. I hope you figure out what happened. Sorry for your (presumed) losses.

 

[Cats Critters]

My BA showed up this afternoon safe and sound, but both the missing CM and BR are still missing.

I'm so sorry!!! I hope you find them only injured, but alive!!

thanks

What are you thinking the culprit is? Something that would take chooks and attack a cat is likely to return. I hope you figure out what happened. Sorry for your (presumed) losses.

The most likely culprits from the prints (that weren't that clear) and from past problems is a raccoon or opossum. I don't think Carmel got hurt at the same time he had been acting odd last night and I just got to look at his leg this morning. and thanks.​

 

[CMV]

Raccoons will take on a cat. Often with tragic results for the cat. Maybe Carmel spends a few days inside until he recovers from the gimpy leg? With 4 good legs under him he can get away from a raccoon, but I'd be worried about his ability to fend for himself with an injury.

I'm glad to hear one of the chickens came home.

 

[Cats Critters]

Quote:
That is the plan with Caramel, he wasn't to happy about not going out to explore this morning. He still isn't walking on it and it is swollen, but he hasn't gotten any worse.

I set my havaheart trap last night with peanut butter and a egg I broke while trying to fix the coop door. This morning both the peanut butter and the egg where gone and the trap sprung but nothing in it, so I'll try again tonight.

 

[Cats Critters]

Last night as I was laying on the couch rereading Brisingr, when suddenly we here a hen screaming. I jumped up knowing that my BA/EE hen had roosted in a tree (once again too high to knock out).When I got out there she was running to the house still screaming, I manged to grab her and carried her back to the coop. As I walked my headlight (so I have free hands) I saw eyes shine, about at the location of the havaheart trap. When I finally reached there, I saw who the eyes belonged to, a raccoon. So I looked the BA/EE in the coop and headed back to the house. Later when my mom was letting Nick out, another raccoon was stealing cat food so I'll have to set the trap again.

Today I took care of the raccoon, a female it turns out:

After I had deposed of the body, I saw a black short haired cat, my first thought was Blue Eyes. Until I saw it was too small and had the greenest eyes I have ever seen. I left it some food and hope to find out what happens to it. Here is the only semi descent picture I got of it and it doesn't show the eye color very well:

Caramel is doing better, he is no longer limping, but his leg is still swollen and sore.

 

[drumstick diva]

do you think the black cat injured Caramel?

 

[Cats Critters]

Quote:
I don't think so, this was the first time I've seen it (I normal notice strays/ferals quickly) and the quick look I got at it made me think young and not in the best shape. Also I don't think he got it in a fight with a cat, I've had cats getting into spats for years and it just doesn't seem like a cat fight wound.

 

[Noncentzter]

Good luck on catching the second coon! I've caught four coons and two possums so far this winter!

ETA: spelling!