Now I am worried

[maitia17960]

Today around 1 O’clock in the after noon my Amazon parrot started flopping around in his cage saying “bad, bad. His cage is in front of the picture window. I knew that he saw something outside that scared him. I thought he must of seen a hawk because he always will say “bad” when he see ones. I had taught him that by always saying it when we see a big bird flying overhead. I looked out the window but couldn’t see anything. I went to look out of the front door and saw the big black tomcat huddled right up against the door. I caught movement to the right and saw a raccoon jump up on the step, run for the cat, and try to grab him. The cat jumped right up over the coon and got away. I didn’t know a cat could jump that high. I couldn’t believe that it tried to get the cat and that it came right up on my porch to get it. I turned to call my husband to get the gun. When I looked out again I couldn’t see the raccoon or the cat. We went out but couldn’t find it. The cat came from under a bush and look all right. The thing that scares me is I let my chickens free range. It was raining and luckily I had not let them out today. If the raccoon had tried to get a cat I am sure it would of got the chickens. I live in between two farms with a lot of wooded area around. Is it normal for a raccoon to be that close to a house in the afternoon? My chickens are in a well-built coop at night but after reading all the problems everyone has with raccoon I am worried. I will be afraid to let them out to free range anymore.

 

[lurky]

That sounds like a sick coon. I hope you are able to shoot it

 

[Imp]

I don't think it's common, but yes raccoons will come out during the day. Coming at a cat like that would worry me too. I have lazy fat suburban raccoons, so I only worry a little. Just tonight there was a story on the news about raccoons in Vancouver, Canada; Stanley Park I think, attacking people, for handouts. There were several coming right up to the reporter during the day.
Good luck,

Imp

 

[maitia17960]

I was also thinking it was sick. Normally I would of ran out side to chase it, but the why it tried to attack the cat scared me. It was not a big coon. I would say only half grown. If it comes around again I will not waste the time calling my husband. I will use the gun myself.

 

[lurky]

We had a rabid skunk attack our dog years ago, the same day a rabid coon went after a dog across town.
I learned that skunks mostly get mean when infected, and coons usually act clumsy and drunk-like.
So hopefully its not, but your right to not take chances.

 

[19hhbelgian]

Be extremely careful if you know that coon is around. It sounds like it may be rabid. A couple years ago our area had a big rabies problem, and a fox actually chased a woman into her house and scratched at the door trying to get in. Another incident was with a cat. A cop was called out because the cat had attacked a little boy and his grammy. The cop chased the cat into a bush and when he walked over, the cat ran out and scratched and bit him! They got the cat, and it was positive for rabies.

A raccoon in normal health would most likely NOT corner and attack a cat (they eat with my parents cats all the time, and have never attacked any one). They will go after the chickens, healthy or not. No matter what, I would try to "get rid of" the raccoon. Good luck & be careful!!

 

[Bizzybirdy]

>>A raccoon in normal health would most likely NOT corner and attack a cat (they eat with my parents cats all the time, and have never attacked any one). <<

WRONG! I posted here a couple months about a racoon that killed my poor old long haired cat while he slept in his dog house right under the porch light next to my front door! Chewed his back leg off and gutted him.

Got a trap and caught the racoon the next night coming back to the exact same spot. He is pushing up daisies! and he wasn't rabid... just couldn't find a chicken dinner and decided my poor sweet cat might be tasty. And it was a rainy night so watch out....

I now have a Great Pyrenees dog.

 

[PortageGirl]

Yes, raccoons WILL eat cats, kittens, small dogs, all poultry and waterfowl, young goats or sheep if they are far enough away from mama, and anything else it can catch.

Sometimes, if local coons get habituated to eating cat food, and they're healthy and food is plentiful, they'll leave the cats alone. That ends if they get infected with distemper or rabies, which is why people should try to keep cat/dog food picked up overnight to minimize the chances of them infecting their pets.

They could well be out during the day, especially a cloudy rainy day even if healthy, but it's probably just as likely that it's diseased.

As everyone has said, be careful. If you put out a live trap for it, use gloves to move the trap if you catch it, and disinfect it really well after you destroy the critter. If you have an active animal control and can call them to take it, be sure to tell them that it was acting very odd and you suspect disease.

 

[maitia17960]

Thanks everyone. I will be careful. I didn't know they could be that nasty. Hopefully it will not come back but with the chickens, all the barn cats, and kittens around I will be on the look out.