How to repel Racoons? but not my cat?

sweetlilac

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Hi... I want to buy some raccoon repellent. Apparently the spray smells I've found (rosemary, peppermint, mothballs) that drive raccoons away are also offensive to cats. Any suggestions? Last year we had to hire rodent control to build a pricey, fancy contraption under our deck and I'd like to avoid this.

They always seem to find a way in with their diggy little claws! - and they attack Kitty's food the second I blink. Thanks!
 

shadowsrescue

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The only way to keep raccoons away is to pick up the food before dusk. Once the raccoons find a source of food they are impossible to get to leave. I put my feral boys on a feeding schedule. They were fed first thing in the morning and then all bowls except water were picked up for the day. Then they were fed late afternoon/early evening and bowls picked up again after they ate. If you are leaving cat food out all day and night there is no way to keep the raccoons away.

I tried feeding my cats on a table, but the raccoons always found a way to get to the food. Right now they have babies of their own so many mouths to feed.

I am not in favor of trapping or killing them. If you move some out, more will just take their place. They are a terrible nuisance, but I found them to be manageable by changing a few things with feeding my feral boys.
 
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sweetlilac

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Okay thanks, i have been doing this, but the other day I left the dry food out for about fifteen minutes - forgot to go bring it in - and the bowl was cleaned out! Not by my cat.

Maybe it was crows. But it looked more like raccoons. It's really confusing for me and my Kitty to constantly be taking in her food and then she is hungry (or wants attention) so I have to bring it out for a cat-second, since in the cooler months, I do leave her food out all day. Also she picks at her food so I do think she is used to being a snacker. I also give her wet food twice a day.
 

fionasmom

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I have been having an issue with skunks waiting for the food that my ferals eat. Yes, you are correct in that what repels skunks and raccoons also repels cats. It took some vigilance, but I waited while the cats ate and then supervised the food if I left it out for a while. Being the skunks are nocturnal, they did not come during the day but reappeared at dusk. I did manage to evolve a schedule for removing cat food and still allowing the cats to eat.

Raccoons are around here as well and they are much bolder than skunks but gave up once the food was not available, or not available in enough quantity. The only other thing I have ever done is to use a decoy bowl. This only works in certain cases but for me putting a small amount of food near where the raccoons seems to access my yard seemed to train them into thinking that there was less food and it brought them to extinction...not that they died or I hurt them, but the term for a behavior has been unlearned. However, if that will only invite the entire racoon clan to your house, don't try it.
 
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