Pansy reaching for kibble in the back of the shop:
Raccoons are usually only active at night, but one has been visiting after dawn, raiding the breakfast dispensed for the cats:
Two cats:
Two cats drinking from fountain; there are more convenient (and cleaner) water sources, but maybe they like the tadpole flavor:
A cat laying on the ground, and another arriving for dinner:
Porcini chasing a bug while waiting for breakfast:
Three cats at breakfast time:
Porcini cautiously watching me as I come out the front door:
A twin relaxing on the front steps:
Two cats at dinnertime:
Two cats the next day:
A late raccoon again (probably the same one); licking its lips at the raided food:
Two cats inside; they haven’t been in there much recently:
One reason why, perhaps: a raccoon inside:
Three cats for breakfast:
The raccoon again, at 07:23 this morning; I don’t think I’ve ever seen one about that late:
I had adjusted the feeder schedule to dispense after dawn, to avoid the raccoons, but this one seems to have learned that. And learned the sound of food being dispensed; I’ve seen it come back after food appears. I’m not sure what else I can do; I can’t manually dispense food when I see a cat (which is what I often do in the evenings, as I try to avoid leaving anything by dusk). It’s frustrating.
This morning I did keep a close eye on the feeder, though, and rushed out there with Rory to chase it off several times. Hopefully I can discourage it, but I doubt I’ll have much success. I’ve thought about a remote-controlled door to close off the feeder at night, or a door to trap the raccoon, but I don’t want to trap the cats.
I also have a design for a barrier to place in front of the cat house, with a platform to jump into it, that cats should be able to manage, but raccoons and possums shouldn’t be able to do. I might try that one day, though I have too many other projects.