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.