On Apr 28, 2004, Jessica Manson Morton wrote:
>...I am guessing that the ferrets were out roaming in the house at an
>unusual hour, and the passing raccoon may have smelled ferrety "prey"
>as he strolled past my house.
> ... I am certain the raccoon made it (the mess) as he tried to get
>the ferrets ... I truly do hate to think of the bloodbath that may
>have resulted from my carelessness.
 
Raccoons are not go-get-em predators, and while they will eat meat they
much prefer fruits and grains.  It's more likely that the raccoon smelled
some of your guys' 'stashes', or even just your dinner cooking smells
and decided to investigate.  And in the process started knocking over
things -- raccoons are an awful lot like big ferrets in that regard.
The ferrets heard the noise and decided to join in the fun.  (Cool, Ma!
This guy can knock over the whole computer!  Wheeeeee!  Let's rearrarange
the room!  I love decorating!)
 
I'm not saying the ferrets were in no danger; the raccoon might not have
taken kindly to being mobbed by six excited ferrets, and could have
retaliated -- but it's highly unlikely the ferrets were the raccoon's
prey.
 
I've had a number of raccoon visitors, who climb in through the cat door
(to the non-ferret side of the house).  Although they are not frequent
visitors, I've reached an accomodation with them -- they don't trash the
place, or try to get into my garbage cans, and in return they can finish
off the cat food unmolested.  (I've tried explaining this strategy to my
neighbor, who puts bigger and bigger latches on his trash cans and still
fails to keep them out.)  The only real concern I have with the raccoons
is with the possibility of disease, and I've made it hard enough to get
to the cat door that I don't think a sick animal would try to get in.
I suspect the mice are a bigger disease vector than the raccoons, given
their presence the kitchen and the predeliction for the cats and ferrets
to chase them.
 
Claire
(Sam, Frankie, Missy; Louie and Lilo. And feline friends Twinks and Mac)
[Posted in FML issue 4498]