Regular visitors to the riverblog know that I comment on everything that doesn’t belong in this environment which takes in more than man-made debris. Invasive species, non-native species, and domesticated animals turned loose are changing the ecosystem too. Recently, I posted about the growing feral cat problem I’ve been observing in the park. Kind hearted people have been trying to take care of them by dumping dry cat food around the picnic tables near the Interpretive Center. As a reminder, here is another photograph illustrating this.
Sometimes I see what seems to me to be a ridiculous amounts of food spread out in this area. Returning from a hike in the park’s western section, I stopped to watch three cats that were eating dry cat food that had been spread along the curb of the parking lot.
From the corner of my eye I saw something moving in the brush and thought it might be a fourth cat joining in the feast…but it wasn’t.
It was a raccoon and only the second one I’ve seen in broad daylight out here. Usually, these animals are more reclusive than this and prefer to operate under the cover of darkness, but here was this adult raccoon making a bee-line for the cat food.
I don’t view this as a good thing for all species concerned here. Granted, the high river was probably cutting off some of the territory that the raccoon would forage over and this animal was hungry. Wild animals that become habituated to man usually don’t fare well. And in this case, there is a real danger that if this raccoon had rabies…it could transmit it to the cats who regularly come in contact with people. By being out in broad daylight near an area populated by people, this raccoon was already displaying atypical behavior.
To my eye, the cats seemed less wary than the raccoon who is supposed to be a wild animal. This scene was broken up when visitors with a dog on a leash came too close and the cats and coon ran into the woods. I’m confidant that whomever is dumping cat food out here is not thinking about unintended consequences…but they should. I’m not against cats, but I don’t think we should encourage them to live near wild life. Recently, I found two objects left behind by the flooding that illustrate our affection for felines and I’ll end this post with them. Until next time.
Artist at Exit 0 Riverblog 
nice post … 🙂
You’ll find no fan of raccoons here in Cincy Al – I currently have one that has ripped a hole just below my roofline and taken up residence in my attic. Just bought one of those havaheart traps, and once I catch it it’s going far, far away.
Maybe Louisville 😉
Hi Karl! Thank you, but we have enough raccoons, possums, and squirrels to last us! Nice hearing from you.
Oh it is difficult for me to view these pictures of feral cats. Why do people take in pets they can not continue to care for? It is beyond me.
I hear you Leslie…it’s cruel to these animals.
I learned from a friend out here in Eugene that raccoons have one important trait in common with cats: they go CRAZY for laser pointers and will chase around the dot of light just like a housecat would. 🙂
I saw a raccoon here in my neighborhood yesterday, during the day, like the one you saw. At first I thought it was a cat, but then as I got closer, the creature looked like a sort of cat-monkey hybrid. Raccoons have such a strange way of moving, and it is so bizarre to see them use their little human-like hands. I have to admit I find them fascinating, even though I know they can be pesky…
I hadn’t heard about the laser pointer…that’s very interesting! I’m also fascinated by the way they use their hands and I like the mask they where across their eyes which reinforces the notion that they are not to be trusted! I’ve heard of them getting inside homes through pet doors and just creating chaos!
wild animal going tame and tame animal going wild.
never saw a raccoon than i never been to your part of the world
Here in Wales people are feeding Badgers i never approve of that better to plant something in the garden they eat than any fabricated food. Even with birds i have my reservation only feed them when it is cold in during December/January and February, just to help them as they help me so much in the garden eating plenty of pests.
Now I have never actually seen one of your badgers, but I know what they look like. I hear your reservations about feeding wildlife…should be done only for necessity.
~Having worked for years in the Animal Control industry as an officer and cruelty investigator, I have had my fair share of experience with both feral cat populations… and yes, being chased in broad daylight by aggressive raccoons. Once a raccoon chased me to the top of my truck as I attempted to fend it off with my catch pole. In this urban neighborhood, feral cats had established a colony that we routinely trapped. Most cats suffered from feline aids and feline leukemia. I have to fully concur with your insight and observations.
Thanks for the benefit of your experiences as an animal control officer. Situations like this are not a benefit to animals no matter how well intentioned.
The raccoon you saw was probably a mother raccoon with nursing young. They are out during the day as they are desperate for food. We see them often,raiding our bird feeder in broad daylight. Occasionally we see the babies too.