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  • From: Wendy & Randy Gray <hoemangray AT earthlink.net>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] unwanted critters
  • Date: Fri, 18 Feb 2005 21:46:34 -0800 (GMT-08:00)

Tom - we have the same problem! We used to feed the cat right by the door
and the skunks would eventually come around. We don't have racoons that
often, so
haven't really worried about them.
My husband put a platform just big enough for the cat's bowls and the cat
about 4' up in the kids bike shed (which is completely open on one side),
then on the side of the shed he put a very small piece of wood, just big
enough for the cat to jump onto and
then up to the shelf. So, skunks can't get to it - racoons probably are
too big for it. We keep the cat's food in a 5 gal. bucket with a lid
and haven't had much problem with this set up. I did, however find a big
basket and have filled it with fleece/wool scraps and put it on my desk
in my barn/workshop, so that's where the cat sleeps.

But we also have a 9-mth red heeler puppy now too, so that is probably
helping with the small and large (i.e deer) critters!
Good Luck!
Wendy

-----Original Message-----
From: Tom at Limerock <limerock AT thirdplanet.net>
Sent: Feb 18, 2005 1:24 PM
To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: Re: [Market-farming] unwanted critters

Did not think about the dog. Not sure about the idea, we are on a very busy
state road. Lost one 'inside' dog to it already, as well as two young cats.

I have put in my first 2x4, reducing the horizontal opening. Thank you so
much for the idea! Guess I was so flustered with the racoon last night that
I did not think about it logically. I agree with you regarding
elevating/laddering the opening.

Pardon my dumbness but, why would racoons kill cats? I know the cats do not
like them, last night when I went in the shed, all the cats were 'up on
something' and then I saw the racoon. Managed to scare it out by banging on
the side of the building where he was.

Thanks again!

Tom


The racoons are a serious hazard to the cats; they will often kill
cats. An entry the cats can just barely fit through (it's surprising
what a cat can fit through) will at least keep out those racoons which
are larger than the cats. If you can handle these cats, you might try
setting up a board with increasingly smaller openings and seeing how
small an opening the largest cat will go through; then adjust your
cathole to this size. I suspect this won't help much against the
skunks, though.

-- Rivka; Finger Lakes NY, Zone 5 mostly
Fresh-market organic produce, small scale



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