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How do You Get Rid of Raccoons? Tips and Tales on Raccoons and Cats
By Simone Smith
Raccoons are Smarter Than You Might Think
How smart are raccoons? Extremely smart. Much of my childhood involved a cat-and-mouse like game between my family and raccoons, as they found increasingly clever ways to sneak into our house and steal our cat Pumpkin's cat food, and as we found increasingly drastic ways to stave them off.
Though you might think that humans are savvy enough to have everything under control, raccoons are clever creatures that are surprisingly difficult to thwart. Below I'll share my personal raccoon experiences with you, as well as share some tips on raccoons and how to get rid of them.
Learning from Experience
As I mentioned above, I've had enough personal experience with raccoons to know just how difficult it is to get rid of them.
As they might say in some of our local regions, raccoons "are HELLA smart!"
Though I live in a fairly urban area, we've always had raccoons. Typically, they'll slink around and poke around trash cans, but at one point during my childhood, the family of raccoons on my block decided that that wasn't enough. They wanted the good stuff, and the good stuff was inside.
They took to sneaking in through our cat door. We could always tell they had been in our home the morning after a visit (yes, we slept through a lot of these) because they left muddy footprints around the house. That never really got creepy until I woke up one morning to find them around my bed, which is on the second floor on the opposite side of the house... no food there... That had all of us rather perplexed!
Aside from being creepy and watching young children as they slept, what did these clever creatures do once inside our home? They ate, of course!
They started with simple offenses- just eating all the food in the cat bowl, but that wasn't quite enough, so eventually they found where the entire bag of cat food was kept. They took to nomming on that, THEN they quickly discovered the concept of takeout, and began smuggling bags out through the cat door and outside, where they enjoyed their food in the comfort of the lovely raccoon bistro below our back porch.
One night, we encountered two raccoons in the act - a mother outside the
cat door, pulling the bag of cat food, and its juvenile kin on the
inside, pushing. Aside from being wildly humorous (raccoon thieves! Caught in the act!), this was a rather dangerous situation, as we had a trapped, scared, and potentially dangerous animal in our house.
After this episode, we decided to get a locking cat door that only
opened when a magnet affixed to our cat's collar was brought near to
it. This door was no match for the raccoons. They quickly learned how to pick the lock with their claws.
After that point, we had to deadbolt and block the door each night. That did the trick, though unfortunately the critters moved on to new homes and did even more damage (more on that below).
Keeping Raccoons at Bay
 | A magnetic cat door can help deter raccoons from sneaking in at night to eat your kitty's food. Amazon Price: $34.99 List Price: $59.99 |
 | If you have a dog instead, this door might be better in terms of size :D Amazon Price: $112.95 |
 | If you want to give fox urine a try, this product gets pretty favorable reviews on Amazon. Amazon Price: $29.99 |
How do you get rid of raccoons?
Personal stories aside, let's move on to the practicalities of getting rid of raccoons. How does one do it?
Well, here are some tips:
- Keep all food waste locked up once you dispose of it outside of your home
- Get a magnet locking cat door: Maybe our family of raccoons was just particularly smart, and also, were they initially deterred by this door, they might not have bothered in the first place)
- Get motion detectors that set off lights: This is a convenient feature for deterring uninvited humans as well as raccoons - unfortunately, the raccoons will quickly get more bold and stop caring, so this should not be your one and only measure.
- Generally batten down the hatches: Make sure that your attic and chimney are sell sealed off to prevent raccoons from sneaking in, and check for any other structural weaknesses or holes in your home that might make it possible for raccoons to edge in.
In the comments below, Edweirdo offers some additional tips that I think are defintely worth sharing:
- Fences make for an excellent deterrent: Raccoons will always find a way to break and enter, but if you block obvious pathways, they might be more likely to go elsewhere
- Powdered fox urine only goes so far: As I mentioned above, raccoons quickly get used to lights, and Edweirdo agrees, plus adds powdered fox urine to the basket of "raccoon deterrents that only go so far." Looks like raccoons adjust to that stuff too... plus.... how do people collect the stuff? Gosh, it brings up some funny imagery.
- Keep trash bins in the garage: This is an excellent way to make sure raccoons aren't finding a regular food source on your property - plus reduces the chances of them making a royal mess, too!
LeisureLife also offers this excellent and simple tip:
- Pour hot sauce all over your garbage: They'll probably not want to come back after that!
The World's Scariest Raccoon Story
- And the Call Was Coming from the Basement | This American Life
The scariest raccoon story I've ever heard can be found in episode #319 of This American Life: "And the Call Was Coming from the Basement" in which a woman recounts her experience of being attacked by a rabid raccoon.
When it is time for more drastic measures
Raccoons in the Attic
After going for our home, our raccoons decided to take on the neighbor's house. They ended up building a weekend chalet in what would be her attic, but was more like a crawl space between her ceiling and roof.
Do you not want to know the kind of disgusting mess this produced. All you need to know is that the resulting mess was gross, very expensive, and a general nightmare. This kind of situation should be avoided if at all possible, and dealt with as quickly as possible.
If you find raccoons trying to nest in your attic, you need to call pest control. They will handle anyone still IN your attic, and may also set traps in your yard. It's not going to be a fun experience - the calls from a trapped raccoon are devastating and... rather freaky. I know this from experience. But I suppose it's what you've got to do.
When picking a pest control service, though, try to go with a humane one; one that relocates raccoons to the wild instead of just killing them outright. THEY didn't choose for human civilization to move into their habitats, right? Or at least, they don't deserve to die just because they're clever.
In the comments below, s.carver shares that there are plenty of catch-and-release programs out there, and that the ones she has encountered in her experiences even baited traps with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches! Now that's reasonable.
Rabid Raccoons
One of the scariest stories I've ever heard is the real account of a woman who had been attacked by one when walking to her home on a snowy day. This story was told in one part of a This American Life episode titled "And the Call Was Coming from the Basement" that first ran on October 27th, 2006. It is an excellent episode, and I've linked to it to the right. I highly recommend listening to it!
If you EVER encounter a rabid raccoon, GET AWAY and make sure that it is shot and killed immediately. If you have been bit or scratched at ALL by the raccoon, be sure to get treated straight away.
Raccoons and Cats
If you have a pet cat, you might be particularly interested in knowing how much of a risk raccoons pose to your feline friend. Raccoons and cats often become associated for the simple reason that they both like food and water, and are somewhat similar in size, so if you're catering to one with special, convenient food bowls and doors, the other might want in on all the fun.
How to Cats React to Raccoons?
When raccoons were in my home, and when they were in my backyard, my cat was nowhere to be seen. She had the good reason to keep away form the family of raccoons on the block, because not only were they bigger and fiercer, they rolled in packs, like big, sort-of-cute, furry gangs.
Hopefully, most cats have similar reactions to raccoons - they do the Aikido thing and "get off the line" and out of harm's way.
What can I do to protect my cat from raccoons?
If you have raccoons in your area, make sure that, if allowed to go outside, your cat is never kept in a cage or other enclosure that might trap it and prevent it form getting away (raccoons might come into said enclosure to eat its food, and the cat would have nowhere to hide).
Also be sure to get a locking cat door, and to make sure that you cat is inside each night before locking it.
If your cat ever gets in a fight with raccoons, you might consider making the cat an indoor cat- at least until the raccoon issue is handled.
Have you ever dealt with raccoons? Have you survived a rabid raccoon attack? Have any tips? Share your comments here!
Thank so much!! You make a great point about the catch-and-release services. I'm going to add that to this Hub!
Raccoons freak me out! I'm a night owl and a smoker, so I spend lots of time outside at night in my suburban neighborhood. There's a wooded ravine behind the house, and the raccoons (and skunks) use it as a "highway" to travel through town. Since my yard doesn't have a back fence, when they come up from the ravine they travel along my driveway to get to the rest of the neighborhood!
Imagine standing on the porch in the dark and looking down to see a raccoon looking back at you (or worse, a skunk!)
I found that a fence is the best deterrent - I put one up next to the driveway, so now the critters still use my yard to invade the neighborhood, but they come and go on the other side of the house - where I don't see them!
I found that lights are useless - these critters get brazen after a short while - and powdered fox urine (available at Amazon!) seemed to work for a while until they got used to it.
I've resorted to keeping the trash cans in the garage now, so there is less incentive for them to visit (except on pickup night).
My family long made fun of my wariness about raccoons - until I shared that same "This American Life" episode with them! Raccoons are the number-one carrier of rabies in the U.S., so they are no joke. Unfortunately they are really, really cute, so it's hard to hate them!
Wow, Edweirdo! These are the best tips! I'm definitely going to add your note about fences, lights trash cans, and powdered fox urine to the Hub. Gosh... I didn't even know people used that!
AND YEAH!!! THAT EPISODE!!! Boy, it really gets ones hair to stand on end. And it brings up some excellent points - I hadn't realized that rabid raccoons were an actual "thing" until I heard that show. O___O
Thanks Simone! And FYI, the powdered fox urine is called "Shake Away", and it seems to work at least for a little while :)
We had a raccoon infestation in our fenced back yard. I called a wildlife exterminator but he wasn't humane. At the time, I had to be unemotional because we have a tiny elderly Yorkshire Terrier. It was them or our pet. They were going to lose. He only caught one - and he told me he takes them and shoots them. After he trapped the one and took it away, the rest haven't returned. Next time - I will try to find a more humane expert.
Thank you for these tips. You have a well laid out, and well written Hub. Good job! This was very useful!
Thanks Edweirdo! I've added Shake Away to the Hub in an Amazon Capsule XD
And gosh, cjv123! That must have been a tough experience. I'm glad your Yorkshire Terrier is safe, though, and I hope the raccoons never come back!
Bishop is full of these creatures! I've always been amazed at their dexterous little hands-I actually kinda like the creatures, but then, I am a sucker for every animal on the planet.
Yeah, they can be pretty cute! I think their wittiness makes them even cuter, but the cute factor goes way down when they do damage to homes, hahaa.
Great advice - your story about the raccoons in your house, and worse, in your bedroom is CRAZY! I've seen a few this year already. They seem to get bigger every year!
They sure do! And they're loping around during the day, too!
How did you feel, waking up to find raccoons in your room?? How did you react? I'm curious!
Hahaa, while I look back and find it kind of creepy, I wasn't too bothered by it at the time (though my parents certainly were). I had a pretty active imagination, even as a tween, so I figured that little creatures and other things were ALWAYS sneaking around my room as I slept. That these particular ones left footprints was only a bit messy, really XD
Great information, Simone - I got rid of one by accident here in Central Oregon years ago on vacation!
I had just come in from the hot tub with the rest of the family and was standing at my computer trying to explain something to my daughter and her friend when I heard something right outside the door. It sounded like he was playing the garbage cans!
Without a thought, I quick zipped up the blind and there stood this raccoon looking at me through the French door. I almost had a heart attack. I dropped my towel and started screaming and jumping up and down. I was trying desperately to ignore the laughter that had erupted beside me as my daughter and her friend watched my jiggling jugs! Good lord!
But the raccoon reared up on his hind legs and I swear I heard HIM or HER scream and took off.....we never saw the blasted thing again!
However, I do not recommend this method unless someone has a video camera and can post it up on youtube and make some money...or America's Funniest Videos. It was totally mortifying and I STILL have to put up with my 30 year old daughter doing this imitation of me for all to enjoy.
Hahaaa!!!! THAT IS THE BEST RACCOON-DETERRENT METHOD I HAVE EVER HEARD OF!!!!! And hey, if it works... it works, right? Heheheeee!! Love it!!
Nice article. There are a variety of motion-activated devices available you can use including flood lights, radios (set them on talk radio, as raccoons avoid human voices), sprinklers, and utlrasonic noisemakers.
Oh, interesting! I wonder how effective radios might be O_O
My only concern with those is that they'd wake up sleeping people, too! Hahaa.
delicious!
Thank you for your tips !
Everything will be disasters when there is too much .
I have ever think these smart raccoons are so lovely ,but i don't think so now ,they make me almost crazy !
Hey, anything can be cute (or delicious) until it starts ruining your roofing (or getting rabies and attacking you)!
A simple yet effective solution to the raccoon problem is to pour some hot sauce all over the garbage. They won't come back.
Oh. My. GOD. That is SO going in the Hub!!!
You can talk to raccoons. The one's in the city have a decent grasp of what you're saying. The buggers are smart as hell!
You have inspired me to write a hub about a very dangerous chess opening called the Raccoon. It's based on the raccoons sneaky behavior.
Whoah, that sounds like an epic move, Anthea Carson! Can't wait to read the Hub!
I got one of those locking cat doors and it was a disaster. Not only did the raccoon still come into the house but my poor cat got his paw caught in the door and couldn't get it out. Luckily I was home and heard him scream and was able to free him. His paw was sore for while but he was fine except he's very afraid of the cat door now even though I no longer lock it. I finally ended up just shutting the door to the room where the cat door is located at night and keeping the cat inside.
Oh my gosh, that's awful, Carrie! That's what we did after a while too, and though our cat's paw never got cut, she really HATED that door!
It's always fun to read about ....virtually anything you are writing about, Ma'am.
I doubt you heard about it - but in Dallas not too long ago there was a major snafu where ....someone in an official capacity had trapped some raccoons, and left them in some cages sitting somewhere ...in the open.
Well, I've no idea if these animals had been left that way for long, or not - but they were left that way, and nobody was around, and so someone let them out - but was caught in the act, or something - and it was a big fat huge toodle doo in the city, as the ..."criminal offender" was someone with some money, and a whole lot to say about it.
I think it all ended well for the "criminal" - but not after some courtroom nastiness, and such.
As for my personal raccoon stories - wow unto you, you critters that break into the Shaw farm chicken pens, eating the head off of chickens - wow unto you indeed.
(the Shaw Pater Familiaris tends to shoot them)
Daaaaaang Wesman Todd Shaw! I had NOT heard about that! Hahaa, my gosh! And if I were a raccoon, I'd stay away! Clearly you're a force to be reckoned with.
interesting...
what do I do with a raccoon I trapped last night? hes so scared and so adorable, I am fully aware of the mess they make, but I dont want him to die over just trying to survive?!
You'll want to contact animal control or your local animal shelter, kimbklyn.
Could I have akirchner come over and do that jiggling thing for my raccoons. I do have a camera.
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s.carver 15 months ago
Great hub, Simone! Lots of useful information. I think there also are animal removal services you can call to trap an unwelcome raccoon and release it somewhere less populated. I remember my parents called in one of these catch-and-release services on a number of occasions, and baited the traps with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches!