Raccoons

I have a gaze of raccoons, just learned that a group of these critters is called a gaze or nursery, that have been helping themselves to my outdoor cat's food. I heard some noise on my back porch one night, and there had to be 6 to 8 of them, in all sizes. I started putting the cat food in an old gas grill, closing the hinged lid. That seemed to work, for a while. This morning I opened the lid to get the food out for the cat, and they had gotten to the food! I know raccoons are very dexterous with their front paws, but I am amazed that they could open the lid, eat the food, and close the lid again! I almost wish I had it on video tape just to SEE how they did it. I have shooed them away on a few occasions and watched them climb over a 6 foot wooden fence.
Has anyone else had problems with raccoons, and how did you solve the problem?

Coons? Well raccoons tried to get in our back porch, Momma just chase'em off with a broom.......Forrst Gump

Has anyone else had problems with raccoons, and how did you solve the problem? Originally Posted by Nicolet

Know what you mean. We have cats and wild raccoons that come around. The only thing I can say is the obvious - don't keep the cat food out at night. It's not a problem in the daytime, raccoons are very nocturnal.

Accute lead poisioning will stop them getting the food.....

You cook you some rice and make a pot roast !

Thanks stavin, that is the most obvious thing to do, and that dawned on me as I was writing. The other ideas you guys suggested, well....not exactly what I had in mind.
ILDA, as finicky as these critters are about "dousing" their food before eating it, they stink to high heaven! Second only to a skunk, ICK! I guess you want yours well done? LOL

Be careful Nic. They can be mean.

if you skin them under water like on the side of your boat and pull the musk glands out they are good on the pit with tonies and a little bbq sause.

Started in 2001 I feed the raccoons and cats, both cam with the house.

I think I know what you're trying to get at Nicole, but there aren't many non-killing ways to get rid of them. You can try a box trap, but that will only work once (the others will see and learn) and the coon will be a pest to people who live near the place you release it. There are dog-proof arm traps for coons, but it's nearly impossible to get the animal out without killing it or getting mauled. Stavin' has the best non-killing suggestion: take away the food source.

call billy the exterminator,he comes to nola to hobby

I understand not wanting to kill them--but raccoons aren't exactly an endangered species. The other problem w/having them around is their very high incidence of rabies. They get around your dog or cat... That's why I just as soon shoot them when I see them. That way you know they're dead & they can't bite or scratch your dog. Trekker's right about the Have-A-Heart traps: you're just creating work for someone else, unless you drive off into the bayou & let them go in the middle of nowhere. That's a lot of work for you. Take away the cat food. But make sure that when you do that, your garbage cans outside are also raccoon-proof. They get used to looking for anything to eat outside your house, they won't give up easily. They ARE almost exclusively nocturnal. I won't eat one, but if you get stuck, PM me. I'll come up & shoot a couple one evening. They learn from that too. I like most critters: I mean, I eat venison & pork both but could never kill them myself--a friend of mine had a pig once & she was a great animal--I'll admit to being a hypocritical sissy any day. But I don't have much use for raccoons.