Sunday, June 20, 2010

Unwelcome daytime visitor

I do not like seeing raccoons and skunks and opossums out and about during the daytime. I always suspect rabies. I assume that this is the same raccoon who has been eating the catfood for the last couple of days if not longer. S/he has an insatiable appetite. The critter will deprive my cats of food this week while I'm gone. I am not happy about that. I could try to trap it but I don't know if the one I trap is the one who comes during the daytime. I hate to ask my neighbor to feed the cats twice a day but I will leave a note requesting she do that when she can. The critter sure chose an inconvenient week to appear. I pray it isn't rabid, just smart.

It was on the cathouse roof and descended when I appeared at the door.

It paused to make sure I was still watching before waddling off only to return again within a couple of minutes. It will stay until it has eaten all the catfood available. The cats just lie around and watch.


3 comments:

Catherine said...

One thing to know about opossums, they are immune to rabies. They are not a native species and actually came from France. They are actually studied to see what makes them immune so a one time vaccine can be made...they may be ugly and hiss when bothered but I tolerate them because of their medical benefit and ability to resist rabies...coons and skunks; cute but I'll keep my distance thanks.

PseudoPiskie said...

How interesting. Thank you, Catherine. I don't mind the possums and don't chase them but I don't like them here during the day as they are invariably sick when they do that. I once had a family playing possum on the cathouse roof when I came home at night. The four little ones just froze. They didn't even watch me. Eventually I guess their mom came and got them. I didn't see them go. Possums don't smell good either.

whiteycat said...

Be really, really careful around any raccoon you see during the day. The fact thay they are roaming about at that time is not a good sign.