Raccoons like to eat cat food, since it’s easy to get and smells good. Unfortunately, some cats have been known to befriend raccoons and share their food. If this happens to you, expect them to flock to your home. This is not a good situation, since raccoons can carry disease and are dangerous to human beings. However, there are several ways to discourage them from eating your cat food.
One method is to remove the cat feeder during the day. Since raccoons are most active at night, putting the food out during the day will reduce the chance of raccoons visiting the food. If you can’t remove the food immediately, you can leave it out until the next day. In time, your cat will adjust to this new routine and stop visiting your food.
The second method is to store trash in plastic bins. Raccoons also love bird feeders. If you keep your cat food in a plastic bin, they’ll be less tempted to raid your home’s food. However, if your cats are particularly interested in the food, you may want to keep the feeders indoors at night. It’s also a good idea to take out your pet food during the day to avoid attracting raccoons.
Besides removing the food, you should also make sure your yard is completely fenced. A fence is the first line of defense against raccoons, and you can prevent them from gaining access to your yard by keeping the mesh buried in the soil. You can also make the fence sloped so that animals can’t jump over it. These tips will prevent raccoons from gaining access to your cat’s food.
Another effective way to deter raccoons from stealing your cat’s food is to sprinkle hot pepper around it. Depending on how persistent the raccoon is, it may take several days for them to find food. During that time, you should sprinkle the pepper in areas where raccoons are most likely to access food. A persistent raccoon will find food within a few days.
While raccoons are native to North America, it is best not to encourage them to come near your home. Not only are raccoons dangerous to humans and pets, but they can also severely injure them. Keeping them away from your food is important for your cat’s health. Raccoons don’t like the smell of mothballs, so you should avoid spraying them on your cat’s food.
Another way to keep raccoons away from your cat food is to use repellents and sprays. Many pet owners find that peppermint oil or Epsom salt can repel raccoons. Raccoons are attracted to these substances because they use their sense of smell to find their food sources. Besides repellent sprays, you should also consider keeping trash bins out of their reach.
