June 17, 2008

My cat George was outside when I turned in tonight, and I left the deck slider open so he could come in later. Around 2 a.m. I heard a noise in the dining area, and got up to see what it might be. As I suspected, it was an adult raccoon who came for George's cat food. This has happened before.

The raccoon scooted out the door and triggered the motion-sensor light so I could see it on the deck stairs when I came out. I talked to it a bit, and it actually came up the stairs and toward me as if it were going back into the house. I was clueless.

It did not come further, though, and finally disappeared around the corner of the house. I then heard a noise in the dining area, and went in to find these four kits all scrunched together by a cabinet. I went to get my camera, and when I came back, the four had moved to this space behind the stove.

George came in, and I put him in the bedroom. When I came back, two of the kits had gone out the open slider, and the two at bottom were still there. Maybe they were waiting for a signal. I shooed them out with a 4' carpenter's level. Mom was not in evidence, but they headed off together as if they knew where they should go. I hope so.