Category Archives: Photography
That familiar and awful sound of scampering…
A raccoon has been freaking out our cat, Kabuki, for over five months. One morning last fall, I noticed the cat-food bowl was empty and his water bowl was dirty. For the longest time, we thought it must be another cat coming in to steal Kabuki’s food through his cat door to the garage.
Then one night as I opened the door to the garage, I heard a sound on the other side of our parked cars. I immediately covered up the cat door. I was determined to catch the scoundrel. To my dismay, as I approached, I saw a raccoon run toward the cat door. Amazingly the raccoon broke through my barricade and out he went.
I bought and set a live trap putting cat food inside thinking the crook would be in the bag the next morning. No dice. Every morning the trap stood empty. Empty as in no raccoon and empty as in no cat-food bait either. Smart swindler.
Days later we had no choice but to bring Kabuki into the breezeway at night. We had a respite for a couple of months but the 50 degree weather a week ago brought the raccoon out of hibernation. He’s back…
But I was ready. I heard him in the garage just like before. I quickly put the trap up in front of the cat door. I scared him back to the other side. Suddenly I heard the sound of the cat door open and close. No! I thought. I rushed to the other side and darted around the car. To my surprise I saw a happy sight. The rascal was in the live trap poking at the cat door through the cage.
I gladly fed him as he hissed at me. I spoke softly and gently to the raccoon. This wasn’t a good situation for either of us. I took my friend for a 30 mile drive and released him in a parking lot near the woods.
My buddy seemed to want to give me a high five, however, I don’t think that’s what he had in mind…
Sweet release!
Jamie Miller, 7, peers out his back door at the blowing and drifting snow in his backyard in Bay City, Mich. February 2, 2011. The blizzard conditions shut down most non-essential schools, government and businesses in Bay City. Most of Michigan, including Bay County, has been hit hard by the blizzard that is sweeping across the Midwest. Officials report that the area has not seen this strong of a blizzard in 15 years. Snow thunder was heard early this morning.