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Logan
01-24-2002, 10:29 PM
So typical of life in this house....never dull, I promise! :eek:

I was chatting with one of my GR friends tonight and the noise level was getting increasingly loud and frantic sounding outside. Honey and Lilly were whining and barking like I have never heard before. So I finally did the "BRB" thing (be right back), took the flashlight and went out in the rain to see what in the world was wrong.
First trip, I could see nothing.
Second trip, I shined the light up the tree they were barking at and saw a cat (not one of mine). My girls were at the bottom of that tree, with their front paws as high as they could reach, and they were bouncing on their back legs, trying to climb it, I'm convinced. I was able to grab Lilly and get her inside, but Honey was too quick and got away from me. Can't hold a flashlight and two dogs in the rain by myself. Helen wasn't home at the time.
Third trip, I went back out because Honey was still franticly barking. I looked again, and it is NOT a cat, but a raccoon!!! I do not live in the country, but I swear, I have more creatures than I can count that come in this yard!!

Then I find someone to listen to me on the computer. It was Maggie (Pianowoman), thank goodness!!! Maggie at least had a minute to "listen" to a raving maniac, which is what I was by that time!! LOL!! Poor Sandra. I had seen her on line and did the Instant Messenger to her first. I said, "SANDRA", "EMERGENCY"....something like that, and never did tell her that it was a raccoon. She wasn't near her computer, so I was gone by the time she got the message. Poor thing was frantic to find me tonight, thinking something was terribly wrong. I finally talked on the phone with her at 8:30 to let her know we were fine. :o

Raccoons are viscious. And I was worried sick about Honey. I was hoping the coon has the good sense to stay in that tree until I could get her inside. Even Mimi was out there and wouldn't come in. It was pouring down rain, I was muddy, I was scared, and on top of all of that, I was laughing. Maybe because I didn't know what else to do!! And the ever elusive Honey won't come. I'm crawling under bushes that line my fence, begging, playing the "flashlight" game, offering treats, saying that we'll go for a "walk" because the leash is in my hand. She dodged me constantly. I could not catch her!!

Finally, I came inside, tried to figure what to do, and the phone rang. I answered it, and walked to the backdoor and just stood there with the storm door open, daring Lilly to try and step foot outside. Mimi came in, and then Miss Honey decided it was time to come inside, and marched right through the door. Honey and Lilly had mud up to their bellies, I swear!

I just hope Mr. Raccoon is LONG gone now, and NOT coming back. Just had to share....knowing you would all understand.

I'll tell you one thing. There is never a dull moment in this house, EVER!!!!


:D

Karen
01-24-2002, 10:40 PM
Oh, clever, clever girls, to tree such a critter, and then have a great game of "stay away from Mama!" Coons are pretty smart, I doubt he'll be back, unless you have accessible trash-cans!

zippy-kat
01-24-2002, 10:53 PM
How funny! Though, I'm sure it wasn't at the time! lol

My grandmother always had a problem with the coons stealing apples from her trees. She had tried everything in the books to rid herself of them (without killing them of course). One day she caught four of them red-pawed. Furiously, she went out and tried to get them out of the tree. She made loud noises. Didn't help, they munched away. She left them alone for a bit--didn't help, they still munched away. She let the dog bark at 'em, then tied the dog up, then let the dog in the house....they still sat there feasting on the smorgasboard. Finally, she'd had enough. She went outside and SHOOK the tree. That worked...they scampered down and left but each had a 'new' apple in it mouth:rolleyes: :D

*LabLoverKEB*
01-24-2002, 10:59 PM
Logan, I'm soo glad that noone is hurt! You had me worried for a minute!:) Thanks for sharing! ;)

thelmalu99
01-25-2002, 12:13 AM
Logan, I'm so glad that you and your babies weren't hurt!!!

You know, my first experience with raccoons was when I was camping years ago with a boyfriend. <I know you are all going to laugh at me now> We were in the tent, and some raccoons were scratching around, trying to find some remnants of food. I looked through the tent's "window" and was like, "oh, look at the pretty raccoons!" I was putting my hand against the mesh windows of the tent, trying to be friendly. (dumb city girl!!!!:rolleyes: ) My boyfriend told me to get away from the raccoons, because they were vicious animals, and I could get bitten and end up in the hospital getting a rabies shot. (dumb, dumb city girl!!! :rolleyes: :rolleyes: ) I had been camping many times as a child with my parents (so there!!), but never remembered seeing raccoons anywhere around the campsite, so I guess I was pretty naive when it came to these animals. :o :o
Ugh! I shudder to think!

Well, just wanted to share my stooopid raccoon story and say that I'm glad you're all ok. :)

gini
01-25-2002, 10:16 AM
A friend's parents were trimming a tree in their backyard. The Mother was holding the ladder for the Father and she spotted a raccoon. The Father told her to close the garage door so that the raccoon couldn't get into the garage.

She ran to the garage door and before she could get to it, the raccoon chased her, jumped on her face and bit and clawed her badly. She needed over 17 stitches on her face. While they were busy getting her into the car for emergency care they heard screams in the neighborhood. The same raccoon had attacked someone else. It took Animal Control a while to capture it.

I have been amazed to see raccoons in my own back yard, in the heart of the city. I have been told that they use the sewers in the city when they come down from the hills.

Logan, I am glad that you and all of your furkids are safe.

Raccoons are adorable - at a distance.

ramanth
01-25-2002, 10:48 AM
Glad you and the furbabies are okay Logan.

We've never had a Raccoon incident. Had enough of them close to the house eating the birdseed though.

Once, when Scooter was only a year old, he was growling at something in the garage. I was helping my dad work on the car and curious, I grabbed the flashlight to see what Scooter was staring at.

A HUGE POSSOM!! :eek: Now those are mean.

Scooter had it cornered under some shelving. I quickly snatched the cat while dad got the pitchfork. I let dad do his thing while I got our ferocious baby in the house.

What was funny was, Sable, who was much older at the time, RAN AWAY when he saw the possom. But Scooter stayed to hold his ground. LOL!

Logan
01-25-2002, 01:20 PM
That's what I sang to Honey and Lilly when I woke them up this morning! LOL!! You would have thought they were purebred "coon dogs" last night! :p

AmberLee
01-25-2002, 01:45 PM
When my parents lived on the ranch, a vicious racoon fought with their cat, Oliver. (For whom my Olivia was named, by the way.) Oliver's leg was broken in the fight, but we think we got off lucky.

Good luck with your 'coon hounds'! ;) :D :p