How do I keep raccoons from coming in my house through the cat door. I trapped one and took it away but last night there were 3 more. Help! Thanks Marie

-- Marie Eastman (Mee100155@aol.com), August 30, 2001

Answers

Dear Marie,

We had the same problem a few years ago. Finally had no choice but to close off the door. I think the coons (and other critters) have an underground newspaper that puts out notices about places like ours, then they tell all their friends.

Sorry I can't help you, but I do commiserate with you.

Wishing you enough.

-- Trevilians (aka Dianne in Mass) (Trevilians@mediaone.net), August 30, 2001.

Get a dog.

-- Joe (CactusJoe001@AOL.com), August 30, 2001.

Many cat doors come with a lock to latch at night before you go to bed.

-- debra in ks (windfish@toto.net), August 30, 2001.

They now have pet doors which operate with a device that will not let anything in but the animal wearing the collars that go with that door.I am not sure what they are called but my DH uncle has one,It works great--he has not had a squirrel in his house since he installed it! Call you local pet store and ask about them.

-- Debbie T in N.C. (rdtyner@mindspring.com), August 30, 2001.

I just saw an ad a couple of weeks ago for a cat collar, that has a mechanism in it that unlocks a special cat door when it approaches it, and the door then automatically locks behind it until the cat comes up again. Of course that would mean buying a whole new cat door. Yep, a dog is probably the best answer. My dog trees every coon within 1/2 mile of my place and now I notice I don't have any dog food missing from visiting midnight marauding coons anymore. Pesky little fella's arn't they? Good luck

-- Carole (carle@earthlink.net), August 30, 2001.

after you trap it,,dont release it,, kill it,,skin it, eat it, bury it,,or whatever,,it will just come back and teach others.

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), August 30, 2001.

i got to agree with Stan. catch, kill and eat.

-- Pops (cindy556@devil-dog.com), August 30, 2001.

We bought one of those selective cat doors, for about 50.00. We were desperate because we go away sometimes. Cat has to wear a rather heavy magnet on their collar and I'm sure it annoyed them. Well, the coons broke in and almost broke the cheap plastic door. Finally shot thye boldest one and the others have never been back. I don't think it was worth it. Before I got that door I had a cat door mounted in an open window (rest of the opening closed with some plexiglass) like an air conditioner. Make it so cat has to jump to get to a shelf you put there so they have room to enter catdoor. I know coons could probably climb or even jump too, but none ever tried it. That's what I'll do if we have another problem coon.

-- Rod Perrino (redjouster@aol.com), August 30, 2001.