The first raccoon pictures of the season! I knew the raccoons were around because of reports from the neighbors, plus every morning the outside water dish would be really dirty (explanation below). But this was the first time this year I'd actually seen one.
As you can see by the long evening shadows, it was about 7:30 and right before dusk. At first she wasn't too sure about coming over to my house, but I stayed as still as I could and she decided everything was okay. I don't deliberately feed the raccoons, but at this time of evening there was still a little cat food left on MY patio as well. She kept her eyes on me as she ate, but then got more comfortable with my presence as time went on. The stray cats were still around and the cats and raccoons get along just fine. Then the raccoon decided I wasn't going to bother her and she got downright silly, lying down and playing with the water dish dangling her paws in the water. Raccoons find their food with their paws. The more moist the pads on their feet the softer they are, the softer they are the more sensitive they are, so feeling for their food is easier. Raccoons don't actually wash their food, they wash their paws.
Then I noticed out of the corner of my eye that the woodchuck had come around the corner of the front yard.
The woodchuck finally saw me and ran around my neighbor's house. But then he came back, walking right by the raccoon and the cat. Well, actually he checked the cat out first.
In the meantime, the raccoon decided she had had enough water and food and as usual headed for my tree, her favorite after dinner spot, to wait until dark.
A very nice visit indeed.
UPDATE: Another visit Wednesday night even earlier - around 6:00. Just had to include THIS photo of kitty Van Gogh in the chair and the raccoon under it.
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