Raccoons

I have always had raccoons that visit my pond every day. In the spring it is often a family, a parent or two with a few wee ones trailing behind, but by late summer they have usually sorted themselves out so that just one shows up regularly. This years fellow is quite entertaining.

First, I have insisted over the years that the raccoons do not get in the pond. I had never seen them swimming and my goldfish population never seemed to be depleted unless the heron came by to have a snack. But this year I have been proved wrong.

Not only does this very friendly fellow swim but he collects slugs from my garden and squishes them on the pallet outside the back door of the clinic. He rolls them until they are no longer 'whole' and then eats them.

I was quite charmed by this until I realized he had taken my mat that usually lies on top of the pallet. Now this little rascal has tossed the pillows from my chairs into the pond, and I assumed the same fate had befallen my mat. However, a few days later, I noticed the chagrined raccoon dragging the mat across the lawn towards the pallet.

A few days later I accidently left two of Zooey's toys out and when I went out in the morning all that was left was a little arm from the stuffed bear. However, my well-mannered raccoon returned a few days later to leave her partially disemboweled and armless bear as a a request for amnesty, or perhaps just to show off his clever eviscerating skills.

In addition to these activities my intrepid raccoon also pulls off the flowers from the dahlias, tosses them into the air, catches them and then rolls about. A behavior that Zooey performs with her various toys, including the once-intact bear.

This raccoon, and his past generations are famous in the neighborhood as they are known to be quite friendly with the neighborhood cats. They apparently sleep together, nose-kiss and show no signs (to date) of aggressive behavior.

However I do keep a watchful eye when Zooey is out during raccoon time.