Although the raccoons are long gone, I think they hang around here. One day, I gathered about 100 plastic forks and knives to wash them. Even though they are disposable, I cannot bear to toss them. So, I was going to wash for reuse.
I did not get around to washing them after a good soak in a dishpan outdoors. The next morning, about six of the utensils were scattered around on the ground. Hmmm. Well, I put them back in. I left them another day to see what would happen. Next morning, utensils were on the ground. As I was near the trash can about ten feet from there, I spotted something shiny. It was one of my set of
stainless utensils that my mother gave me forty years ago. I almost lost a spoon, a cereal spoon.
After this happening for three days, I have decided raccoons are coming to the water and fishing around in it.
As I related this to a young man who has a farm, he said they take his tools all the time. He searches for tools he left in his barn and just gives up. He said he will find a bunch of his lost tools all together where a raccoon has gathered and saved them.
I know dogs and cats steal things, but I never thought of raccoons as collecting items, mostly shiny from what I hear.
Chickens never take things away!
Your turn
What animals do you have that collect things or just misplace them for you? Do you ever have raccoons collect your things and take them away.
I wouldn't say it was exactly stealing but one of the cats, Rowan is a demon for knocking things off of tables etc and patting them around until they go under the sofa or suchlike, or even under a rug. When her paws aren't long enough to pull them out she walks away and we are hunting for them. lol
ReplyDeleteBriony
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DeleteI can just se your cat appropriating your things for toys, and when the "toy" is out of reach, he just strolls away. Thanks for that.
I have 2 possums that come on the porch to eat the food I leave out for stray cats but they don't take anything..although Dexter does go play with them.
ReplyDeletejackiesue,
DeleteMy neighbor down the block does that and attracts raccoons. Well, at least Dexter has playmates.
40 years ago I saw my large orange cat carrying the bathtub plug through the house. It had the long chain attached and he was on a mission. For the next 40 years, even after remodeling the entire house, that plug never was found.
ReplyDeletelotta joy,
DeleteAmazing. Wonder where he put it. ??? Did you lose other things to him? I am sure he stashed it a very secure place.....LOL. Thanks for that story.
One of my co-workers had to relocate some raccoons that were after his chickens. He caught two with his live trap on separate occasions. I got to see one because he brought it to work and let it go in one of the fields there.
ReplyDeleteMy parents worked at a weaving mill when I was growing up and were told to reuse their foam earplugs, which is completely against OSHA rules, but they got away with it back then, I guess. Mom would put hers in their little matchbook-sized box and drop the box in her purse, and my little yellow tabby would somehow get them out, get them out of the box, and carry them through the house.
Mom had to learn to keep her purse zipped if she didn't want to see Skinny walking around with a bright yellow earplug held in her mouth.
linda,
ReplyDeleteDid you get to see the raccoon growl when a stick or finger touched the cage? They are ferocious.
Ewww, putting an earplug with cat saliva on it would teach me in a hurry to zip my purse.
My sister's cat lik Q-tips.
Yes, the raccoon growled and hissed. It sounded like a mix of angry cat and dog to me. Once out of the cage, it looked around confused for a second or two and then took off running for the forest.
DeleteI don't think Mom ever used an earplug after the cat played with them. Skinny never returned them, so they were cat toys after she stole them until they got thrown out on cleaning day. :)
Q-tips are good cat toys as long as they don't eat the cotton ends, as are the plastic rings from below milk jug lids. I'm not sure why some people waste money on expensive cat toys!
Jess n'ha Linda (Linda is actually my mom's name--that's one of the reasons I was first drawn to your blog.)
And, You are Jess? What is n'ha? I was visiting my sister and showered. I looked for Q tops and finally asked my sister where they were. She said in the top drawer of her chest of drawers. I thought that was strange and asked her why she kept them there. She said the cat kept pulling them out, one at a time, playing with it and then getting another. So, she would come home from work to dozens of them all over the floor.
DeleteWhatever reason you came, I m glad you did and still are here.
I kept accusing my children of leaving the lid off of the candy dish. The dish I use at Christmas for fudge is actually a depression era Biscuit Jar.It is pretty big ! Come to find out the CAT was LIFTING the lid off with her mouth! I never would have believed it if I hadn't walked in and caught him doing it!
ReplyDeleteJanet,
DeleteA cat with a sweet tooth? That is hilarious, especially since you were accusing your children. I am just glad the cat did not break the lid. Thanks for sharing that cat story.