Raccoons can attack many animals but do raccoons attack cats? Raccoons pose a danger to cats, whether domestic or wild. They can also attack kittens.
Yes, Raccoons attack cats without keeping in mind their breed. Raccoons can cause a lot of diseases to the animals they attack. Moreover, they have parasites in their bodies.
Raccoons are life-threatening for cats. That is why one should have a fence around the yard to keep raccoons at bay. Otherwise, a raccoon the first chance it gets, raccoons will attack a cat.
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Are Raccoons A Danger To Cats?
Yes, indeed raccoons are a danger to cats but cats on the other hand are much faster than raccoons. A domestic cat can run about 30mph over short distances while the raccoon can run about 15mph.
Even though raccoons attack cats first, the cats can outrun a raccoon and escape the capture. In other cases, this speed can also cause a cat to catch the raccoon and harm it. Aggressive cats do this to defend themselves and prevent future attacks.
Can A Cat Win Against A Raccoon?
The 200-pound raccoon will beat a 135-pound cat when cats and raccoons fight. Even if the cat has better fighting skills, it will still not win from a raccoon.
A cat has superior reflexes, but whenever a raccoon attacks, it is a full-blown attack, and cats cannot survive it unless they run away as far as possible from the raccoon.
Do Cats And Raccoons Fight?
Though the fights are not common still, they can happen. Generally, cats steer clear from raccoons. The same is the case with raccoons. They avoid cats.
However, if a cat starts chasing a raccoon, then this tiny furry animal will defend itself against the cat. If the raccoon corners a cat, then the cat is at a disadvantage. In this case, the cat can neither escape nor fight off a raccoon.
Raccoons love cat food, and if you have a pet cat whose food is lying around, raccoons will sneak out at night to have a bite. If a cat is eating its food, it will leave it and run away as soon as it sees a raccoon coming her way.
How Do I Keep Raccoons Away From My Cats?
There are several ways by which you can keep raccoons away from attacking your cat. These simple measures can keep your pets safe from night critters.
- It would help if you fed your cats during the day
- Make sure they stay inside during the night
- If cats want food during the night, it must be offered inside the house
- The food must be placed on elevated surfaces
- Raccoon-proof feeders can be used
- Other food sources should be eliminated
- Strobe lights should be set across your yard or garden
- A fence must be built so that you may be aware of the presence of raccoons coming your way.
Will A Raccoon Kill A Kitten?
Although this has been a controversy for so long, raccoons can eat small dogs as well as cars. They can attack small animals and have them for food.
Kittens are in fatal danger around raccoons as this wild creature will attack and eat kittens. At best, the kitten can run away from the raccoon before it corners the kitten.
Cat Kills Raccoon
In some cases, a cat can also kill a raccoon. However, this is seldom. If a raccoon initiates an attack, a cat might kill a raccoon in self-defense if it is not able to run away from it.
A raccoon will chase a cat away till the cat is out of sight. Rarely does a cat succeed in killing a raccoon?
Do Raccoons Eat Kittens?
Yes, Raccoons can eat small animals like small dogs and cats. Usually, a raccoon will attack a cat and then eat it if it does not survive the attack.
The raccoons come out at night to hunt, and then they resort towards whatever they can find. That is why if they see any roaming animals like cats and kittens, they avail themselves of the opportunity of attacking them and having them for dinner.
How Often Do Raccoon Attack Cats?
It is not often that a Raccoon will attack a cat. However, if the raccoon comes across a cat, it will not hesitate to attack it.
Though this is rare and sometimes other reasons are involved as well but it is unlikely that a cat will escape from a raccoon attack successfully or unharmed.
Why Would A Raccoon Attack A Cat?
Raccoons attack cats when they are threatened. Mother raccoons have an aggressive nature and make sure that they protect their young ones.
If a cat and a raccoon come near each other, they start fighting. Cats are territorial animals and will fight any animal if they invade their space.
Even though the cat will initiate the attack, in this case, it is most likely that it will lose to a raccoon and end up losing its life.
Do Raccoons Normally Attack Cats?
This does not usually occur, but a raccoon can hurt a cat by scratching its paws and biting them. If they do so, they transmit the disease to the cats.
Raccoons are not typically aggressive, but it is a possibility that a raccoon will stalk a stray cat at night, hunt it down and attack it. There are two reasons why a raccoon will attack a cat:
- For Food. Cats and kittens both act as prey for a raccoon predator
- For protection. If a raccoon feels threatened, it will attack a cat to defend itself.
How Do You Get Rid Of A Raccoon Without Hurting Your Cat?
There are a few ways by which you can protect your cat from a raccoon attack.
- You should eliminate all the food sources that a raccoon can come back to. This includes trash, birdseed, pet food as well as compost.
- The metal sheet must be placed at the roof edge.
- The trees must also be linked with the metal sheeting.
All these measures will deter the raccoons away from your household or domestic cats.
How Do You Get Rid Of Raccoons When You Have Cats?
Raccoon repellents can be used for repelling the raccoons away. This way, you can deter the raccoons away from your cat. Motion-controlled sprinklers are good repellents of raccoons.
A raccoon repellent can be installed in the vicinity to sense the motion of raccoons and get activated automatically. A timer can be used so that the sprinkler goes on after sunset. That is the time when other pets and cats are indoors.
Conclusion
Raccoons are predators and will attack them if they come across them. Raccoons are not good news for the cats. It is suggested that you keep your domestic cats indoors so that they do not fall prey to raccoon attacks.
Moreover, care must be taken that cats are not left alone outside after the sunsets. That is the prime time when a raccoon attack is expected. Raccoon repellents can be used to keep these night critters at bay.
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