Before I relay my scare this morning (at 4:00 a.m.) let me set the scene: Like so many others in the United States right now, our state is enduring some pretty prickly weather. The outside cats have mostly gone to ground, hunkering down until they feel it’s safe to poke their heads out (no more limbs snapping and plummeting to the ground) obstacles flying through the air and scary high winds, heavy snow or rain.
Last week a large spruce tree limb fell on the front part of the shop roof. This is the room where I feed the cats who come into the shop. Because of the weather, after the limb was removed, we just tarped over the top of the roof with the hole, then put a second tarp inside the room (to catch falling tree debris).
Ok, so this morning, I walk into the room and the tarp is lower than it should be. I really don’t think much of it. The winds were fierce last night and even though part of the roof is tarped, the winds can still get under it. I don’t turn the shop lights on, I work by flashlight only, so I am in a semi-darkened room, ducking down so the tarp doesn’t hit me in the head. As I bend down and open up a can of food, I hear a rustling noise. Thinking it might be Noah (the kitty who came in on the last flood of rain) I look up into the rafters and call him softly. I play the beam of light along the rafters, but he isn’t in his usual place.
I turn around to finish feeding (and forget to stoop this time) and something plops on my head and just starts growling. The tarp is still in place, but whatever is in there- isn’t happy! It’s sort of a rumble growl unlike a cat. I’ve heard it before (it’s a coon sound) It’s just sitting on my head and not moving, and quite frankly, neither am I!”Growl….growl…rumble…snort-” the noises are growing in frequency. I quickly duck down to the ground-scramble out one of the other doors into the main shop- hit the breaker box and turn on ALL the lights- bells whistles the whole deal. The compressor starts roaring- MIke’s grinder fan sounds off all the lights go on and this poor, scared racoon scrambles out from under the tarp and heads for the cat door at top speed!
I throw open the outer double doors just to be sure the intruder is gone and see the coon running up our pine tree and vanishing from sight. I don’t know who was scared more hairless- him or me? As I was making my way back to the house, my legs weren’t working right and I slid in a pile of slush and fell right on my butt! At least the windstorm last night had nicely left me with a big pile of fresh pine needles to cushion my fall!
Well I am thinking that will solve your raccoon problem – he is gonna tell all his buddies that your barn is possessed. Sorry about the fall though.
A neighbor told me that a raccoon had followed my feral girl Allie into my garage one afternoon. She was afraid for Allie and then the screaming started – followed by one large raccoon making a run for it OUT of the garage. The neighbor said Allie stuck her head out under the door, looked around, and went back inside. I can’t be sure, but I suspect that probably solved the raccoon problem for me too.
Oh, raccoons, What a pain! Although recently, no raccoons around here. Mystifying; whole raccoon families here in the fall, generally making a nuisance of themselves and now, none to be found. Cats & food are still here, but raccoons gone. Uhm, off making babies in the woods probably. I’m thankful I don’t feel the need to TNR raccoons, too!
Yikes! Probably both you and the racoon were equally frightened – but you likely wouldn’t have scratched the bit the other to pieces in your fright. You were lucky – so was he!
We can almost see Allie walking away, rubbing her hands together in satisfaction. “So much for THAT problem”
Sound like you and Mike might need to consider a couple emergency lights in that shop, or something similar.