How To Stop A Raccoon From Eating Cat Food: 10 Effective Tips

Many people have doubts about how to stop a raccoon from eating cat food. This post will dispel this suspicion.

If you have a pet cat, chances are you’ve also got a stash of food for that cat hidden away somewhere – usually in your backyard. And if you have a raccoon living in your neighborhood, that means there’s a good chance the raccoon will try and get into your cat food stash.

If you have a cat, you know how important it is to have a designated place to eat. And if you have a raccoon, then you know how determined they can be when it comes to getting their hands on some delicious cat food.

One of the many challenges of being a cat owner is dealing with pesky raccoons that like to steal your cat food. This can be frustrating and costly, but there are ways to stop this from happening.

In this blog post, we will provide tips on keeping raccoons away from your cat food and preventing them from eating it.

What is Raccoon Behavior?

If you don’t know much about raccoon behavior or what they like to eat, it can be hard to figure out why they are getting into your cat’s food. To get started, here are some facts about raccoons you should know:

Raccoons are nocturnal creatures, which means they are most active at night.

They are omnivores, meaning they eat both plants and animals.

Raccoons are scavengers, which means they will eat anything they can find – including cat food.

How To Stop A Raccoon From Eating Cat Food? 10 Effective Tips

Now that you know a little bit about raccoon behavior let’s go into detail on how to stop raccoons from getting to your cat food.

1. Setting Up Outdoor Motion Sensor Lights

This is one of the best ways to keep raccoons away because they don’t like light. Raccoons are nocturnal animals, so they like it when it’s dark so they can move around undetected. When you have outdoor motion sensor lights, it will scare the raccoons away and stay away.

2. Put Your Cat Food In A Secure Location

This is probably the most obvious solution, but it’s still very important. Make sure to put your cat’s food in a place that is hard to reach by raccoons.

For example, you can put it in a tall storage container or inside your garage. You might also want to try putting the food on top of a table so that they have to climb up and get it.

3. Feed Your Cat Indoors.

If you feed your cats indoors, then there’s no way for raccoons to get into your cat food. Also, it will keep the food in one place and make it easier for you to monitor how much is left and when you need to refill.

4. Get A Pet Water Fountain.

Raccoons like freshwater just as much as they like fresh cat food. If there’s no water source for them to drink, they will most likely leave your cat’s food alone.

A pet water fountain can provide a continuous freshwater stream for your cats and will keep the raccoons away.

5. Use An Air Horn Or Other Loud Noise Deterrent.

This is another way to scare the raccoons away. An air horn or other loud noise deterrent will make it hard for them to sneak up on your cat food. Just make sure not to scare your pets when you use this tactic!

6. Use A Raccoon-Proof Feeder.

As mentioned before, raccoons are determined when they’re hungry. A great way to keep them away is to get a feeder that is not easily breakable.

This will ensure that the raccoon cannot access your cat food even if it manages to get into the storage container or table. Here’s an example of one such feeder.

7. Don’t Feed Your Cats Outside.

As we mentioned before, raccoons are attracted to any source of food they can find. If you want to keep them away from cat food, continue feeding your cats inside and not outdoors.

This will also prevent the raccoon from seeing you put the food down and guarding it for later. Plus, it can help keep other outdoor animals away from your cat food and prevent them from eating any of the food too!

8. Use A Motion-Activated Sprinkler

Just like with outdoor lights, a motion-activated sprinkler will scare raccoons away when they get close to your cat’s container or where the food is stored. Raccoons are not used to being sprayed with water, and they will most likely run away when they get the chance.

9. Build A Fence

Building a fence is perhaps one of the most effective ways to keep raccoons away. Raccoons like to climb, and they will easily scale a fence if it’s not very high up. However, building a privacy fence can be expensive, so you may want to look for other deterrents before using this option.

10. Speak To A Professional.

If you’re having a lot of trouble keeping raccoons away from your cat food, then it’s time to speak to a professional.

There are many ways to get rid of raccoons, and a professional will be able to find the best solution for your specific situation. They may recommend trapping and relocating the raccoon or installing a fence.

Keeping raccoons away from your cat food can be difficult, but it’s not impossible. Try out some of these methods and see which ones work best for you and your situation. And remember, if all else fails, you can always speak to a professional!

Why Do Raccoons Like Cat Food?

This is because it tastes good! Raccoons are omnivores, so that they will eat just about anything. As you can probably imagine, cats are attractive to raccoons for this same reason.

Cats have an extremely high protein level in their food, so it’s very easy for a raccoon to tell that cat food is appealing. Raccoons are also scavengers, so they will take any opportunity to get an easy meal.

What Can I Do To Keep Raccoons Away From My Cat Food?

You can do many things to deter raccoons from your cat food. Some of these methods include:

• Feeding your cats indoors
• Using ammonia to keep raccoons away
• Using pepper spray
• Utilizing a motion-activated sprinkler.

There are plenty of deterrents you can use to keep raccoons from eating your cat food. Try out some of these suggestions and see which ones work best for you! And remember, if all else fails, you can always speak to a professional.

Will Raccoons Kill A Cat?

It’s possible, but it’s not very common. Raccoons are scavengers, and they aren’t typically known for being aggressive predators.

However, if a raccoon feels threatened or if its young are in danger, it may attack a cat. So while it’s not likely, it’s still possible for a raccoon to kill a cat.

How Do I Know If A Raccoon Has Been In My Yard?

If you see evidence that a raccoon has been in your yard, such as tracks, overturned garbage cans, or chewed up plants, then it’s likely that the raccoon is looking for food.

Raccoons are also known for being messy, so if you notice that your garbage cans and lawn are covered in dirt, then it’s a good possibility that a raccoon has been there. 

How Do You Repel Raccoons But Not Cats?

If you’re looking to repel raccoons but not cats, you will want to use ammonia. Raccoons don’t like the smell of ammonia, and it will help keep them away from your cat food. 

You can either purchase ammonia or make your own by mixing ammonia with water. Just be sure to avoid getting the mixture on your skin or in your eyes. 

Another option is to use pepper spray. Pepper spray will irritate a raccoon’s eyes and nasal passages, and it will help keep them away from your cat food. Be cautious when using pepper spray, as it can also harm cats. 

Lastly, you can install a motion-activated sprinkler. These sprinklers will go off when they detect movement and spray a raccoon with water. Raccoons don’t like getting wet, which will help keep them away from your cat food.

Will Raccoons Eat Dry Cat Food?

Yes, raccoons will eat dry cat food. However, it’s not as appealing to them as wet cat food, so they will likely go for the wet food first.

If you’re having trouble keeping raccoons away from your cat food, try switching to all dry food. This may help keep the raccoons from being as interested in your cat’s food.

Conclusion 

As we have seen, there are many ways to keep raccoons away from your cat food. These methods include using ammonia, pepper spray, or a motion-activated sprinkler.

You can also try building a fence or speaking to a professional. Whichever method you choose, remember to be persistent and keep trying until you find one that works for you!

Raccoons can be very determined when they’re hungry, but with a little bit of effort, you can keep them away from your cat’s food. Thanks for reading!