Last weekend while sitting at the kitchen table with my friend Kathy I looked out the window and saw an animal climb the green fence. I thought it was a cat.
The fence is close to the window. The animal was very close to the window. I didn’t take a picture but it resembled this composite photo …
It wasn’t a cat. When she turned her face I saw her raccoon mask. Her belly showed she was nursing young.
The raccoon ran up the backyard and put her paws in the bird bath.
And then she ambled up the yard, climbed over the back fence, and was gone.
(photos by Kate St. John and Kathy Fox)
Kate, you missed the opportunity to dispel the myth that raccoons wash their food. You mentioned the raccoon putting its paws in the water bowl, but you did not explain why this happens. People often witness raccoons dipping their food in water, but this happens on dry land also. The idea now is that the raccoon is moistening its paws to increase their sensory capabilities. They manipulate the food in their hands because that provides more information than their eyesight does! You can find more information here: https://emammal.wordpress.com/2013/06/28/raccoons-and-the-myth-of-washing-food/
Sue, thanks for the link.