Raccoons can't jump

  
         
  These photos were collected  using a remote, motion triggered, 35mm camera. The setting is an acclimation cage that had been "opened" to allow the cats enter and exit at will. This is a sanctuary  on protected  property. We noticed we were going thru a lot of food and that the water was so dirty, we suspected we were feeding other woodland critters.

I set up a camera and here are the results. My cats taught me the obvious: raccoons can't jump, and I built the  feeder pictured. All you need to do is provide a feeding platform that they raccoons can't climb up onto, and a jumping level for the cats.

  
 
 
  At the enclosure...................      
    Normal feeding set up. A pie pan was filled with hot cat-food stew and the water bottle refilled every evening. The cats had a dry kibble feeder 24/7. This is one of our feral enjoying a hot meal at 3 am in the morning.  
         
 
 
  The visitors..............      
  Frick and Frack raid the dinner table and leave a big mess afterwards!  We figured we were feeding at least a dozen different critters.

The food was set up on top of the snuggle box, which made it so easy for the raccoons to climb up and eat, and eat.....

Needless to say, we had the fattest raccoons around!

 

  
         
 
 
  The Solution..........      
   
  Build a raccoon proof  elevated cat food feeder.

I used recycled wood from my shop and built an elevated cat feeder. It is just like an elevated bird feeder except it is bigger. The huge skirt of aluminum keeps the raccoons from climbing up the 4x4 post and getting into the feeder.

The handles make it easy to attach the feeder to the post.

I bought this 4x4 green mounting bracket from Lowe's and that was the trick in building a stable, balanced feeder. I attached the skirting after it was mounted and used a staple gun to attach it to the platform. I considered using the round base from an electrical spool but could not find one big enough.

The 4x4 is pressure treated and set 3'  into the ground. I suppose you could make one free standing as long as it was balanced and sturdy for the cats.

The little house is used for the cats to launch from as they jump up and into the feeder.

 

 

  
         
 
 
Cats can jump......
Our cats figure out how to get inside in no time at all!!!

Notice the foot prints on the aluminum skirt. After we saw these shots, we moved the house closer to the feeder. The distance is seen in the daylight photo above tot he right.

The ONLY problem we did not solve is how to provide for cats that can not jump due to physical reasons.
         
 
 
   

Raccoons CAN'T Jump

    
         
 

They say a photo is worth a thousand words...

  
         
       
         
 
 
         
  So that is my story on how I build the first totally raccoon proof feeder. The trick is to build a feeder that the raccoons can not climb up onto. I once worked in a bird store and we sold raccoon proof bird feeders. All it was was a tube of aluminum that hung over a 5 foot metal fence stake. The raccoons could not climb it nor get their little arms around it. One other thing I did was to clear/trim any overhanging branched that they might use to drop down onto the feeder.

Hope this inspires the rest out there who love nature but are going broke feeding the local wildlife.

  
         
 
 
         
 

All photographs and related content are ŠK.Welles and will not be reproduced, copied or transmitted without express written permission.

Feel free to write me for more info.

 

  
   

Created January 30, 2005