Is raccoon turning Cupertino cats napping spot into a bathroom?
DEARJOAN: I have evidence of critter feces in my backyard. It is too large to be from a rat or cat. Raccoons have been in my yard in the past. This is in an area (where) my older cat spends her time in the afternoons, but I take her inside in the evening. The feces appear in the mornings. Jane Kamvar, Cupertino  DEAR JANE: One way to make sure you dont disturb your cat is to find her a quiet and warm napping space inside the house. This isnt just me preaching on the risks to cats that are allowed to wander outside. You have evidence of an animal visiting your yard at night; theres no guarantee it wouldnt also come around during the day. If it is a raccoon, theres a little risk to your cat. If its a larger animal, such as a coyote, shes in a lot of danger. Creating a latrine in the corner of the yard does sound like raccoon behavior, however. You can identify their scat by the shape (cylindrical) with rounded or broken ends. You almost always can see remnants of berries or seeds the animal has eaten. Coyote scat is mostly tubular with tapered ends, and fox scat has twisted ends. There might be tufts of fur from the prey those animals have eaten. To prevent a raccoon from using your cats napping space as a latrine, tape together two pieces of plastic  a tarp or trash bags  so there is a little slip and slide movement, then spread the plastic in the corner after your cat has retired to the house for the evening. Raccoons dont like the feel of the plastic and usually find other spots. You also could set a motion-activated sprinkler to come on at night or put up a spot light that illuminates the corner. For more wildlife, garden and backyard topics, sign up for our new, free Flora+Fauna newsletter. DEAR JOAN: I have a comment on the question about the cat damaging the furniture in your Monday column. We traditionally used carpet-covered posts until our most recent cat, who is now 7 years old. She never liked those posts and preferred furniture. I brought home a slanted, sisal rope post and it changed everything. Shes on her third post, having ripped the other two to shreds. That style of post, plus giving her a regular manicure, has kept us all happy. She does love the fresh catnip I grow for her, so that also helped to train her. The only time she subsequently touched our sofa was when she had worn out her post, but stopped when I bought her a new one. Gayle Hudson, San Leandro  DEAR GAYLE: I love hearing about things that have worked for others. I should have suggested some alternative scratching post materials, as well as regular manicures. Not all cats  or dogs  are keen on having the their nails trimmed, but with patience and perseverance, it can happen. With cats, you want to snip off just the very tip of the nail. Another reader, George from San Jose, says he uses canned air, the kind used for cleaning electronics, aimed in the direction of a misbehaving cat. Its effective and doesnt get the furniture wet, George says. Just make certain not to blast the air in the cats face or eyes. Use this form to submit questions. Photos should be mailed separately to jmorris@bayareanewsgroup.com.