| Spike is a pre-owned cat. When we got him from | | | | they fight each other for it, often dragging the bowl |
| the humane society in their adopt-a-pet program, his | | | | around the garage as if it were a dog toy. |
| name was Lonnie. I couldn't in good conscience | | | | Spike watches the scene from his box on the |
| continue to use that name for a cat, so I renamed | | | | workbench. I've sneaked around to the outside of |
| him Spike. I know that seems more appropriate for a | | | | the garage and peeked in through the windows and |
| dog, but I think Spike has always appreciated the | | | | watched him quietly observing the chaotic scene |
| new handle. | | | | being played out before him. |
| As cats go, Spike is a good example of the species. | | | | It's a lot like a scene from Gremlins, where all those |
| He sleeps most of the day on a warm spot on top | | | | little critters find themselves alone in the kitchen and |
| of the couch or on the table on the front porch if | | | | they start tearing everything they find in to little tiny |
| the sun is out. He chases squirrels in the front yard | | | | pieces. Snarling, hissing and biting, teeth gnashing as |
| when the mood strikes him and lays in wait in the | | | | they try to open containers that might contain food, |
| back for any chipmunk that might be dumb enough | | | | the raccoons have even managed to knock a paint |
| to cross his path. | | | | can off its shelf. I have little paw prints all over my |
| He guards the house when I'm gone and he keeps | | | | garage, through the pet door and down the sidewalk. |
| the garage free from varmints at night. Well, that | | | | Last year as a last resort I hired a guy who proudly |
| might be a stretch. Let's just say that he must have | | | | presented the name of his business on his van, |
| a quota for the amount of raccoons that he will allow | | | | "Critters Be Gone". Unfortunately, while he had a |
| at any one time in my garage. | | | | great commercial name, he wasn't much better than |
| It gets a little crowded out there when there are | | | | I at raccoon removal. After three weeks he packed |
| more than four at a time ravaging my garage, while | | | | up his traps and left, complaining that if I had kept |
| he stoically observes the situation from his perch on | | | | my cat locked up and out of his cages, he could |
| top of the old refrigerator. He learned his lesson | | | | have caught the animals he was being paid to catch! |
| about getting involved in the chaos when a large | | | | In Spike's defense, the aroma from the cheap |
| raccoon almost bit off one of his legs. | | | | canned cat food that was used for bait was very |
| Spike is an indoor/outdoor cat. When the weather is | | | | tempting. It's hard to keep him out of the cage when |
| cold he comes around to the back sliding glass door, | | | | he knows that gourmet heaven is just a few feet |
| meowing pitifully that he is freezing. He must have | | | | away, tucked in the back of a wire cage. |
| had acting lessons somewhere before he came to us. | | | | Last night for the first time, I had a good look at one |
| Just a few days ago, Spike's summer cousins came | | | | of the raccoons that was tearing up my garage. It |
| to visit him, destroying my garage in the process. I'm | | | | was the largest coon I've ever seen in my garage. I |
| not sure where raccoons go in the winter, whether | | | | opened the door and there he was staring at me, |
| they hibernate or what, but it's unusual for them to | | | | one paw in the five gallon bucket that holds Spikes |
| visit my garage during this time of the year. | | | | cat food. After stuffing a handful of Meow Mix into |
| If they would only stay a short period of time and | | | | his mouth he sprinted to the pet door and was gone. |
| leave, I wouldn't mind them hanging out in the garage | | | | For several years now I've had a raccoon problem in |
| every once in a while. Unfortunately they manage to | | | | the spring and summer when families of them would |
| destroy everything in their path in their insatiable | | | | invade my garage. Now it looks as if I'm to be |
| quest for food. The first thing to go is Spike's cat | | | | blessed with the winter version of "Animal Capers". |
| food dish. If there is any food remaining in the bowl, | | | | |