Poeski: I love your chiken stories as much as I love picture. Also, karebear, coon-ta-loons: briliant.

I have lots of coonies hanging out in my back yard. They are not vicious, but actually very sweet. They can be a bit messy, tho. A tip for those with coonies being a bit destructive: keep a nerf ball or two readily available for the critters. This will occupy their need to thrash something.

Poeski: LOL! Too funny! I have a male cat that thinks he’s female, so I certainly understand. I like your cats’ response. I have a couple that would do exactly that! One of them will actually growl like a dog, if he hears a loud noise outside. And the other one trapped a medium-sized dog in our yard. Our neighbor had to coax it (the dog) out under the fence!

I had a racoon who would stick his head through the pet door, which was right by my bed. His litten hands were just like a humans. He stuck his hands in and he looked up at me questioningly. I said, “no no!!” and he understood and left just like that.

oh boy, is he ever cute. Does he live there or what? Is he a pet? Oh man, I want a pet racoon. There are not enough pet raccoons.

Poeski – brilliant! (all of it), Patty P – the thought of someone screeching to scare off a racoon had me nearly wetting myself, and
NameChangedToProtectInnocent – your story of racoon family love is TOO adorable. I’m still skeered of them. I remember the scene in “Elf”. Does somebody need a hug???

I know that they are scary as all getout and can be mean, but they are so stinking cute!! I would surrender willingly (from the top of my bookshelf).

Sharon, a hen named Mr…..well, I do live in San Francisco after all where gender lines are really very blurry. And Fatty always acted kinda butch. But there is a longer story behind it that is just too long to tell here so you will just have to live with the mystery, the enigma, the riddle that is Mr. Fatty.
BTW, when the raccoons attacked the chickens my 2 cats totally tried to defend the chicks by circling the raccoons and howling and hissing. They did a fairly good job of slowing the attack till I got out there to break it up.

To Poeski: Well, nobody has asked, so I will…Um, a hen? Named “Mr.”?

A friend of mine grew up with a pet raccoon, who was basically the same age as he was. The first time the parents left him alone with a babysitter, they forgot to warn her. She opened the door to let in the dog, and in walks a raccoon right behind it! She couldn’t chase it out, so she hid with the baby in the bathroom until the parents came home. I laugh out loud every time I picture that!