Slam the Pet Door on Outsiders

Dear Andrea: A local critter, Rocky the raccoon, occasionally enters the house at night through the kitchen pet door used by our outdoor cats. Removing the cat food at night only works when we are at home. When we went out of town, we moved the cat food to another part of the house but the raccoon followed. Lights and music are not always a deterrent. Rocky has even entered during the early evening when we are at home. Any ideas on how to discourage Rocky, who has never done any physical damage?

--S.B., Pacific Palisades

Dear Reader: Your question brings up a topic that the folks in Pacific Grove, south of San Francisco, have been struggling with since fall, when a little boy there was infected with the very dangerous raccoon roundworm while in his own backyard.

Just how close is too close?

It may be a matter of tolerance, degree of curiosity, and certainly the level of risk we’re each willing to take. But at my house it’s a safe bet you won’t find any wild animals wandering in through pet doors for a nightly nibble of cat food. Much as I love wildlife.

And while it’s still unclear just what the extent of the roundworm infestation is in raccoons throughout California, all it takes is one idiot to illegally transport in a few infected animals to expand the infestation’s scope. Besides, there are 10 zillion other diseases to consider, hence, 10 zillion other reasons not to let Rocky and his ilk into the house.

But let’s consider pet doors. A relatively modern invention, pet doors were a pretty good idea when they arrived on the market. Heck, one less time letting the cat in and out the door in an otherwise busy day had to be a good thing, right?

And after all, who knew the damage cats would do to wild bird populations? (Outdoor cats kill an estimated 10 million to 50 million wild birds each year.) Today we know better. Not only are cats better off indoors, but wild mammals are also better off with some distance between us and them, despite the trend to “invite” them into the backyard.

In fact, experts tell us cats are safer and live longer indoors, where they aren’t exposed to disease and parasites. And native predators such as foxes, owls and bobcats benefit by not having to compete with cats for food.

So think about getting rid of the pet door, keep the cats indoors, and say bye-bye to Rocky Raccoon.

Of course, folks whose dogs use pet doors have a tougher time, since most dogs aren’t interested in a litter box (nor are their owners). But there’s a product that sounds promising: The dog (only a small dog, I’m afraid) wears a collar that activates the door and permits only the wearer of the collar to pass through. To find these remote-activated doors, you may have to query several stores.

I’d like to hear from readers who have had experience with this product, or who have had luck with other techniques, particularly with bigger dogs. I’ll pass along what I learn.

Got critter conflicts? Send your queries to wildlife biologist Andrea Kitay at P.O. Box 2489, Camarillo, CA 93011, or via e-mail to andrea@livingwithwildlife.com. Please include your name and city. Questions cannot be answered individually. For a list of Wildlife Bulletins that provide sound advice on homeowner-wildlife conflicts ($4 each), send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the above address, or visit www.livingwithwildlife.com.