This Mistake Brought All The Raccoons To The Yard

As the famous lyrics go...it's no surprise to me I am my own worst enemy, and yet again, I have proved this to be true.

I have good intentions, and i'm an animal lover at heart, but I was warned, time and time again, by various people that this was going to happen...and here we are.

It happened.

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The Back Story: My Accidental Cat Colony

Long story short, a few years ago a cat showed up at the front door, I thought it was a stray, I started feeding it, and it appears she told all her friends where to go for free/good eats.

READ MORE: My 'Accidental' Cat Colony

Over the years, different cats and kittens have stopped by for a snack or two, and i've continued to put food out on a regular basis in order to keep up with the demand...yes, even after everyone warned me that more and more cats are going to come, and other animals will eventually figure out that there's food outside my front door, and they too will come by to eat...

Those 'other guys 'have arrived.

SEE ALSO: This Hudson Valley County Has An App To Report Animal Cruelty

A Raccoon Family Is Hanging Out On My Front Steps

Honestly, I've lost count of all the different cats and kittens that grub from my front step each night, but best believe they've all received some sort of nickname from me or my daughter. A few weeks ago we had a random skunk come up to check for food, but something spooked it before he had a chance to eat, and haven't seen him since. This crew though, they've come in HOT.

The past week or so, though, a raccoon family has been visiting, eating, stealing the food dish, and seemingly have claimed my front steps as their new vacation home. It has definitely deterred some of the usual felines from visiting for their midnight snack, but it also has me freaked out. I can't risk them getting too comfortable with my main means of entering/exiting my home, or showing up in broad daylight, or when I have my front door open and my own indoor cats are sitting there with only a thin screen separating them.

So, as sad as it is, I tossed the food dish, and i'm no longer putting any food outside each night to attract random wildlife to the front door. The number of raccoon visits has decreased, but they're still looking to see if anything is out.

As for the random neighborhood cats, it's breaking my heart to see them come by, look around and drop their adorable little heads when there's no snacks left out, but even they've been showing up less and less.

Responsible adulting is hard, isn't it.