One morning, the writer woke up to the sound of a cat dish falling off a platform and discovered a large raccoon in the living room. The raccoon had gained access through the cat door, which the writer later found out after watching footage from a Ring camera. The raccoon had been in the house earlier before being detected and eventually escaped through the cat door. Surprisingly, there was no damage, and the writer’s cats seemed fine after the encounter.
This incident was the latest in a series of urban wildlife encounters captured on the writer’s backyard cameras. The writer had a microchip pet door meant to allow only their two cats to enter. However, raccoons were able to pry the door open in the opposite direction it normally swings, allowing them to enter without needing a microchip. The writer activated an “intruder mode” on the device to prevent unauthorized entry, but was concerned about inadvertently locking out their own cats.
The writer had used the cat door for years and appreciated the freedom it gave their cats to come and go as they pleased. They were hesitant to introduce new restrictions on their cats’ movements. The writer considered looking for another technological solution to prevent future raccoon encounters and mentioned considering motion-sensing lights and cat doors with two-way microchip capabilities. Despite the incident, the writer acknowledged the benefits and drawbacks of innovative technology in situations like this.
The writer reached out to their audience for suggestions on a better solution to prevent unwanted visitors like raccoons from gaining access while still allowing their cats to come and go freely. The writer expressed their desire to find a technology-based solution that would work effectively without restricting their cats’ movements. In the meantime, the writer remained cautious, prepared to listen for any potential disturbances during the night while sleeping in the living room.
Overall, the writer’s encounter with a raccoon in their living room prompted them to reevaluate the security of their microchip pet door and seek out a more reliable solution to keep wild animals out while still allowing their cats the freedom to roam. The incident highlighted the challenges of balancing innovation and convenience with the potential risks and drawbacks that come with new technology. Despite the unexpected visitor, the writer remained determined to find a suitable tech-based solution to prevent future wildlife encounters while ensuring their cats could continue to enjoy the outdoors.
