Animal Living Under Your Hot Tub? What Moves In and How to Get It Out

Raccoons, opossums, skunks, and stray cats move under hot tubs in cold weather because the cabinet is warm, dry, and hidden. Confirm what is living there, encourage it to leave, then close the gaps in the skirting so it cannot return.

Why do animals like hot tubs?

A hot tub cabinet can offer exactly what an animal wants when the weather turns cold. The pump and heater area provides warmth, the cabinet stays dry, and the skirting creates a concealed space where the animal can settle out of sight.

Insulation may also provide nesting material. Because many hot tubs sit on a deck or patio close to the house, an animal can find this shelter without moving far from the rest of the property.

What signs point to a tenant?

Start with the skirting. A panel that looks pushed inward, chewed, or shifted may reveal the entrance. Torn insulation near that opening is another useful clue, especially when material has been pulled toward a sheltered corner of the cabinet.

Look around the base for tracks or droppings, and note any strong smell near the tub. A disturbed cover or cabinet can also suggest activity. No single clue tells the whole story, so consider what you see, smell, and notice around the same area.

How do you tell who is under there?

Tracks in soil or snow may narrow the possibilities before you open a panel. Cat tracks typically appear without claw marks, while a strong, recognizable odor points toward a skunk. A raccoon-size opening with torn material around it can suggest a larger visitor has been entering the cabinet.

Use those signs to form a cautious working answer, not an excuse to reach inside. If you still cannot identify the animal, keep your distance and ask a wildlife control professional to inspect the space.

How do you get it out safely?

The goal is to make the hiding place less comfortable while preserving a clear way out. Work patiently and avoid turning a sheltering animal into a trapped one.

• Turn off power at the breaker: Do this before opening any hot tub panel. The cabinet contains pump, heater, and wiring areas that should not be approached while powered.
• Do not reach in or block the animal inside: Give it space and keep its known exit available while you encourage it to move.
• Use light and noise: Place them near the tub for a few evenings so the hidden space becomes less inviting.
• Loosely block the gap: After giving the animal time to leave, place a loose obstruction at the opening and check whether it gets pushed out. That movement can show that the space is still being used.
• Repair and reinforce the panels: Once you have confirmed the animal is gone, close the gaps in the skirting so the same shelter is no longer available.

Do not handle damaged wiring or insulation yourself. Ask a hot tub technician to inspect and repair those areas before restoring power or using the tub.

If young animals may be inside, stop and call a wildlife control professional. Removing or excluding an adult without accounting for young can leave animals trapped inside the cabinet.

When should you trap?

Trapping may be appropriate when the animal will not leave or keeps returning after you have made the area less inviting. Check local trapping and relocation rules first, since requirements can vary by location and animal.

A live trap set beside a hot tub must be watched closely in cold weather. Prompt confirmation matters because a captured animal is confined and exposed to the conditions around the tub. If you cannot monitor the trap closely or are unsure how to proceed, bring in a wildlife control professional.

How can OcuTrap help with a capture near your hot tub?

OcuTrap is a smart, humane, box-style live trap for raccoon-size animals and cats. It sends a real-time photo alert at the moment of capture, helping you identify the animal and respond without leaving it waiting unnoticed in the cold.

If the capture is a non-target animal, such as a neighbor's cat, remote door control lets you release it from the app without a site visit. OcuTrap uses cellular connectivity, so it can work in a yard where Wi-Fi does not reach. One app can also monitor any number of traps across properties.

Get your hot tub back, reinforce the skirting, and keep an animal from spending the winter beside it. Explore humane, connected trapping at ocutrap.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can an animal return after leaving a hot tub cabinet?

Yes, an animal may return if the same opening and sheltered space remain available. Confirm that the cabinet is empty, then repair and reinforce pushed-in, chewed, or loose skirting panels. Do not seal the gap while activity continues, since that could block an animal inside.

Should I put a live trap beside my hot tub in winter?

Consider a live trap only when the animal will not leave or repeatedly returns. Check local trapping and relocation rules before setting it, and watch the trap closely in cold weather so you can respond promptly to a capture. Contact a wildlife control professional if close monitoring is not practical.

What should I do if an animal damaged hot tub wiring or insulation?

Turn off power at the breaker before opening a panel, and do not handle damaged wiring or insulation yourself. Ask a hot tub technician to inspect and repair the affected areas before power is restored or the tub is used again.

Could a stray cat be living under my hot tub?

A stray cat can use a warm, dry, hidden hot tub cabinet during cold weather. Cat tracks typically appear without claw marks. Give the animal a clear exit, use light and noise near the tub for a few evenings, and secure the skirting only after confirming it has left.