Raccoon Coming Through the Cat Door: What to Do Tonight

A raccoon uses a cat door because it smells pet food on the other side and the flap is easy to push. Lock the door at night and move the food and water away from it, and the visits usually stop once the reward is gone.

Your goal tonight is simple: remove the easy entrance, remove the food reward, and keep the raccoon from exploring farther into the house. You can handle those steps without chasing, cornering, or frightening the animal.

Why is a raccoon using the pet door?

A pet door offers two things a raccoon can quickly learn to recognize: the smell of food and a flap that opens with a push. If entering once leads to a bowl of kibble, the raccoon has a reason to remember the route and return on a similar schedule.

The visitor may not always be a raccoon. Opossums and skunks can also use pet doors when food is available inside, so removing the reward matters even if you are not certain which animal has been entering.

What should you do tonight?

Start before dusk if possible. Make the pet door unavailable, clear the nearby food smells, and arrange the house so an unexpected visitor cannot move from room to room.

• Lock or block the flap at dusk: Use the pet door's lock or a secure cover that prevents the flap from being pushed inward.
• Pick up pet food and water bowls: Move both away from the door so the area no longer offers an obvious reward.
• Close interior doors: Limit access to the rest of the house in case an animal gets through before the flap is secured.
• Clean up spilled kibble: Check around bowls, storage containers, and the floor near the pet door for overlooked pieces.
• Bring pets in before dark: Get your cat or other pet indoors before securing the flap for the night.

Keep this routine consistent. A locked flap helps stop entry, while removing food gives the raccoon less reason to return and test the door again.

What if the raccoon is inside right now?

Stay calm and keep people and pets away. Do not approach the raccoon, chase it through the house, or corner it. Instead, open an exterior door that gives it a clear way out, close interior doors to restrict access, and dim the room.

Then step back and give the animal space and time to leave. If it will not leave or is behaving strangely, call animal control or a wildlife professional rather than trying to handle the situation yourself.

Do microchip pet doors keep raccoons out?

A microchip pet door can help because it stays locked unless it reads your pet's chip or collar tag. That removes the always-available flap that a raccoon can simply push open.

Construction still matters. A determined raccoon may pry at a flimsy flap, so choose a sturdy model with a locking cover. Continue moving food away from the entrance and picking up bowls at night, since a secured door works best when there is no reward waiting behind it.

When does trapping make sense?

Consider trapping when the raccoon keeps returning after the food is gone and the pet door is secured, or when it is denning on the property. Check local trapping and relocation regulations before setting a trap, and bring in a wildlife professional when the situation calls for experienced help.

Place the live trap outside along the raccoon's approach route, never inside the house. Remember that your own cat is the most likely non-target animal, so trap identification and a prompt response are especially important.

How can OcuTrap help with a returning raccoon?

OcuTrap is a smart, humane live-capture trap and monitoring system. When the trap closes, a real-time photo alert sent at the moment of capture shows whether it holds the raccoon or your cat. If your cat is the non-target capture, you can release it from the app without going outside.

Cellular connectivity also lets OcuTrap work at the far side of a yard where Wi-Fi may not reach. The same app can monitor any number of traps across properties, so you can know what was captured without repeatedly checking each site in person.

Take back the pet door by removing the food reward, securing the flap, and responding humanely if trapping becomes necessary. Know what is in the trap the moment it closes with ocutrap.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I keep my cat's food beside the pet door during the day?

Moving food and water away from the pet door makes the entrance less rewarding to a visiting raccoon. Clean up spilled kibble as well, then pick up the bowls before dusk and secure the flap for the night. The goal is to separate the pet entrance from the food smell that encouraged the visit.

Should a live trap be placed in the kitchen after a raccoon gets inside?

No. A live trap should be set outside along the raccoon's approach route, not inside the house. If a raccoon is currently indoors, keep people and pets away, provide a clear exterior exit, close interior doors, dim the room, and give it space. Call animal control or a wildlife professional if it will not leave.

How can I tell whether my cat entered the raccoon trap?

OcuTrap sends a real-time photo alert at the moment of capture, allowing you to identify whether the trap holds the raccoon or your cat. If your cat is the non-target capture, remote trap and door control lets you release it through the app without making a trip outside.

Where can a cellular live trap work around a home?

A cellular live trap can work in places around a property where Wi-Fi does not reach, including the far side of a yard. With OcuTrap, capture information and a photo alert are sent through cellular connectivity, while the app provides remote trap and door control.