Cat and Raccoon Have Hilariously Dramatic Reaction to Coming Face to Face
An extraordinary encounter between a cat and a foraging raccoon has been captured on camera.
In footage recorded via a Ring security camera, the wild animal was seen sniffing around the back door of a resident in Caledon East, Ontario, Canada, while a black and white cat named Lily was sitting just behind the glass, watching it look for scraps to eat.
It's not entirely clear what would have happened if the two had not been separated by the glass of the door, although raccoons have been known to make surprise appearances around certain residences in the U.S.
According to the Humane Society of the United States, raccoons have been known to come into contact with cats, particularly if they are fed outside. The exchanges can go one of two ways and, in certain circumstances, raccoons can represent a real threat to cats.
"Raccoons sometimes get into scraps with cats and they may occasionally prey on small animals housed outside, such as chickens and rabbits," the Humane Society writes. "When no other food is available, raccoons might even prey upon kittens and small cats, but other times, they can be seen eating side-by-side when cats are fed outdoors."
Then again, while raccoons might represent a threat to some cats, the reverse can also be true. A 2013 study published in the scientific journal Nature found that free-ranging domestic cats represented the top human-caused threat to wildlife in the U.S. According to the study, cats were thought to have killed an estimated 1.3 billion to 3.7 billion birds and 6.3 billion to 22.3 billion mammals annually.
Who would have come out on top in this particular clash is unclear, but it certainly looks like Lily the cat and her raccoon guest were up for a fight.
While Lily cat be seen hissing at the raccoon in a manner that will be familiar to anyone who has ever owned a feline, her visitor definitely sticks up for themselves. The raccoon can be seen with an arched back, hissing at the cat through the glass, stock still, refusing to move an inch despite the feline's show of aggression.
It's a standoff that lasts several seconds with the two animals locking eyes as the tension seems to rise.
Perhaps sensing that it might be fighting a losing battle given that this is the cat's house, the raccoon eventually relents, moving away from the property.
It's not the first time a raccoon has invaded someone's home. One was recently found living it up in a homeowner's hammock.
In another instance, a politician was left dismayed after a raccoon managed to break into his home and defecate on an American flag in a move deemed "not very patriotic."
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