How can you tell if it's squirrels or raccoons invading your attic?

My attic | 1/26/19 | Me, Myself, & I

[EinNYC]

For the past few weeks, usually in the middle of the night, I have been hearing some kind of animal running around, scratching, etc. in my attic. I asked the maintenance guys to go up into the attic to have a look for damage, points of entry, etc. They went up there and reported no holes. They had put a small Havahart trap up there baited with peanut butter, but nothing was caught in there. I told them to remove that, as I didn't want anything getting trapped and then starving. I threw a bunch of bags of mothballs up there when they left.

This afternoon, at 5 p.m., I was sitting in my living room when my Maine Coon cat alerted. She jumped up onto the top shelf of her cat tower and then stood on her hind legs, allowing her to dab her paws against the ceiling. She heard something! A moment later, I heard a big THUNK! and then the sound of an animal dropping to the floor, in the attic. I banged around everywhere with the end of a broom handle, and then I didn't hear it any more.

Is this a raccoon or a squirrel? I have written emails to the management, urging them to get professional wildlife removal, but so far, they have not acted. I certainly don't want this thing having a litter of babies up there, as I know breeding season is just about here. A look around while standing on the ground has not revealed any holes, but there are solar panels all over the roof, and if the animal has chewed an entry hole under those, you wouldn't be able to see them just walking around outside.

[mass55th]

"Throw the cat up in the attic for a few hours"

I'd be too afraid of rabies to do that.

[mass55th]

"Put some newspaper down and see what they do."

Make sure it's the New York Slimes.

[mass55th]

"I’m sure it’s just Satan’s Dark Minions"

It's Mr. Howdy.

[Jeff Chandler]

From the novel, Collateral Crimes

Jesse said, “I just might shoot some rabbit.”
Jonathan said, “Won’t the hikers hear the shots?”
Joe said, “That’s why I packed sub-sonics.”
Jonathan said, “Sub-sonics?”
“That loud crack you hear when you fire a .22 is the sound of the bullet breaking the sound barrier. Breaking it two times, really. Once speeding up and once slowing down. Sub-sonic ammo is designed to travel below the speed of sound. The loudest thing you’ll hear is the gun’s mechanism operating.”
Jesse said, “I thought you weren’t supposed to use subsonic ammo in rifles.”
"I think they’ll work just fine in that little bolt action Savage.

[lastchance]

The scat.

[Jeff Chandler]

I set a Havahart trap out once for a destructive cat. I caught Mrs. Chandler’s Pug dog. The visuals were hilarious.

[Berlin_Freeper]

In the attic lights
Voices scream
Nothing’s seen
Real’s a dream

https://youtu.be/mO-p_eSe8yU

[Paladin2]

Lord help you if you hit an Elk in anything less than an F-250.

I think there have been more Black Bear interactions in Bozeman than Elk downtown...

[ConservativeMind]

Any dog that can be killed by a cat is worthless.

[Paladin2]

Well, THAT’s why YouTube was invented.

I want to see the evidence...

[ConservativeMind]

A feral dog?

[Paladin2]

Yeah, my squirrel problems are at Dawn and Dusk, generally.

[lastchance]

About the mothballs. Bad idea you can get major breathing problems from having them up there. Plus they don’t work.

Call an exterminator. If it is a racoon trapping and releasing it may very well be against the law. So that pretty much leaves the big trash can in the sky.

[Paladin2]

Just at the cusp of night vision equipment....

[Paladin2]

I have not tried the pop bottle mufflers yet....

[Jeff Chandler]

We weren’t thinking about monetizing the situation, we were concerned about the dog having a heart attack.

But it was still funny.

[BobL]

“For the past few weeks, usually in the middle of the night, I have been hearing some kind of animal running around, scratching, etc. in my attic.”

Are you sure it’s not Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, looking for another vote?

[gundog]

Dauschund, as .I recall. Probably a pampered puppy. not the badger-hunting type

[lastchance]

Well I for one can tell you she puts a bird feeder up there the squirrels will come and come and wait still come.

[ConservativeMind]

LOL! I’d love to see a video of that!