——are now prey to overpopulated raccoons,roving coyote packs——
Hmmmm......... interesting.
We had a few months of disappearing cats and small dogs that was attributed to coyotes. But coons?
I live in a suburban community where my property is visited at least twice every night by the resident coons. My yard is thus coon habitat. There are three stray cats that make regular forays into my yard. I think cats and coons coexist.
Ravcoons WILL take cats. One came inside ,grabbed a seversl month old kitten and ran off under some farm machinery where it haf dug a den. The kitten’s mother and myself both tried to rescue the kitten but were a couple feet too slow. Mother cat went into the den ,and I had to hear the terrified cries of the kitten as it was killed . Raccoon died from lead poisoning two nights later. Mother cat returned after another day.
Another large raccoon boldly walked up to and started to grab an adult cat but ran off when I yelled.
Several other small kittens disappeared when I had foolishly thought the raccoons were only eating the outside cat food.
An adult raccoon can easily kill an adult ordinary cat,as the ‘coon will outweigh the domestic cat .
The common pet cat sadly often doesn’t realize raccoons are a theat .
I miss the coon hunters of the past.