Hangar Intruder

[Wilfred]

A few years ago a feral tom cat appeared near the hangar. I began putting out water and dry food for it and every morning the food was gone.
After months the cat would come into the hangar. Months after that I was able to touch it. Old cat with one ear missing.

The cat has for the last two years lived full time in the hangar. He sleeps on a folded up quilt way up on a cabinet shelf under a 100-watt bulb that is left on full time in cold weather. He comes and goes as he wishes through a 'doggy door' I put in the wall.

The past few days all his wet and dry food is completely gone. He never eats that much, so obviously something else is getting into the hangar and eating the food. Could be a coyote, a skunk, or another cat. I can't figure out whch.

Some sort of motion detector that could somehow turn on my small video camera would solve the mystery, but I don't have the equipment on hand for that.

How would you solve what animal is involved here?

[steveinindy]

Trail camera. They are simple and inexpensive.

[steveinindy]

...or put baby powder down inside of the door and see what tracks show up.

[Joe LaMantia]

I have 5 cats, all chose us and we have several strays that visit our outside bowl. It's been very cold, for Ohio the past few days. Last night we had a raccoon at the bowl on the back porch, they will eat just about anything, including dry cat food. If your cat is old, he has probably seen all kinds of wildlife and given his age he will not challenge them. In addition, we got about an inch of light dry snow last night, and it is very easy to tell the difference between a cat paw print and a raccoons'. I like Steve's suggestion with the baby powder, it's cheap, requires no power, and will give you a clue as to the critters ID>

Joe

[rosiejerryrosie]

Put the food inside a live trap and you need not interpret footprints. Just make sure the trap is big enough to hold anything you might expect....

[Wilfred]

Thanks for the hints. I am going to look into getting a trail camera...food was all gone again this morning...whatever it is, it has a good appetite!

Wilfred

[Mike M]

borrowed this photo off the internet, don't have one of "my guy", but he's my hangar rodent protection. no pet food to buy, no cat urine smell, no cat poop, my wife doesn't mess with my stuff, she won't even let her chihuahua in the place so no dog piddle/poop, either. cold-hearted killer, he is. 'bout four feet long.

[WLIU]

Do you fly a tailwheel airplane? It would be great if your could post a photo of your face when that guy appears between the rudder pedals when you are on a cross country flight!

Best of luck,

Wes
N78PS

[prasmussen]

Wonder just how many Young Eagles have been eaten by pythons. Bet they don't publish that.

[CraigCantwell]

We had a problem racoon one year at work. Security was finally able to trap him after numerous trys. They took him out and dumped him on an island on the other side of the lake from the end of our runway. Flippin coon beat the security guys back to the plant.... When they finally caught him again many months later, I belive they dumped out in a state park about 90 miles away.