Photographed from only about 18 inches away, this soggy racoon enjoyed some bread and blueberry yogurt snacks this evening. One of my housecats was very curious to find out why I wasn't paying attention to him, and he succeeded in scaring away the friendly, soggy visitor, but only for a few seconds.
Racoons are one of those suburban dwellers who show little fear of humans, and that trait was certainly in evidence as she felt comfortable enough to groom herself for a moment or two. The photo that shows her baring her teeth, however, is misleading. I snapped a photo while she was chewing.
Although the sliding glass door to the deck was open, I fashioned a solid barrier (about two feet high) that prevents any sort of actual contact, and makes it almost impossible for the house cats to sneak outside while I'm busy firing away with the camera.
Although cute and seemingly friendly, racoons are wild animals, and can be unpredictable. Never initiate contact with any wild animal without taking precautions to avoid injury or stress (to the animal or yourself)
