On 8/13/2014 11:59 AM, Higgs Boson wrote:
Big SOB has been terrorizing household intermittently for ages.
Comes in through cat door; scarfs up cat food; messes his water
dish. We blocked up cat door; cat has to use window giving on dark
yard; have it open minimum, but anxious-making.

Replace your pet door with a more secure model.
There are pet doors that have sensors built into them that detect a
matching sensor you attach to the pet's collar, or the microchip
embedded in your cat. That way, the door opens for the pet, but not
for any other animal.
Here's one to consider:
http://www.amazon.com/SureFlap-Micro...=1408395218&sr

Point is: Why are RACCOONS -- biggest pest around -- "protected"
!!!? I asked Animal Shelter for help -- send someone to trap him,
or lend me a cage. They said haven't done this for years. Gave me
info about "protected" status. I'M THE ONE WHO NEEDS PROTECTION!

What they meant is that racoons are game animals. And as such, they
are protected by game laws, which you have to abide by in order to
legally deal with them.

Look up the game laws for your state, or phone your state department
of natural resources. Most states have clauses in their game laws that
permit homeowners to legally eliminate a game animal that is posing a
nuisance to the homeowner. Usually, those laws require the homeowner
to give the DNR advance notice of their intent to do so. That's not
because the DNR is playing hardass; it's to protect the homeowner in
the event that somebody gets mad about the killing and reports the
homeowner to the DNR, who will then have to treat it as an unlawful
taking of a game animal.

So - talk to the right people to find out the right way to deal with
your problem. Then replace your cat door with something more secure,
or you will continue to have animal incursions.