Email on Wildlife in Queens

…one night I opened the back door and saw a possum wandering through my yard in a relaxed manner. On another night I opened the back door to find a large racoon close to the door. I recognized it as the same racoon that had snuck behind my old dryer when I had been careless and left the door open and unattended.

My cat and her black feral cat best friend were close by, lounging on the backyard patio. They were relaxed and at their ease. They were obviously not afraid of the racoon, a giant compared to them. They acted like they knew her and had seen her many times.

In fair, warm weather, my cat is out all night. And her feral friend never comes in the house. I’d have her in but she’s afraid of the house. I never leave food outside. But it must be rough for wildlife trying to survive in Queens, which is no suburb but a dense urban county. Since my raccoon home invasion I’ve had a raccoon phobia. There is solar lighting back there. But my backyard at night is too wild for me.

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