Paw prints in the Snow

[ScarlettP]

As you probably know, we got our little dusting of snow this week. Not really enough to measure, just enough to turn flat surfaces white. It was enough to prove that I've been feeding more than the local stray cats.

I have two strays that hang out on my back porch and sun themselves at work. A big stripped Tom and a cow spotted Mama cat. The later gave birth to two kittens under my floor last October. When we found them, one was already dead. Mama moved the live one to a box of fabric scraps on the front porch. After we found it, she moved it again and weather turned bitter cold. That was when I started leaving food out for her. There has been no sign of the white kitten, so I can only assume it died.

I have been faithfully leaving a bowl of kibble on the back porch every day. I occasionally see the cats eating, but they are so feral that if they see someone looking out the window, they run. Every morning, the bowl is empty.

After our light snow, I could see animal prints in the snow. The cat prints were expected, as were the bird prints. But something ELSE has been cleaning out the food bowls at night. Something bigger with wide splayed 'fingers'. It's not a raccoon. Those leave prints that look like monkey hands. I'm not sure WHAT this is! I'm taking a camera to work today to see if any of the snow is left with prints in it.

(BTW - I also found out there are TWO cow spotted cats. Saw them together yesterday.)

[Bob]

When you take the photo be sure to put a ruler or even a quarter so the size can be seen. Also if you google "Tracker prints" you will find some with amazing track id skills. (Found out this when I discovered bobcat tracks in east brainerd)

Is it possible your tracks are a big possum?

[ScarlettP]

I did take some photos. At least one with my own foot print in the snow and one with my foot. Don't have a way to get the photos onto the computer at work. But I did get at least one with a Tail trail between the prints.

[LimitedRecourse]

Probably a brontasaurus.

[joedog]

Possum.....

[Warkitty]

I'm thinking Opossum.

[ScarlettP]

Yep. The prints look like the front paw of a Possum as shown. But there are no 'hind' prints. So, if it's a possum, he's walking on his hands.


This is my footprint on the left (DUH!), the unknown critter in the center and a cat on the Right.



Only ONE set of prints showed what appears to be a tail drag. It also shows that the critter came back two nights in a row. Whatever it is, it comes back every night to clean out whatever cat food the kitties left.



Clearest set of prints with a Quarter for scale.



All 8 photos:
s34.photobucket.com/albums/d136/ScarlettP/PawPrints/

[mikeydokey]

Whew, at least he didn't take your quarter.

[Warkitty]

Actually, it looks like a hind print overlaid on one of the front prints. Normal, as animals often walk over the top of their own prints.

[Felix]

Here are what I believe are some raccoon prints:

[Warkitty]

I believe you are correct, Felix.

[ScarlettP]

Ahh... Diversity. Makes the world go round. I'm glad all the wild life in Red Bank like Alley Cat kibble.

[Warkitty]

I'd worry more about coyote tracks. Hard to tell them from a dog track. When living across from the national park I'd find coyote scat in the middle of the trail from time to time and knew it from dog scat because it had a lot of fur in it... evidence of their wild diet rather than kibble. From this website I gather than coyote tracks are around 2", and the toes don't splay out as much as a dog, and with perfect tracks you get claw marks. Wit Strega's prints I get claw marks too, so that's not a determining factor. Seems in an urban setting it would be pretty hard to tell coyote tracks from dog tracks.

[Police Moderator]

It's obviously a Chupacabra.

Somebody call Art Bell.