Are Raccoons Dangerous to Cats, Dogs, or Other Pets?

NEED LOCAL HELP? We have wildlife removal professionals servicing 95% of the USA. Click here to hire a local raccoon removal expert in your home town. Updated 2018. But read the below advice first!

Yes, raccoons can be dangerous to our pets. Raccoons can pose a danger to all sorts of animals, from man’s best friend to man’s equine friend, any animal that has contact with it being at risk of exposure to diseases. Even if our pets have been inoculated, by being in contact with raccoons, they’re creating stronger viruses and different strains of the same virus.



Raccoons come in contact with our pets much more frequently than they normally should. Common food sources bring them together, even though they would have never met in natural circumstances. These encounters allow for viruses to be transmitted back and forth, increasing our pets’ exposure to contagious diseases, allowing for viruses to become more infections and harder to stop.

Raccoons have also been known to attack dogs and cats if they feel the need to defend themselves, having the necessary strength and skills to even kill small dogs and cats.

You should always be careful where you keep your pet food. Keep it inside, especially during nighttime, but also during the day. If you feed your pets or other animals outside, be sure to not leave leftovers out. Once they’re done eating, take what’s left back inside. Raccoons will also be attracted to bird feeders, so if you have a bird feeder, try and secure it so that a raccoon can’t reach it.

As cute as it may be, the raccoon poses a threat on many levels, the safety and well-being of your pet(s) being just one of them. You could also easily get sick by direct or indirect contact with a raccoon. Raccoon roundworm is the most frequently raccoon to human transmitted disease, and you can contract the virus simply by cleaning up raccoon feces without proper protection gear. In addition, if a raccoon sets shop on your property – in your attic, for example – it will cause structure deteriorations, and it will infect the area with its toxic excrements.

If you hear or see a raccoon on your property, call animal control as soon as possible. A wildlife pro will be able to efficiently remove the raccoon and any young it might have, decontaminate the area inhabited by the animal, and seal shut all the raccoon entry points so that a different raccoon or other critters can’t invade again in the future. If you don’t want to hire a pro, educate yourself on how to successfully get rid of raccoons in a humane manner. It’s not an easy job, and it’s probably not even legal in your state for you to do this by yourself, but the truth is nobody can really stop you if that’s the choice you want to make. However you want to go about it, just don’t think that the problem is going to resolve itself. Raccoons are invasive and opportunistic – they’re nothing but trouble to have around your house and around your pets.

Go back to the Raccoons in the attic home page.

Read more articles about raccoons:
Should I Hire a Pro, or Remove Raccoons Myself?
Do Female Raccoons Make Good Mothers?