Q: Do raccoons and panthers cover their fecal droppings, and what do their pawprints look like? I think I have a bad problem with raccoons and panthers at my house. -- Barbara

A: Hmm. You didn't say what your problem is, but you can learn a lot about animals by looking at and following their tracks, and by (brace yourself) examining their scat, or fecal droppings, as you call them.

You can see a photo of Florida panther pawprints in our article on Florida panthers. Panther pawprints are 2.5 to 3.5 inches long, depending on the individual and also depending on whether the print was made by a front or back paw; front paws are usually larger. Panther pawprints also show 4 toepads. (Note you don't see claws because cats of various kinds usually walk with their claws retracted.)

Again like various cats, panthers try to cover their waste with dirt. Are the droppings in your yard covered up a little? If you wanted to, you could pick through the scat with a stick and see what's in it. Keep in mind that panthers love to hunt and eat deer. Do you see any indication of deer there?

Because there are so few panthers (fewer than 100), it's more likely that, if it is some kind of cat in your yard, it's a bobcat. Bobcat tracks are 1 to 2 inches long and usually the same size front and back. Their scat contains more evidence of rodents than panthers' usually does.

With raccoon pawprints, you're going to see 5 clawed toes 2 to 3.5 inches long, with the back paws being much larger than the front. Raccoon scat can include all kinds of things because they are omnivores, which eat both plant- and animal-based foods.

Unless these wildlife visitors are destroying your property or you feel they are a threat, try to learn to enjoy their presence. There must be something attractive to them about your yard. If you are leaving food outside for pets, then bringing that food inside may be enough to discourage the wildlife from visiting. But maybe they like your yard because you have a source of fresh water, food or shelter that they need. In that case, Barbara, these wildlife think your property is part of their territory. Lucky you!

Check out Scats and Tracks of the Southeast by James Halfpenny and Jim Bruchac to learn more about wildlife tracks and signs.

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