Late Night Visitors

We always knew there were skunks in the neighborhood. Last summer alone Simba and Sunny were sprayed three times. So when we started feeding the stray cats, I was not surprised to see a skunk eating from the bowl late one night. Then we started catching glimpses more and more often and smelling that distinctive skunk scent in the middle of the night.

Then walking home from the grocery store the other night, Rommel and I spotted Flower, as my husband named it, eating on the porch. The first surprise was that it was still light out. The second surprise was that when Flower scurried away, it was to a burrow that lead underneath our house.

Rommel saw Flower out the next night with another skunk and blocked off the burrow, but I noticed a new burrow tonight when I was watering the lawn. They both showed up later in the evening and when I walked out the door, they disappeared under the house.

Rommel is ready to cover up the new burrow, but I cannot help and worry about the possibility of babies under the house. I cannot in good conscious close off access when breeding season for skunks does not end until August.

I also found out some other interesting facts about skunks when checking out their breeding season online. They are extremely good pest control and eat rats and mice. They eat 70% of the insects that are harmful to humans, such as black widows. They also live peacefully with cats, which makes me feel better about possible fights.

They have never made a motion to spray us even though we have been just feet away and we can always close the doggie door to keep the dogs from getting to close.

So I guess the question now is what should we name Flower's friend?