Raccoons are kind of dangerous and can be rabid (as opposed to possums, who hiss and pretend to be dangerous - and very very rarely are rabid). I had a young possum eating my cat's food when I was younger. He'd hiss at us and I'd tell him he was silly and no one was going to mess with him. He'd usually hide in a box and hiss from inside it when we (me & my dogs) were outside.

It really is.

Merlin is! well, he's protective in the house. He doesn't like strangers (read: anyone but Mom and me) in his house.

Awwww, Misty. I know you guys are enemies.