Huge claw marks on car windows. What type of animal might be doing this?

Question

I have a medium-sized jeep. At night, some animal (we haven't caught sight of it yet) comes and tries to get in the car. It leaves scratches and claw marks on the windows. Zero paw prints, so it's likely not a dog, and the claws are too large to be a raccoon. The only thing in the jeep that might attract an animal would be a bag of dry dog food we left in their for a few days.

We live in an area with mountain lions, wolves, and coyotes. I REALLY hope there's a less-terrifying explanation for the scratches. It is NOT a fox, opossum, or coon, unless someone injected them with growth serum.

Elaine M · Answer

No mt. lion or wolf would try to get into a car for that.  Coyote - maybe.
Dry dog food would also attract squirrels, which have damaged the paint on our vehicles.  But remember not all dogs leave paw prints, they can scrape, if their pads are dried out they won't leave pad marks.

Anonymous · Answer

It's a bear. Obviously. Never leave out food!

daniel g · Answer

I might suggest a bear, they have a keen sense of smell for things like dog food.
Keeping the dog food indoors or garage will eliminate this.
if you or neighbors have had problems with ransacked trash cans, it is certainly a black bear.

Anonymous · Answer

Perhaps it's a bear.

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Huge claw marks on car windows. What type of animal might be doing this?

4 Answers