Perhaps it is genetically imprinted, and breeding has removed it?
By the way, distemper will kill the coons. Not that I am recommending it - but years ago while I still did farm chores, when spring arrived one winter there were a bunch of dead racoons all over that farm. My ex is a veterinarian, and when I mentioned it to him (we leased the barn) he said it was most likely distemper. I was more worried about rabies, so that made me feel better since my dogs were vaccinated. (not that I wanted them around the raccoons anyways!) ~Jan
