They may appear to be washing their food when they are foraging near water. However, they are really using the water to help knead and tear at their food to sort out the parts they do not want to eat. Raccoons use a den for bearing young, winter sleep, and temporary shelter. There have been reports of up to 23 raccoons in a single den. However, when communal denning occurs, there is only one adult male present.
Males often travel miles in search of a mate.
After mating, the male remains with the female for about one week before leaving to seek another mate. The young are born in the spring and open their eyes when they are about 3 weeks old. At first, the mother carries them around by the napes of their necks, similarly to the way a cat carries its kittens, but she soon leads them on foraging expeditions. The young usually leave the den on their own in the fall. Raccoons leave discarded crayfish remains near the shores of streams and ponds.