There are a lot of urban legends out there about animals being able to mate with other, seemingly unrelated species. One of the most popular is that cats and raccoons can mate. While it is technically possible for them to do so, it is incredibly unlikely and there are no recorded instances of it happening in the wild.
Here's what you need to know about why this unlikely pairing could never work out:
First off, cats and raccoons are not closely related. Cats are in the Felidae family while raccoons are in the Procyonidae family. This means that they are not as closely related as, say, dogs and wolves (which can successfully mate). In order for two animals to be able to mate, they must be close enough on the evolutionary tree.
Secondly, even if cats and raccoons were close enough relatives to be able to produce offspring, their offspring would likely be sterile (unable to reproduce). This is because different species have different numbers of chromosomes which makes it difficult for them to produce viable eggs or sperm. For example, humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes while dogs have 39. This difference often results in sterile offspring (like mules).
So while it is theoretically possible for cats and raccoons to mate, it is highly unlikely that they would ever actually be able to produce offspring. So don't worry about your kitty getting pregnant by a masked bandit anytime soon!