I figured out what my strange night visitor was.  It was a cacomistle!!! This is exactly what it sounded like and if you hear it, you’ll see why i was so mistified!!!! Go HERE to hear it. Isn’t this the oddest animal sound you’ve ever heard? It is also called a Mexican ring-tailed cat, but it is related to a raccoon, not a cat. I found a web discussion from 2018 where a resident of Chapala had seen and photographed a cacomistle in a tree near their home, so I guess they have been seen here, albeit rarely as they are more common to Central America. Fascinating. I hope the one I heard stays safe and high up in the tree away from the dogs. Perhaps it will move on. I’ll continue to put them in for a few nights until I hear no nore midnight clicks and squeals.

To see my original post leading up to this one, go HERE.

But…now a further solution to the mystery.  It seems coatimundis make similar sounds.  Go HERE to hear them.

Procyonidae – cacomistle, coatis, raccoons, ringtails

There are 18 species of small to medium-sized species in this family. They are found in North, Central, and South America. They have medium to long tails, brown to gray fur, pointed noses, and rounded or pointed ears. Many species have masked faces and ringed tails. The species in this order are omnivores. They eat a fruit, berries, seeds, small mammals, birds, eggs, fish, insects, reptiles, and amphibians. All of the species in this family can climb trees. Some species are social and live in groups, other species are solitary and live alone.