Socially, raccoons are far more complex than many people assume. While they’re often thought of as solitary, urban raccoons have been observed forming loose social groups—especially females who share dens and participate in communal raising of young. Their communication system is surprisingly sophisticated, involving over 200 distinct vocalizations, along with body language and scent marking. Mothers and kits communicate constantly, with kits producing a range of chirps, trills, and squeaks that help the mother locate them or gauge their needs. Even adult raccoons use different calls for alarm, aggression, mating, and play.