Raccoons

There are raccoons in our neighborhood.  A few years ago, I had issues with them getting into the bird food I stored in containers on the back patio and upper deck.  Needless to say, I now keep my birdfood in the garage.  Recently I changed a bird feeder from an open mouth feeder to little slots for the birds access to the food.   I had seen the squirrels and grackles eating all my bird seed so wanted to change it just for the finches.

Shortly after I changed the feeder, I noticed a plant had been trampled.  I didn't pay it much attention just figuring the birds had been using it for landing.  I moved the plant.  Then about a week later I found a pile of poop by my sliding glass door.  I had stepped right over it and sat down on my chair to enjoy a nice early morning cup of coffee.  My dog, Sadie, immediately picked up the scent and followed the path of something on the deck that lead to the pile.  This was not the pile from a little squirrel.  At first I was confused about how and what had happened.     There are no stairs leading to the deck and it is at least 10 feet off the ground.  I knew raccoons and squirrels could get on the deck.   Then a week or so later I found the cushion on my lounge chair destroyed.

I felt so violated.  I cannot prove it was raccoons but can't figure out what else it would have destroyed the cushion.  Would a squirrel be able to do this?  

Regina