Hi, we are having exactly the same issue. We have lived in our house for 7 years and it was not until this summer (ironically when our friend was cat sitting our 2!), that she said she saw a hedgehog in the garden. The back door was open and the hog brazenly walked in and started eating the cat food! A couple of days later she spotted what looked like a hoglet. We decided at that point to put food out, and for a few days the hogs came and ate the food. We had to keep moving the food as we think two different local cats have been eating it (not ours funnily enough although we can’t be certain).
We saw the hogs on and off for around 2 months then the baby one disappeared but the lone one still visited. I then decided to buy a top of the range house and we placed it at the bottom of our garden with the entrance facing between the shed and the fence so it was out of the wind, we put some hay in and waitied. Amazingly, when I took a sneek peek the following morning, there was a ball of spikes all curled up, I was so happy. It was used for several weeks after that, the hog gradually pulling in more and more leaves, it looked right cosy.
Naturally our own cats were very curious and kept jumping on top of the house, along with the other local cats that visit and I am wondering if this is the reason we have not had a visitor for over a month now. Also there are dogs that live next door who bark a lot on the other side of the fence. We continue to put food out but like Julia, we feel it’s not the hogs eating it. I even bury it under the wild geraniums and other bushes but someone continues to find it. Not sure what else we can do, sit and wait I guess. It’s just very disappointing, they are out there someone as we’ve not luckily, spotted any dead ones. Roll on spring.
