ok thanks, Ive come across a number of other suggestions,
such as putting in a strobe light or loud radio.. (I prefer the strobe light - the nearest thing I have is a timing gun)

now I realize I probably should have put in some kind of one way trap door for them to exit and but not come back in, and put tape or something over it to see if the raccoon has actually left.. and then fix the hole . (it would be relatively simple to build some kind of trap door)

Im just worried the kits may still be around and the mother will try to come back - I dont want them dying in the house either.

Im not about to try to trap them - if it comes to that Ill call a pest removal outfit, but all they do is release them in your yard - (I guess in case there are any young ones.

re: pets, we have 3-4 year old bengal (Reavy) and he uses a cat door
in the basement -(the door is a locking style which opens if hes wearing a little magnet on collar - but for now weve taken it off since he didnt seem able to figure it out)

I figure a while back something was coming into our kitchen at night
and opening a bag of cat food, but weve since transferred it into a closed container. (The chew marks on the back made me think raccoon rather than cat.. but who knows)