Foxes and Cats ..

[FoxtonWildlifeRescue]

All the evidence that I have ever seen suggests that foxes have a healthy respect for cats. I would back the cat in an alteracation but generally they will ignore each other. I think that rumours of fox predation on cats comes from sightings of opportunistic fox scavenges on road kill cats. I wouldn't worry about them if I were you.

Incidentally, we once had an obviously hand-reared and tame fox admitted with leg injuries. He lived in the house alongside our cat during his long recovery.

[dwhitlock]

My beautiful kitten has returned. Last night I was up at 4am listening to the foxes outside and admitted she had gone. How wrong was I. She hasn't stopped meowing and is obviously on edge about something, but my toddler, husband and everyone that supported me is more than happy that she is back. Thank you for all your advice. I can now sleep tonight.

[fluff11]

thats really good news ,im very happy for you.

[Synn]

My cat was attacked by a fox once, it bit her tail and the wound took a long while to heal, we took her to the vets and they gave her antibiotics and dressed it.

So to be safer I'd keep him inside, or find a way to stop the foxes getting in if he wants to go out so much.

[Pudding]

[url=http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/archive/showphoto.php?photo=121474][/url
I have 3 foxes that come to me and they get on very well with my 2 cat's

[Mousie]

I have watched interactions between the two numerous times, never has the fox showed any aggression towards the cat, mostly it completely ignored it, or if the cat advanced, the fox gave ground and went in the other direction. I've noticed that my cats never appear afraid of foxes, but they are terrified of children and strange dogs! I only have cats 'by accident' now, but when I had them from kittens, they were never allowed out unattended until at least 6 months old.

The wildlife is having such a bad time at the moment, that my cats have presently been turned into house cats full time - whether they like it or not!

[aland]

Brilliant picture pudding, We have had a family of five foxes if you hunt through my old posts living in our hay shed last spring and summer our stable cat and our tiny dog both who have died since, were perfectly safe with the vixen and cubs, there will always be exceptions to the rule but a cat is quite sharp with good Witt's, All summer we witnessed hedgehogs with them eating close together and yet we hear of foxes eating these creatures, our cat was fifteen and slept within feet of the cubs but of course the cat was there first this may make a difference, the vixen was there a long time before she gave birth and may have got to trust the cat, aland.

[trickydicky]

A few weeks ago I woke up at 4am and noticed the security light had come on, lighting up the back garden. looking out of the window I saw a very large fox on the patio busy dragging my cats water bowl away, (presumeably because he thought there was some food there, as I had left a food dish out the day before.) Suddenly my small black and white cat appeared out of nowhere and launched herself onto the back of the fox!.. who understandably got the fright of his life! and reacted instantly by shooting off into the bushes! The cat gave chase, and a few seconds later the fox reappeared running at high speed, looking back over his shoulder, snapping and snarling, with her hot on his heels!...She then chased him down the garden and out of sight!
Watching this surprised me almost as much as the fox!

I wonder is it usual for a cat to attack a fox like this, twice its own size? In the past I have seen foxes in the garden at night, but the cat has always kept her distance before, usually watching from a high vantage point apparently avoiding trouble.... Although she has been known to give other cats a bit of a seeing to!.. and seems to have driven every other cat in the area away now, as I hardly ever see them in the garden any more.

[mbaldw]

Hi trickydicky,

first of all, welcome to WAB.

Interesting observations. Foxes and cats must meet often and, in most cases (indeed in all of the admittedly few encounters I have witnessed), I suspect that the two are indifferent of each other. In a few cases a fight may breakout and, again I suspect, a good deal of these end in the cat's favour. I have certainly heard more reports of foxes being chased by cats than vice versa. I don't believe fights between the two are particularly common, but when they do happen I would expect the cat was probably the initiator, especially if -- as in your case -- the fox was caught 'red-pawed' nicking the cat's food. Cats are highly territorial and will drive most other cats (and, in some cases, foxes) out of their space. In the end, foxes and cats are both mesocarnivores that hunt for the same kinds of prey (birds, mice, amphibians etc.) in the same space, so there is always the potential for each to see the other as competition and try and kick them out.

Anyway, that's a bit of a long way of saying that it doesn't come as a surprise that you cat saw the fox off, particularly as it was defending its food.

Thanks for sharing your observations.
Cheers,
Marc.