Foxes and Cats ..

Suzie · #1 (**permalink**) 19-01-2007, 03:34 PM

Over the last week I have found 2 foxes in my garden, both during the night and during the morning. They look beautiful but ... my cat, Samuel (also affectionately known as Sammy one-cell for reasons I won't go in to here) has taken to trying to frighten them off. I can't believe he is doing this since he really is a wooz; I've tried keeping him in all night, but then I don't get any sleep with his incessant crying to go out and then if I let him out, I am up and down all night making sure he is alright!

About 7 years ago a fox managed to get the family pet rabbit out of its pen and hutch and of course that was the end of the rabbit and I am so frightened they will attack Samuel.

Do foxes attack/kill cats?

Paul mabbott · #2 (**permalink**) 19-01-2007, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Suzie

Do foxes attack/kill cats?

Yes, is the short answer but depends on many factors: age/temperament/hunger of the fox; size/skill/cunning of the cat. A strong, quick, aggressive cat can easily see off a fox, probably two and, of course, as a last resort, can always climb a tree! But if it picks on a fox outside its own league or starts posing ......

lol geoff · #3 (**permalink**) 19-01-2007, 03:48 PM

Any fox/cat interface I've witnessed the cat has always been the dominant party. I have seen cats and foxes playing together, I have seen foxes cross the road rather than pass anywhere near a cat, but I suppose there is always the chance that a sick or elderly cat could be attacked.

If I were a betting man my money would be on the cat everytime.

Dragonflyer · #4 (**permalink**) 19-01-2007, 03:49 PM

Hi Suzie,
I've had Foxes living at the bottom of my garden for about 3 years now. I have a cat and so do most of my neighbours. Their cats frequent my garden a lot also. There has never been a problem here with either. I often put food out near to the Foxes earth and the cats and foxes both seem to partake. I've even seen our cat, Cheyanne and two of the foxes happily ambling by each other without so much as a glance. So, all though not an expert at my place they seem to quite happily co-exist. I don't know about anyone else out there though, they may have another story to tell.
Just an after thought by the way, I also have two dogs, a Rotty and a Staffy and i've seen them almost nose to nose albeit a fence separated them.
I hope you have the same experience as me and nothing untowards happens.
Mark a.k.a Dragonflyer

GuyF · #5 (**permalink**) 19-01-2007, 04:01 PM

In the readers digest animals book it says 'urban foxes and domestic cats rarely interfere with each others activities. If there is a confrontation, the fox is quite likely to be the first to back down'. I'm not really sure what would happen, it would probably depend on the situation (breeding season, protecting cubs, desperate for food, ill) but generally your cat should be safe. But as I say I'm not really sure, maybe someone else will be able to give some more information.
Guy

aeshna5 · #6 (**permalink**) 19-01-2007, 04:50 PM

Generally cats can hold their own with a Fox. There are records of a cat being killed by a Fox, but believe this to be very rare. Obviously a kitten or sick cat would be vulnerable, but an adult, healthy cat would be very unlucky to be attacked by a fox.

Virtually every video inerraction I've seen between the two shows them either tolerating each other or the cat dominating.

Barbara · #7 (**permalink**) 19-01-2007, 05:40 PM

As I opened my patio doors one morning to let out one of my cats, I looked up and saw a fox on the lawn in front of me so did the cat, who bolted out the door and chased the fox off. Luckily the fox returned many times, obviously when my cats were not around.

Suzie · #8 (**permalink**) 19-01-2007, 10:00 PM

Thanks to all of you for your knowledge and experiences. I just don't understand it, Samuel is the most nervous, light-weight, tiny, timid little thing that I adopted (.... or did he adopt me?) when he was 4. If I so much as rustle a bag near him he runs and hides for a good hour ... but as I write this he is putting on his bovver boots and is crying and scratching to go out and sort the foxes out again tonight.

I do hope you are all right ....

SittingFox · #9 (**permalink**) 20-01-2007, 06:56 PM

Suzie, cats are not in general danger from foxes by any reasonable measure.

Nevertheless, you may wish to consider the risks from dogs, cars, thugs with airguns, feline HIV - the outside world is not a safe place for cats. My family lost far too many to premature deaths (*none* of which involved wildlife!) before deciding to keep our sole survivor inside, except when we could supervise him in the great outdoors.

I would agree that the vast majority of fox / cat interactions are neutral. In fact people who feed foxes sometimes have cats coming to take a mouthful or two. However I think you should be aware that a fair number of foxes have been killed by cats. And I used to have a fox visiting who was blind in one eye, likely the result of a cat scratch.

Foxes generally hunt mice, voles, rabbit kits and small birds. A well-defended fellow predator is very likely to be ignored, if not actively avoided. In any case, foxes are an optical illusion! They are not anywhere near as big as they appear and a big tomcat will weigh substantially more. And cats have a huge advantage due to their deadly claws.

honeybee · #10 (**permalink**) 20-01-2007, 07:10 PM

I always thought that they tolerate each other pretty well and are quite curious of each other. My cat lived outside most of the time through choice, especially on warm summer nights and she would hold her own with a fox, particularly if it came into her garden. I should think Suzie that your cat is being territorial and if it's chasing the fox off the fox isn't likely to retaliate.