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A fox jumped on my bed last night!

87 replies

largeprintagathachristie · 13/07/2021 10:22

Feeling a little shaken by two visits into the bedroom by a fox over the last two nights. Ground floor flat in urban area. Lots of urban foxes around. I've always actually loved seeing them around late at night (and sometimes in the daytime) but what's happened just feels too close.

Bedroom has patio doors but no window whatsoever, so I tend to have the door open a bit for ventilation; just enough for the cat to get through. We're protected from the road by vegetation and a fence. We don't have a garden.

Night one: DP and I woken by a mighty kerfuffle in the bedroom, unearthly fox screech, cat going bananas etc. In the morning found one of DP's slippers (well, slides) outside some metres away.

Stupidly I thought that was a one off and left the bedroom door open again for ventilation last night, just enough for the cat to get through. At what turned out to be 2.30am, same kerfuffle only much much more. A fox was on the bed - it was all so fast but DP says he hit out at it and it dashed back out. I rushed to look outside and saw the outraged cat chasing a fox around the corner of the property. There are muddy fox-sized paw prints on the white bottom sheet which is where it landed, and obvious muddy claw marks Shock

Two items of evidence outside this morning:

  • a half eaten piece of toast I assume scavenged and dropped
  • a manky stinky pair of jogging bottoms, not ours, probably scavenged from the charity clothing bin nearby where there's usually a pile of clothes on the ground

I always thought reports of foxes coming into houses were a bit of a myth so I'm a bit disconcerted. And on hot nights I really really need to be able to have the bedroom door open more than a crack.

Am googling deterrent ideas but any thoughts welcome.
We're definitely on its nightly route.

OP posts:
SometimesIFeedTheSparrows · 13/07/2021 10:27

You were lucky it was a fox not a burglar.

You could put a limiter on the door so that it could only open a fraction. But you'd be better off leaving it shut and getting a good fan.

GreenCrayon · 13/07/2021 10:28

Honestly I would be closing the door, getting a fan and being grateful it was a fox and not a burgler.

There isn't really anything you could do to discourage the fox from coming in apart from closing the door.

Frownette · 13/07/2021 10:28

I was going to say a fan as well.

It's very bold. So cat isn't frightened of it at all?

StrangeAddiction · 13/07/2021 10:29

I'd have the patio doors closed just because of rats or mice!

Can you buy either a portable air con unit or get one fitted?

My windows would be firmly shut.

MaMelon · 13/07/2021 10:32

Crikey - a fox is the least of your worries! You’re lucky that wasn’t a burglar or worse.

Shut the door, buy a fan or use a cold water bottle at your feet, or have a patio door limiter fitted.

MyDcAreMarvel · 13/07/2021 10:32

Get a cat flap fitted and keep the door shut. You seem a bit naive that a fence would keep a burglar out.

SprayedWithDettol · 13/07/2021 10:33

Can you fix something like this to your patio door? Whilst this style isn’t perhaps appropriate for French windows, I’m sure you can find something that is.

This is a common solution in warmer countries.

A fox jumped on my bed last night!
MissMissTorrance · 13/07/2021 10:35

Bloody hell shut the door!!

MargotEmin · 13/07/2021 10:38

Crikey I don't know how you can relax enough to sleep, not only with the door unlocked but actually open! You must live in a very very safe area.

Youdiditanyway · 13/07/2021 10:41

Jesus, close the door! As others have said, this could so easily have been a burglar.

Sisisimone · 13/07/2021 10:42

I'm astounded you would sleep with the door open

Pebbledashery · 13/07/2021 10:45

I'm bewildered you kept the door open again after the first instance... It's not worth it is it.... Just get a fan.

largeprintagathachristie · 13/07/2021 10:46

So I came to you with a fox problem and in fact I may have a potential burglar problem!

I do see what you mean. We're far back from the street (there's a massive area of grass between us and the road, before the hedge and the fence, and in summer (which is the only time the door's open) the vegetation is really high and we're hidden from view.

But indeed not burglar proof.

I do tend to think nothing bad is ever going to happen (until it does) so this is all food for thought, thank you.

OP posts:
MargotEmin · 13/07/2021 10:50

Wouldn't your insurance be totally invalidated if you got burgled in these circumstances too?

IRanSoFarAway1 · 13/07/2021 10:52

This reply has been deleted

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GreenCrayon · 13/07/2021 10:52

I do tend to think nothing bad is ever going to happen (until it does) so this is all food for thought, thank you.

You'd probably find you're also not insured if you were to be burgled as you voluntarily left your property unsecure.

Sisisimone · 13/07/2021 10:55

It could be anything that got in really though couldn't it. Vermin would be a problem as well if it's that overgrown at the back. The fox thing sounds terrifying though. Think I'd rather tackle a burglar tbh Grin

Sjhegsb · 13/07/2021 10:55

We have this lock on our doors don't know if it would stop a burglar but its on our balcony doors so that can be open without blowing around

www.locklatch.co.uk/buy-locklatch-online/locklatch/

30degreesandmeltinghere · 13/07/2021 10:55

Well obviously you are a lazy dog!!

Puffinhead · 13/07/2021 10:55

Close the doors!! I heard on Jeremy Vine show about a fox that climbed through a ground floor bedroom window and a poor woman woke up to find the fox gnawing her lips! Stuff of nightmares.

TheSmallAssassin · 13/07/2021 11:00

We have a tilt and slide patio door, so can have it open for ventilation without having the door open. If you own the flat, might be worth looking into?

WhereDidIGoNext · 13/07/2021 11:00

Oh op, please don’t sleep with your door open, literally anyone who wanted to, could get into your house and bedroom. Can’t believe that you can actually sleep like that without being terrified

grey12 · 13/07/2021 11:00

@30degreesandmeltinghere

Well obviously you are a lazy dog!!
You made me laugh Wink
Seeingadistance · 13/07/2021 11:02

@30degreesandmeltinghere

Well obviously you are a lazy dog!!
Grin
EachandEveryone · 13/07/2021 11:05

You need a cat flap