To worry fox in garden will eat my cat?

[FFSAnotherProblemToSolve]

Just moved into a new house this week. Rented.

We have had a massive fox in the garden most days just chilling on the lawn like he’s renting it too! I’ve been out banging pots and it runs off but keeps coming back!

The garden is surrounded by a tall thick hedge. There are a few gaps at the bottom that owner has tried to block up with netting but obviously foxes will get through if they want to. Can’t put a fence around it as don’t want the expense if we’re only here for a year.

We have not moved our cat over to this house yet as she’s very much an outside cat and has only known old house (she’s 7) which was at the end of a cul de sac, very quiet, no traffic and surrounded by woodland. Foxes are there too but couldn’t get in garden and she could jump on garden fence (can’t here). Cat is very skittish and jumpy and always has been since kittenhood but mostly spends most of the summer months totally outside as won’t sleep inside.

New house has cars going past and is more built up so we left her at old house (going over to feed) while we got organised moving with noise etc, and I’m going to bring her back tonight.

I intend to keep her in a quiet shed outside all set up with litter, bed etc and bring her into house for short spells to acclimatise. I’ve also got a tiny dog harness and lead (that’s going to be fun putting on!) so she can explore outside on it without us worrying she’ll dart off if spooked and won’t find her way back.

Just freaked out about fox in garden. AIBU to be?

I made DH pee in the garden several times but the darn fox isn’t bothered!

I think foxes will only attack cats if they have cubs they’re protecting, but I’d be worried too. We keep our cat in at night because there are quite a lot of foxes around here.

Yeah I'd keep your cat in - one died round here the other day and the owner reckon it got in a fight with a fox

Wouldn’t it make more sense to have the cat in the house with its litter tray?

The only fox and cat related violence I have ever seen was a cat attacking a fox. Where I live there are loads of foxes and cats. I have seen cats surprise foxes, territory mark in front of foxes, and generally be very curious of foxes, and the foxes have never done anything. I would not worry at all in your shoes.

A fox is unlikely to eat something with claws, teeth and feline outrage when there are easier pickings to be had.

My cats have held their own with foxes for years, and they're the most skittish cats I've ever had.

Why are locking the cat in a shed?!

She needs to be in the house for around 3 weeks before going out and then she needs to explore at her own pace. Don't stress her with a harness at her age! She's almost certainly encountered foxes already, so I really wouldn't worry.

I’d acclimatise the cat to the house for several weeks before letting outside otherwise it will go back to the old house/get lost. I don’t think foxes eat cats. They will only do anything if they perceive the cat to be threatening anything it’s protecting ie. cubs. The only real way to stop the fox is to block its access.

Our wimpy cat easily scared off a fox. I was surprised as I ran out to rescued him but honestly seems like foxes are more scared of cats

I have 4 kittens that started going outside last year at 5 months old and we always have foxes in our garden. We have seen 4 foxes at one time in next doors garden. No issues at all. I’ve also seen my old cat scare off a young fox in my garden a few years ago. I think foxes are wary of claws and teeth to be honest.

Same view as PP on keeping her inside your house (not shed) for a few weeks first. Then she'll be fine. My nervous wreck of a cat sees off urban foxes regularly. Foxy will probably look for a more peaceful garden once your cat is on the loose.

We used to live with fox's earths opposite and we kept cats. The only time we ever had a problem was a year when the mum had an unusually large litter and was starving. She did try to fight one of the cats but gave up and the cat was not injured.

If the fox is sunbathing, it's not that hungry.

I think if it was me I'd keep the cat in for a short while then start letting it out in the day.

Please try and keep her away from it, my cat was attacked by a fox a few years ago having lived in an area heavily populated by them for his whole life. We very nearly lost him and it cost well over £1000 to save him and he’s never been the same since!

Can you build a "catio"?

Cat is practically feral and not a house cat. Refuses to sit on lap, sofa or be picked up, doesn’t go upstairs at all. Always wants out. Will deign to be stroked a few times a day. Been the same since we got her as a kitten from RSPCA. Mother was a street cat. Mostly spends days off exploring or in kennel in garden and sleeps in bed inside in winter only. Starts coming in more in October then from April hardly ever in. Really don’t get much back from her but she catches lots of mice in garden!

Advice I read was to put in room no one goes in for a few weeks with brief spells in house and outside to acclimatise. Which is why I set her stuff up outside. It’s not really a shed. More a brick outhouse with ceramic tiled floor, window, electrics etc. Very clean.

She hasn’t had a litter tray since about 6 months old and I’m not having one in the house now!

We have a family of foxes that are often in our garden.

Dcat and the foxes glare at each other a bit but that's as far as it goes.

You'll need to keep your Dcat in for a while. Let it look at the fox through the window so they get used to the idea of a fox in the garden.

I wouldn’t worry - we have loads of foxes and cats around here. No issues.
the chickens weren’t so lucky though.

My cat was killed by a fox it was a healthy cat about 5 . The foxes here are very mangy not scared of yd or dog out in the day and won't even get off the car roof when you go to get in. One went for my Springer.

One of my cats was killed by a fox . It definitely does happen and I still miss him every day

Bugger, what to do! If I had known there was a ruddy great fox in residence in the garden, I’d never have taken this house!

Quite freaked out by the last few posts!

I’ve lost two young healthy cats to foxes in two different houses. I don’t have cats any more, but I’d be very wary now if I knew there was a fox that visited. Not worth the risk, it’s a horrible way to lose your pet.

My old cat Rocky did scare off a couple of young foxes but Rocky was a 7kg Ragdoll. Having moved house with cats before you need to leave them in the new house for 3-4 weeks to let them get used to their new indoor environment before letting them out. Rocky’s brother Gizmo was smaller at just 5.5kg and loved being outside. Gizmo point blank refused to use the litter box no matter what the weather was like. We let him out during the day when we could keep an eye on him to begin with. Gizmo never to our knowledge ran into a fox.

No a fox will not eat your cat

In my family we’ve had two cats attacked by foxes. One survived and one didn’t. I would be wary.

My cat was scratched by a fox, he's a stupid cat and didn't run away when he should have done. But I had it all on video, it definitely happened. Ever since we have shut in the cats at night as they aren't safe.