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Original poster

Would a fox attack (heaven forbid, eat) a cat?

64 replies

DumbledoresGirl · 26/04/2006 20:34

Dh and I have just seen an enormous fox in our garden - a real whopper size-wise. My concern is for our two cats who are only 10 months old and often spend the night outside, certainly all evening. Are they in danger from the fox or would a fox not attack cats?

OP posts:

Original poster

DumbledoresGirl · 26/04/2006 20:44

Eeek! And there was I all thrilled to see wildlife in my garden, until I remembered the cats.

OP posts:

Pixel · 26/04/2006 22:39

My mum was driving to work early one morning and saw a fox carrying a dead cat.

Also saw something in the paper the other day about someone who discovered a foxes den where there were the remains of several cats .

pebblemum · 26/04/2006 23:36

Our cat went missing a couple of years ago and when she was finally found she had been attacked by a fox. Unfortunately she didnt make it. Our cat was epileptic and we think she may have had a fit before being attacked as they left her dazed for a while after each one. I dont know if a healthy cat would stand a better chance against a fox.

edam · 26/04/2006 23:46

Confused by the assertion that foxes and cats are the same size. No they aren't!

Mirage · 01/05/2006 15:37

We lost a litter of kittens to a fox years ago.Urban foxes are usually bolder than rural ones & aren't scared off by people.I'd keep the cats in at night if they were mine.

expatinscotland · 01/05/2006 15:40

YES! Lock them up. Foxes are predators just trying to make a living like everything else.

lanismum · 01/05/2006 16:39

id say a fox would def attack a cat, we have urban foxes, and they are def bigger than any domestic cat iv seen, the foxes here are the size of a large yorkshire terriers, as my mum has 2 and the foxes are so bold that they come up to the dogs when she walks them at night, dont know if they would attack the dogs as my mum is with them and shoos them away, but id hate to think of what they would do to our cats.

katyrocks · 02/05/2006 09:28

we just lost our hen to a fox, but no problem with the cat who spends about 2/3 nights of the week outside and has done this for the last year or so

WishICouldGiveUpWork · 25/05/2006 21:36

Our cats chase the foxes off!

I actually feed our foxes and have never had a problem with our cats or (running loose) rabbits.I reckon if I keep their tummies full the won't be arsed to chase my four footed furries....has worked so far!

jjxx · 29/08/2007 23:46

www.derbyfoxes.org/cats.htm

read that, Dont worry about your cats they can look after them selfs . Like it says in that document a fox would chase a cat if its near its babies but then again a cat would chase a fox if a fox was near its babies. Cats are agressive fighters if they have to be...they have claws.

pebblemum:
"Our cat went missing a couple of years ago and when she was finally found she had been attacked by a fox. " did u see it get attked by foxes..? foxes dont hunt in packs so it would have been 1 if that it wouldnt of attked to kill/eat the cat.

If u seen a fox eating a cat, its a cat that has already died. You see foxes carrying cow bones but the fox would never kill a cow..

twinsetandpearls · 29/08/2007 23:47

yes when I lived in London the foxes were notorious for going for small cats.

jjxx · 30/08/2007 00:00

Only dangerous wild life for cats would be a stoat or a ferrut..they will attack anything

Madwelshwoman · 30/08/2007 14:00

Yes it can happen unfortunately but not that often. Saying that though cats are good at getting away so it really depends on your cat. There are loads of foxes where I live but thankfully my cats have not been hurt but I do worry about it but then again I worry about the road that claimed the life of my kitten a couple of years ago too! Try not to worry just as foxes follow their natural instincts so do cats.

RaddyGriff · 09/10/2010 22:40

Just heard cat fight outside. Me and my two cats were pressed to the window and i realised that i could only hear one cat crying out. it got fainter and then stopped. we have a field at the back and am sure something killed it. my two cats are v subdued as well. :-(

WhatsThatDuckDoingThere · 09/10/2010 22:43

What makes you think it was a fox?

Fox cries can sound like cats, or even like babies.

If you have a field at the back it could have been absolutely anything. Have you ruled out the possibility of a big cat?

sharbie · 09/10/2010 22:45

i think it depends on the cat and on the fox.
mine have been spotted having night time stand offs with foxes but the two outside ones are well hard streetcats.
my friend has lost two in the past one went missing fairly young and one she was convinced was eaten as they found remains (sorry...)

sullysmum · 09/10/2010 23:36

Last year i watched at about midnight a really beautiful sight from my bungalow bathroom window a young fox cub and a young cat playing with each other,then the adult fox came and 'took' his baby fox home with him/her.

dolphin13 · 16/10/2010 22:24

When 2 of my cats were kittens I watched them playing with a fox one night. They were rolling around together it was so cute.
However, in the last month 3 cats in our street have gone missing (including one of mine [sad). I also saw a cat missing its head and limbs. It had been pulled from a ripped bin bag and left in the street. People are saying it is foxes taking them.

Summersoon · 16/10/2010 23:30

No idea whether a fox would go for a cat but contrary to what someone wrote earlier, they can definitely scale fences - I know because I have seen them do it with my own eyes! Our garden fence is about 5ft high and a fox climbed over it, exactly the same way I see the neighbour's cat do. Neighbour's cat is still with us, BTW.

fluffybitingguineapigs · 16/10/2010 23:40

An old boyfriend of mine told me when we were going out that one night when he couldn't sleep he had opened the curtains and looked out of the window of the quiet close where he lived and saw a fox slip by very quickly and take a cat by the scruff of the neck and run off with it into the woods. It was so fast and there was no confrontation at all. He was the least imaginative person I've come across and there was no bs so I really think he was telling the truth and it can happen

TethHearseEnd · 16/10/2010 23:48

Foxes and cats regularly fight in my back garden in full view. Foxes definitely winning.

Joolyjoolyjoo · 16/10/2010 23:51

Tbh, urban foxes are usually so well fed they rarely attack cats. I have seen lots of cats in my surgery that people are convinced have been attacked by foxes, but usually look more like they have been attacked by another cat (puncture wounds rather than tearing ones)

I watched my little cat box a foxes ears once- this is the same cat who was lifted (and then thankfully dropped again!) by a seagull!

TethHearseEnd · 16/10/2010 23:55

Am in east london and foxes regularly attack cats in my back garden.

klw47p · 10/05/2012 13:53

We have a lovely vixen who visits our garden and I often put out left overs when I have them. It is difficult sometimes to remember she is a wild animal and not to be trusted especially when she hears my voice she comes running and will sit with us grooming herself whilst we sit outside. If we leave the back door open she sits on the doorstep and waits for us to come out with a tasty snack. We have 2 cats and yes I am a little concerned about them, as last night my tabby ran up to the fox and made a noise at it, she then swished her tail and trotted of indoors and the fox ran after her. She came back out and was eating grass when the fox tried to sniff under her tail. I spoke sternly to the fox and told her no and she looked really sad and slunk of to sit by the car. I understand that if a fox is attacked by a cat, is protecting it's cubs, is starving and the cat is old or sick, it will attack and could maime or kill.
Having said that more attacks are made on children and other pets from the loyal family dog each year.
Enjoy the wildlife when it comes into your garden, we all deserve to eat, sleep, love, be happy and safe - human or animal.

dondon33 · 04/07/2012 21:27

I've got foxes living under my decking...Mum, Dad and 2 little ones and they've never touched my cat. He keeps his distance but he goes quite close to them. It seems like they accept it's his garden and are just happy for shelter.

We have lots of urban foxes in my area, late one night a big one chased my sister down the street :) this was her version of events :)

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