Becka Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Good morning. Just to pass on a bit of information about foxes and cats. We had three cats and live in a rural area which I felt was an ideal environment for them. I knew there were foxes in the area but after discussion with vets and others in the area we decided that they didn't really pose any threat to the cats. My cats, although adults, were quite small but very agile and very good at climbing trees which I felt stood them in good stead if they were ever chased by another animal. I lost one on the 22nd of December, my neighbour lost hers on the 31st Dec and my male cat went missing on the 3rd of January. I started searching after the first cat went missing but there was no sign of either the cat or a body. After talking to the game keeper and other neighbours, it appears that they have been taken by foxes. This is rather unexpected but apparently the foxes are now paired up and will be until April, and have started working the woods around us in pairs. One neighbour has seen them in her garden before dawn looking for food. I spoke to the game keeper this morning and asked him if this was common behaviour and he said no but the area in which the cats have gone missing is very 'scrubby' and the cats might not have been able to escape up trees because of the undergrowth. I'm not trying to vilify the foxes but just to let other cat owners know that it is possible for them to attack cats if they're hungry enough. My remaining cat will not be leaving the house when it is dark and will have a two dog escort when she's in the garden! Becka Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunty e Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Gosh, that is unusual. My vet told me that there was no way a fox would ever attack a healthy cat, but my neighbours have said that there is a rogue dog fox who sometimes goes for them around our estate. I haven't seen a fox in my garden since I got cats so I had always assumed that foxes were scared of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 I'm sorry you've lost your cats. Thats so sad. I've never heard of foxes taking cats but assume it could happen. We have lots of foxes round our way and they did get one of my rabbits. A fox visited my garden the other day but my dog went absolutely balistic at it and kept on barking for ages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 That's awful. I have never worried about foxes, as I believed (obviously wrongly) that a cat was too big for a fox too tackle. I've seen my cat walk past the local fox and they both studiously ignored each other, and at my last house the fox used to sleep in the garden, apparently without bothering the cat. I guess it depends how hungry/desperate they are. I'm so sorry to hear this - you must feel devastated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Becka Posted January 8, 2009 Author Share Posted January 8, 2009 Thank you for your replies. I must admit I didn't think a fox would bother with a cat but as has been said it may well depend on the availability of food. In our previous house, our elderly neighbour fed the foxes nightly. They came all throughout the night and she reckoned there were about five different foxes. Strangely they didn't go near my eglu and our chickens free ranged all day, maybe they weren't that hungry. I thought that the dogs, two German Shepherds, and the six foot chicken proofed fence put them off bothering when there were such easy pickings in the next garden. My remaining cat is a really sad sight. She's moping round the house looking for her brother and sister. She's started sleeping in my bed all night whereas she used to cuddle up with one of them. She's probably going for safety and thinks if I stick with this big brute nothing will touch me! I'm in two minds about what to do with her as she's definitely an outdoors cat and I don't think it would be fair to keep her inside indefinitely. I think I'll just try to make sure she doesn't go out before it's light or when it's getting dark. My son thinks we should get a GPS for her! Becka Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadMitch Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Sorry to here about your cat. My cat was sat inside on the windowsil the other day when there was a loud bang and my cat ran out of the room. When I went into the room there was a fox outside on the window ledge. Also my little tabby boy got chased right up to the cat flap. I have never known foxes behave like this before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickvic Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 My MIL's cat lost half a tail to a fox. She had to have it surgically removed as it was stripped down to the bone and all the nerves were exposed I'd never heard of anything like that at all. I have 3 cats and the 3 chickens and I've never seen a fox but my MIL only lives 5 minutes away. Sorry to hear about your cats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 The fox I've seen has a bad leg (actually I feel sorry for it tried, ringing RSPCA - not interested) so I'm hoping if it got desperate for food the cats would stand a good chance of getting away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xScrunchee Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 These people might be able to help with the fox with a bad leg.............http://www.nfws.org.uk/ They really are quite helpful and sent me out some bottles of stuff when I had a fox in the garden with really bad mange. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
