South West London/ Surrey area. I will contact the council regarding the foxes not sure if they can actually do anything. Don’t ask me why they never attempted to intervene, but the fox was stalking & did attack (& apparently kill) the poor kitty cat: https://youtu.be/hvc7rQPiYhg Apologies for anyone that may find this offensive. often scare the foxes away. Are foxes dangerous to cats, dogs, or other pets? Thankfully my cat was not hurt and I brought her inside for the rest of the night even though she wanted to go back out! In Poland, my tabby was surrounded by four foxes, and it took all of them out but one. Now it looks like we have to re-instate cat toilet indoors. I have studied our urban foxes on CCTV for over a year and have seen them share the garden on many occasions with a neighbours cat and even a hedgehog. My dog has been attacked by a fox in our back garden 3 times in the past two weeks. The fox was there making a low pitched moan/growl with my two cats staring at it. Having watched our cctv recordings, he was killed by two foxes at 1.30am, near our back door, and the foxes came and went for the rest of the night taking parts of his body, presumably to feed cubs. Fennec foxes eat insects, small rodents, lizards, birds and birds’ eggs. I feel so responsible for her death, I wish ‘professionals’ would get real about the threat from foxes and not lead them up the garden path. Its weird but my other cat hugo slept in nicos sleeping area the night nico didnt turn up, maybe he misses nico too. I have cousins who live on a farm in Maine, and have a squad of Maine Coon cats that patrol the farm buildings, dealing with pests. This fox started to fight another young fox recently which was so vicious I expected one would die. I have often seen one or other of them sitting contentedly just 15 metres away from a fox as though they had an unwritten agreement – I haven’t seen you & you haven’t seen me -OK? Can’t keep cats indoors 24/7 to protect wildlife, that is nonsense…as long as they are not let out too early when the birds are out singing merrily, and in at night should solve the problem..but many people who work all day also leave their cars out all day wihich is wrong…. I’m so sorry to hear that. Will see how she’s walking in the morning and get her to the vet for a check-up if she isn’t back to normal! Now my beautiful 13 year old Zoe who hardly ever went outside at night (she would go out in the garden during the day) was attacked and killed by foxes a few days ago on a very rare occasion when she did go out at night. The project aims to investigate the range and frequency of small animal health problems seen by veterinary surgeons working in general practice in the United Kingdom and to highlight major risk factors for these conditions. The fox dosnt see my cat as he’s round the corner of the shed and my cat didn’t see the fox, I didn’t make any noise but the fox saw me and ran off thankfully. By Claire Ellicott for the Daily Mail Updated: 03:34 EST, 8 December 2010 They were preying on my cat with predator eyes and in numbers as time went on. This was in Bushey herts. This whole experience was very strange as these foxes were not what I would describe as timid and from what I’ve read they don’t hunt together but these two clearly were. Poor our pets, is there any wnd to this?! I can only hope she didn’t suffer and having spoken to our vest who assures me she would have most likely died from shock before she was killed Look after your cats at night. Very rarely, foxes do attack cats. A fox can try, but it doesn’t always end happily for the fox. Ive been beside myself but thankfully he is now Home. My cats kill possums and squirrels, just like foxes. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. My beloved cat who I hand reared was killed by a fox early this week. We live next to a reservoir and they are all around here. Harrow NW London. I never thought I’d see her in such a state, and it’s devastating. Foxes kill their prey in a cat-like manner—most canids grab and shake their prey, but foxes use their long, slender (again, cat-like) canines to bite to kill. I have come across only two instances where foxes were seen to prey upon cats. Owners of cats need to understand that’s whilst their moggy is a pampered part of the family indoors, once outside all the basic instincts of survival take over. My cat sooty was a beautiful friendly cat, she went missing in the spring, not like her at all, always comes in on time. Checked all of downstairs. I would hate someone to be going through what I am now x. I am so sorry to read all the sad stories. Our neighbours pregnant cat had her legs eaten by a fox and killed as a result. i purchased the approved deterrent which obviously didnt work. When I looked out there was a fox confronting my cat (she is a healthy 61/2 year old) Luckily she came straight-in, but it prompted me to look this up on the internet. They are getting smarter and confident, how long until it’s kids in Prams or playing in back yards? Now the hut has been taken over by a fox, and no longer used by the cats; so they have to hang around waiting for a house door to open, especially in winter when windows are closed. My neighbour was woken at 2am by foxes screeching, only to find them playing with something in the road. The dog had its mouth clamped around the stomach of my cat. They soon realised this was our 16 year old cat, although still very strong and healthy he liked to sleep in the front flower bed in the summer and was always running about and fighting off foxes. Is It Possible? How do you know it was foxes? One of her feet was bitten so badly she needed it to be re constructed. Our 1 year old Persian cat was attacked and killed by a fox this winter 2015 in east London near to Epping forest where there are a large numbers of urban foxes. Foxes play a major role in the Clan cats' life. I've been told that a fox can kill a cat. It looked like a strong healthy young cat but had been ripped open. I have no doubt what- so- ever that this fox meant business. I have been present when foxes have attempted to attack my cats and was able to intervene but I fear this time during daylight hours we were not about to help. I then went to check on the Internet if foxes attack cats, and came across this site. Foxes and cats meet many times every night, and invariably ignore each other. I’m worried he might get injured. It had cornered a fairly large and healthy looking cat and was making every effort to have the cat for dinner. Our cat and her two kittens were taken by a fox who stalks the area nightly. Thanks to all of you for sharing your experiences no matter how painful. ! These wild creatures are not cuddly bunnies. Will foxes kill my cat? I live in Central London and can vouch that foxes definitely poise a threat to cats and a nuisance in our area. This makes cats unsuitable prey. My other cats are now being kept indoors. For some reason there is a general perception that urban foxes do not pose any danger and should be protected even when they are rapidly increasing in numbers and a serious threat to other wild life. I have been following the SNARL page from the beginning and do think that there is a human doing some of the mutilations as cats have been returned days later and not decomposing. He likes to go out all the time. I am heartbroken. To lose her like this, after so many years is really, really painful. We do not use this information to track individuals once they have left the page. The kittens were taken at separate intervals as was the mum. This morning she looked very unwell. Move forwards to 2014 and a different place and I heard a noise outside and my own cat was being attacked by a ‘pitbull’ type dog. Oh poor boy! we have had no end of trouble with foxes throughout this summer with noise their smell and destruction and all the council say is they would send someone out to put down a deterrent at my cost but offered no other solution . Back legs seem weak … perhaps strained or twisted them while trying to get away … or alternatively muscular exhaustion from having to work so hard not to get dragged off. Writing this as my cat waits for an operation after being attacked by a fox in our back garden in West London. She was only alright with foxes as she was used to them. It is not easy to completely remove the risk of foxes to pets. My cats kill possums and squirrels, just like foxes. They hunt by stalking their live prey. About five days ago a white 1-2poodle sized fox was near my bedroom sliding door eating the cat food. It is possible your cat disturbed the cubs. How Long To Wait? I know cats go off to die but to me, it would’ve been nigh on impossible for her to get out. Their night vision is much better than ours, it’s safer outside at night because there are less cars and people, and the abundance of small creatures scattering about makes night-time prime hunting time for cats. I even saw my cats sunbathing alongside the foxes occasionally. This is very rare; a survey in north west Bristol, where foxes were particularly common, showed that they killed 0.7% of the cats each year and these were predominantly young kittens. Surprising as this area is on a deck up some stairs. The easiest & best solution is simple leave your cats indoors, all my cats are indoors & happy & safe at least, car accidents are higher threats for cats than foxes are, they get diseases as God knows what they eat & what they step on outside & guys don’t forever there’s a cat killer still roaming since early 2014. I’m writing this whilst my small 7month old kitten is having surgery to rebuild her jaw, ear and have numerous stitches after a fox attack at 8am this morning… I heard noises in my garden and found the fox had cornered my cat behind my shed, as I shouted to scare the fox, it managed to get hold of my cats head and drag it over my neighbours fence and tried to drag her away. I wish naivety would be taken more serious and that we try to protect us and our beloved pets. The collar has a distinctive fox smell, so I am certain a fox has taken her and I know the outcome wasn’t good from the amount of blood. I went outside to call my gorgeous ginger Tom cat in for the night, only to see him being chased by a rather large fox. by a car) then foxes (as scavengers do) may well eat the body, but it is unlikely that the fox was the cause of death. I tried to shoo them away but the leader came back and carried the cat off. arctic cat mini bike engine. I have cousins who live on a farm in Maine, and have a squad of Maine Coon cats that patrol the farm buildings, dealing with pests. Manchester. My cat had a puncture mark under her tail which sadly developed a abscess and she now has a big open wound that the vet has not been able to stitch . Took my child to play frisbee today in the communal garden of where i live. In your situation, an alternative possibility might be a microchip-coded cat-flap, that will only open when the cat carrying the correct code is trying to get in? We do not worry about foxes getting our barn and house cats. Happy Holidays. The area I live in (Leeds) has huge numbers of urban foxes which in my opinion are out of control. A fox could attack a cat, but it’s very unlikely. It’s possible but very unlikely. When a fight does break out, it’s often the fox that comes off worse in … That said, they are predators, and they do like to eat mice and even rabbits, so it's conceivable that one could attack and kill a cat or small dog, but I think that would be incredibly rare, and I've never heard of such a thing happening. We’ve lost a cat to a fox (witnessed) and had two other cats chased by a fox (witnessed). To me, the risk to adult pet cats seemed minimal but I decided to look further, to see if I could find some hard facts about the risk to pets from fox attacks. Foxes will be hungry and at night they hunt for food its nature, keep your cats in at night, keep them safe x. But, although foxes and cats normally coexist without bothering each other, there are occasions when foxes do attack cats. They were quite brazen and despite my efforts kept coming back towards my injured cat who eventually managed to drag himself under our car. There are a large number of foxes in my area and I cannot believe it has happened to THE most placid cat ever, he never had a fight with anything. They are opportunists and have become so very daring and will blatantly attack. I have just returned from the vet where I left our 5 year old cat, suffering from injuries inflicted by a group of seven foxes (adults and cubs). so im sure now that the foxes that have mated here now have babys so are on the look out for food even more so !!! I have heard more stories about cats chasing foxes out of gardens than cats being victims. The risk of a fox attack on a pet – or a human – is very low, but if you’re worried about it, a few simple steps will reduce that small risk to “minimal”. I’m devastated. Not there. My older barn cat was attacked in the early afternoon yesterday by a pack of three Texas desert foxes and had to have his tail amputated by our vet. I used to accept these views as it was always the common view but after witnessing my four month old kitten being carried off in the mouth of a fox I refuse to believe that foxes are not a threat to pet cats and small dogs. They just went their own separate ways. A fox ran away across the grass, stopping briefly to look back, and then was gone. I think I have many sleepless nights ahead trying to get him to my way of thinking! Being a medical professional, having specialized also in tropical medicine and parasitology the cases with Echinococcus infections have increased rapidly over the years!Especially families with kids spend a lot of time in their gardens, having plots of vegetables, toddlers crawling on the gras etc. Frightening though, and she seemed happier and little more receptive to have my company than usual, she’s normally a grumpy fiesty little thing! Anyone in London concerned about over familiar foxes around their property may want to seek professional advice with regards to the legal removal of persistent and over familiar urban foxes. Just yesterday 29 march 2014 our cat was being chased down the garden by a large fox trying to grab and bite him. direct hosts…We as pet owners are legally obliged to have our pets injected yearly with the Echinococcus treatment. The last one I shot with my bow. Normally my dog would have been very interested, but she is recovering from an operation. Diseases They May Carry The one danger that foxes do present is the danger of disease. And a neighbour had seen a parent fox teaching it’s cubs to hunt – they were circling her ancient moggy. I’m keeping my big cat in, I miss the other so much, she was very special and loving and her trust of them was her downfall as she never saw them as a threat. The myth is probably much more that cats are NOT attacked by foxes than the opposite. In his entertaining and well-written account of urban foxes, published in the October 1985 issue of the BBC Wildlife Magazine, David Macdonald pointed out: “… He may start to build up some confidence in going back outdoors at some point, but when he does, it’s important for him that he can get back inside quickly if he feels scared or threatened in any way – so it may be better, when the weather is a little warmer, giving him short spells outside (if he wants it) with the door left open and you keeping an eye on him. A database is all well and good but how many vets are actually going to enter details that they become aware of and how many cat owners are going to report to a vet that their pet was killed by a fox?! When someone asked me this question, my instinctive answer was that fox attacks on cats are exceptionally rare. It’s possible that fox attacks are misinterpreted; foxes are scavengers and will go for road kill when they see it. My two barn cats sleep on a chair near there. Looked up this behaviour online and found this website, now convinced the Fox wanted my boy for dinner!!! The council say they are non-threatening and will not attack pets or children – yeah right!!! Interested in? Reply. It makes more sense to take some practical measures to reduce any risk. They don’t appear to do so often and are only thought to represent a minor threat to pet cats. If you suspect that one of your pets has come into close contact with a fox, ensure that they are up to date with their worming, vaccinations and flea treatment protocols. Pet owners might feed their fennec fox cat food and dog food without knowing how the nutritional content of these foods impacts fennec fox health. My beautiful boy cat Ollie had to be put to sleep on May 3 2014 due to a fox attack early in the morning. The fox ran off. Please keep your cats safe by ensuring they are indoors at night. All bedroom doors were shut upstairs as she’d been peeing in rooms past few days (this is also how I knew she was probably in her last few days). Yet in the space of 6 weeks, 1 cat has survived an attack (and was treated at my Vets!) The dog only stopped when we started shouting and threw stuff at him, but even then he/she stopped and stared at us for a few minutes before running off. Well it has happened to us and I vowed never to get another cat for as long as we live here. Cat we are completley heartbroken. I will not risk having this happen again so my cat has lost the freedom of pootling around in the day (I have always kept my cats in at night time). That said, they are predators, and they do like to eat mice and even rabbits, so it's conceivable that one could attack and kill a cat or small dog, but I think that would be incredibly rare, and I've never heard of such a thing happening. I’m afraid of letting my 3 cats out after dark now but they’re protesting about being locked in. My 1year old cat Nico has been missing for a few days now, its not like him to go wondering off for days. we rushed him to the vet then a veterinary hospital but were unsure what had happened to him. read more Foxes do not eat cats - but sometimes will attack them.They will, on the other hand, munch down a few kittens.Yes, some foxes will indeed eat cats if they are hungry enough. Im expecting him to jump in through the kitchen window at anytime. They are not much smaller than foxes, on average, and have more weapons to boot. We have this discussion in our expanded neighbourhood(Camden, Upper& Lower Holloway, Highbury) about foxes killing or hurting cats.There are some fox fanatics in the area who do feed foxes, even we do ask them not to!Our neighbours cat was hurt badly, but was screaming, luckily the owner was just in the kitchen and heard the noise and was able to rescue her fully grown 9 year old cat, who was fit and healthy: All the comments in our neighbourhood are frightening as we got a huge fox population, also due to so many junkfood chaines which of course attracts them:In our garden lives a whole fox family on our shed. My cat will no longer be going out alone – not that she wants to right now – she is too frightened. They are scavengers and will eat pretty much anything they can find, including small animals, plants, insects and rubbish. I’m devastated. Went to neighbours and asked them to check their gardens. I’m so sorry. i did get another cat to help with the loss of gawges boy but having to kep them indoor cats as he was almost got by a fox just yesterday morning around 9am it dont matter what time of day it is there there prowling and waiting !!! This Is Our Social – It will be Super Fun! After reading all the posts not willing to take the risk . I did some research about cats taken by foxes and most played down the risk! Must like its prey big . A typical urban fox home range can be occupied by upwards of 100 cats, and most of these are out at night. Clearly not. I had 2 huge ones in my garden whilst I was gardening yesterday afternoon. Remember that foxes are scavengers so if they come across a dead cat… Luckily he dropped her. We new something had happened, my daughter said the evening sooty went missing a fox sat looking through the French doors. VetCompass is a collaborative non-profit research project run by the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) in London. I Found my neighbours cat dead in my garden this morning last week had to see off a fox that was getting aggressive towards her, she was just a few years old and fit enough climbing a 2 metre high fence in one leap, now I wouldn’t trust urban Fox’s any my garden will be seen off. I had been bathing at the time and screamed for someone to rescue the cat but all fully dressed humans in the immediate area appeared to be deaf. I think we have just seen something quite rare, and we have been very lucky that our 4 year old male cat is ok. Our cat woke us up meowing by the back door to go out at about 4 am, so we let him out and went back to bed. I can only put it down to foxes because a lot have been seen at night on the street. I noticed every night the same fox seemed to stare at our sleeping cat through the patio door, waiting for an opportunity to attack. now after reading all the feedback here im most definitely keeping my 2 boys in thats for sure even in the day time !!! We also rescued our cat from snowy garden shed roof 2 days ago with bleeding ear and fox circling him thus stopping him being able to enter back through cat flap. I’m wanting people to know, that’s flat out false. I was stunned, really thought foxes wouldn’t be bothered with cats. I did for a bit but calmed down due to them ignoring my cats most of the time. I know that the veterinary world seem to refuse to believe that foxes are capable of attacking our feline pets but what I have seen with my own eyes makes that view look extremely blinkered. My neighbour told me her cat had been killed by a fox a couple of weeks ago as well as a couple of her chickens. Luckily I managed to scare them off with a flash light and get my cat over over the neighbour’s garden fence. Just heard what I thought was a terrible cat fight. any suggestions as to a product to deter them please help!!! Simply asking for trouble if you keep your cats out at night!! Something has to be done about getting rid of these vicious animals from our back gardens. We must stop throwing out food for the birds and feeding our pets outside. They have excellent hearing and use a pouncing technique that allows them to kill the prey quickly. My sons are traumatised after discovering two large foxes dragging what remained of our cat’s body around our garden this Easter Sunday at 7am. Our cat only goes outside when we are present as the same fox is still around. What next our 3 and 4 year old kids whilst they are playing in the garden. Last night his leg was shattered in an attack right outside our back door. This in suburban DUBLIN. We live next to a field, in a semi urban area just outside Brighton. I literally jumped over the fence, clamped my legs around the dogs neck/head as it faced away from me and I sunk my fingernails into the dogs ears until it let my cat go. Izzy says: March 30, 2014 at 10:06 pm Just yesterday 29 march 2014 our cat was being chased down the garden by a large fox trying to grab and bite him. I really feel for you as I know how much your cats meant to you, as mine does to me. Not 4 foot away at the top of the patio steps was a sizable fox who shot off when he saw me. Hi I came across this site while looking on line about Foxes attacking CAT’S….. I’ve had issues in my Garden with Foxes trying to attack my 16 year old Cat!!!! Our neighbour’s 10 month old cat was dismembered by a fox in the garden. Are foxes dangerous to cats, dogs, or other pets? Where I used to live I always used to see the local cats and foxes casually chilling out together. Do Foxes Kill Cats? This is known as survivorship bias and the same issue occured during world war 2, where they would look for damage on surviving planes and armour up those areas, but eventually realized that they actually needed to armour up the areas that showed no damage as those areas would never show up as damaged on surviving planes since when they did get damaged the plane wouldn’t survive. Checked garden. No way. In one case, a young kitten was snatched by a fox, around twenty yards away from her owner, and in another instance, a thin, elderly cat was grabbed. At about 5 am we were woken up again by foxes braying. Please everyone look after your small pets and babies. Cats in particular often spend much of their time outside, in the same areas as foxes. I hate the things and even with over 6 foot high fences they still manage to climb over. We were not sure whether it was our terrified cat, but since he was not at home( and normally he always stays in at night), we went to check the whole are at 2 AM. Two days later at 4am I am woken to a loud boom. Will foxes kill my cat? Foxes are generally shy creatures that do their best to avoid contact with humans or other animals. The fox had jumped on some lumber I had for a project which was the noise I heard when the fox disturbed it. I banged on the glass and the fox ran off. In reality, cats are more at risk from other cats and road traffic accidents than from foxes. Fox expert Professor Steve Harris stated on a BBC Wildlife Podcast that the average urban fox will kill a cat every 6 years and that around 500 cats live in each fox territory, this means the risk of your cat being attacked by a fox is very, very small. No bushes etc. Your email address will not be published. and yes foxes are becoming bolder and braver than ever. I am slightly concerned about foxes but not as much as dogs trained/encouraged by their horrible owners to kill or injure cats and other dogs. He’s pretty shaken and that’s the last time either of my cats go out at night. Local councils do not get involved as the problem is too difficult for them to manage and so the problem gets worse. They have done real damage to my pet that looks like costing me several hundred pounds, even provided he survives. It was such a relief, but it still could be someone else’s cat the fox was chasing! There’s a reason why foxes are one of the most successful animals on earth. Foxes and cats meet many times every night, and invariably ignore each other. Foxes are quite similar in size to adult cats. Ive started keeping my other cat in at night. He had already passed and was in a terrible state. I thought I had imagined it, but 30 seconds later the boom happened again!? can cats eat rice krispies treats. Do Foxes Eat Cats? This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. You’re hardly going to gather the bits left and take them to the Vet to be counted! I live in the middle of the countryside, I’ve only seen 3 foxes in 16 years of living here. Did the fox come for those and somehow ended up in my garden and pounced on my cat? Wanted to post to restore a little bit of faith for the next person who like me sits reading these sad sad comments whilst waiting for their cat to return x, I witnessed my cat being attacked by a fox 10 days ago. We live in Surbiton, so these are urban foxes. No external bites but was shaking a lot and also had matted saliva covered fur at the back of her neck showing where she was grabbed and tugged. My cat is 7 he is adorable. If a cat has already been killed in a road accident then people may see the fox pulling the cats body across the road or standing near the cat, but it doesn’t mean the fox has killed the cat and vets note that often the cause of death was obviously by other means. Could it have been a badger? Nope. Coyotes are the problem here. The only thing they are scared of is my dogs and I don’t let my children play in the garden unless at least one dog is out with them. I suspect that incidents of foxes injuring cats are uncommon – most cats are well able to take care of themselves; and of course we want to help wildlife! No sign now. I had mine get snatched it’s on CCTV, she didn’t go near other people, only me. If a cat has already been killed (e.g. She was always a very slight cat but in recent years was very scrawny – we had regular vet checks and she was on thyroid meds. I found my 10 month old cat yesterday morning, in my back garden in south-west London, absolutely mutilated with her head and a leg missing. A fox’s method of posturing (fur raised, back arched, stiff-legged prance, and batting pounce) is similar to a cat’s method. However, keeping in mind the wild nature of a fox, it would be foolish to rule out the possibility of a fox attacking a cat. If they vomit, bleach can be a terrible corrosive for the cat's mouth. best to keep older cats in at least. Had I not witnessed this myself I would never had believed it. I rushed outside and chased the foxes off. I think my cat who has lived in peace in our area for 5 years has been attacked by a fox, looks like he has been scruffed and ragged, very nasty looking injuries which are being treated. We did try to keep the cat inside at dusk and dark but its not easy to do every day, this attack occurred between 5.30 – 7.30. Knowing what do foxes not like may help you to repel them. So my final answer is that a fox can kill a cat, but a cat could kill a fox. Please keep your cats safe indoors. Foxes are generally timid and reclusive. A lot of people are not even aware how dangerous this infection is!I have seen terrible results in young and old-it takes years to discover with fatal outcomes….I wish all these Fox- fanatics would be aware of this danger and would accept that the fox-population doesn’t belong to a big city’s”wonderful wildlife”Of course they have been driven out of their natural habitat, but they are an indirect danger to humans and especially cats. if my dog were to attack another animal/person i would be facing a court case, why is it fine for foxes to do as they please? For more info., see: http://www.abcbirds.org/abcprograms/policy/cats/index.html and http://www.peta.org/living/companion-animals/caring-animal-companions/caring-cats/indoor-cats/. I looked out of the window to see two large foxes in our garden had cornered our cat, who was sitting on top of a fence in a distressed state. Something needs to be done. It was a sight no cat lover would want to see. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. I am hoping we can find her body if you are reading this, please think twice before letting your cats out at night if there are foxes in the area. I think it’s imperative that people know the risks involved in allowing your cat outside. We suspect my neighbours cat was also attacked last year and had a facial injury, luckily he is now ok, but very wary of foxes. I am devastated. Sadly my 1 year old cat was killed by foxes this morning in the early hours. I am living in Ottawa, Canada. A horrible discovery. I live in Leeds and my beautiful cat Sox who was 17years old was attacked and killed by a fox a week ago. I have just found what’s left of my cat, right next to the fox hole. All together on the same patch of grass. I went to let him in….he didn’t want to come in and went running off after the fox! I was also told by my vet that attacks are rare. It’s extremely devastating. As I came up the garden, I noticed about 5/6 big clumps of her fur on the lawn. Unless the cat is very frail, a fox is unlikely to volunteer for a fight because cats have very vicious weapons - claws and teeth - and could inflict a serious injury on a fox which could lead to its death. Several cats are named Fox-, like Foxleap, Foxwhisker, or Foxheart. Keep your cats indoors at times when foxes are most likely to be around, such as dusk, night time and dawn. I’m devastated and so shocked but he was completely torn apart. Foxes may kill cats, but cats will fight back in any way possible. Foxes are usually rife with fleas, and can also carry worms and a range of diseases and conditions that may be passed on to pets such as cats and dogs. Do Foxes Eat Cats Reddit black bengal cat for sale uk. My sister has lost two 10 year old cats to a fox in the space of 8 days, she found one’s body bitten and scratched the other she only found the bloody collar and fur, the vet said that when they have young to feed they can take risks and attack cats. Unfortunately we found my lovely cats body minus her head right by the foxes den. I've been told that a fox can kill a cat. I have no evidence it was the foxes but it seems the most likely explanation. Has a fox had her in broad daylight? A neighbour found his collar and half of his tail in their garden. Then this fox comes out from behind the bins. Can You Use Human Shampoo On Dogs? It’s 2am. Looked out the window at the field just over my fence.think the cat got away and a large fox was left looking up at me, then sauntered away hopefully without its meal. Caution. My other smaller one just sat there and wasn’t phased, I then heard another really bad fight with a fox and my cat came home and I noticed scabs on his throat a few days later. I myself have a cat but I don’t feed the fox. Looked and called out everywhere I the neighborhood but no reply. Other than keeping out little one at night indoors, I do not know what else can be done to help? I heard the fox and heard one of my barn cats. I don’t want to demonize them, as I respect all life, but, for anyone searching the answer to that question, the answer is YES, they do and will attack/kill your cat. Leopards are one of the bigger cats that kill foxes, and although a fox might not be much of a meal it’s enough to continue the circle of life. This fox took its opportunity and my cat never stood a chance. Is this normal? Our cat is small and fast, only 2 years old .. she shot up a tree and escaped. My daughter lives next to foxes too and she said my granddaughter had a fox go for her. Reading all these blogs I can see I’m not the only one having problems with foxes in Harrow. I instinctively knew we were nearing the end. This fox was chasing our cat all around our garden until my husband went out to scare it off. All that I have found is a pool of blood and her collar which has been ripped in half. All gardens are enclosed, only foxes and cats go in them at night and my neighbours heard them when my cat was snatched. If you are lucky enough to still have your cat, please take precautions to keep them safe. He was attacked a month ago leaving a bad injury to his paws which needed stitches wouldn’t have beloved it it had I not seen it myself our cat is very scared to go out side the cat was one side of the car and the fox was creeping round behind the other side. there was even a plastic football torn to pieces. Seems that a there is an increase this time of year. Do Foxes Attack Cats – Some Facts. They also cause damage to our bins, hoses, flowers and lawns. To understand how dangerous a cat is to a dog or a Fox, my German Shepherd saw a cat in a hedge, lunged for it and the dog came off far worse needing 146 stitches as the cat got under the dogs belly and used it’s power back legs and claws to rip at the dog… just as they do in play with us! Reply. I’ve also resorted to lobbing handfuls of soil at the foxes every time I see them whilst yelling at them to F off. Devastating. I just hope he was caught sleeping and did not have to suffer! im so glad i came across this site and read all these comments , i had 2 gawges boys big flufffy cuddly loveable cats sadly one went missing over a year ago now so so devastated as you can imagine his brother misses him im sure i hate to think it could have been foxes that got him but we do have alot of foxes here i head counted 8 one morning !!!! Our last cat became a fox’s dinner – it was a particularly cold winter and we think the fox was desperate. grass strewn with fur (looked like an older cats fur) and a tail left. I can’t imagine what she went through. The foxes have to hide at night because the coyotes are nocturnal. While sharing urban spaces, it has been found that cats and foxes usually ignore each other. The fox retreated a few steps and sat staring as I delt with my cat. My beloved middle-aged cat was killed by a fox on our suburban street 1 week ago. Sorry for the cats who have been involved with a fox but people should also keep their pets in at night.. For many reasons, going of and getting lost, road accidents, being abused by a cat hater and foxes..its for their own safety. Cats love bleach - they find it irresistible. Izzy says: March 30, 2014 at 10:06 pm Just yesterday 29 march 2014 our cat was being chased down the garden by a large fox trying to grab and bite him. Foxes can and do attack cats, but it’s pretty rare. We live in the city of leicester. what i saw made my stomach turn. I had always heard that foxes don't attack cats, but clearly they do and need to be kept under control." The fox theory is another guess. Coyotes are the problem here. On the reverse ….i have witnessed i big old moggy absolutely batter a fox and if i hadn’t intervened I’m sure the fox would have been seriously injured. Foxes killing cats is a real and present problem. The fox was a really big vixen who frequently visited the garden. Foxes may attack kittens or larger cats that come close to their young, but they are unlikely to attack an adult cat unprovoked and much less likely to attack one for food.If a cat has already been killed (e.g. We were sitting on the patio and the dog was just running or sitting in the garden and then all of a sudden the fox crept from behind a bush a pounced on our dog. 25 sept 2014, My cats go out for an hour early morning and late afternoon. No harm to the cat but I wonder if she disturbed a litter (there has been cubs in the garden in the last 2 years). Seems that foxes’ behavior has evolved quite rapidly since the Feb ’13 article was written, possibly in response to dwindling food supply as bins become more secured. He was current with his rabies vaccinations, but he received a booster, anyway. If he continues hissing and growling, it would be worth a quick check up with your vet just to make sure he wasn’t injured in any way by the fox. I’m trying to keep my cat Bob in at night as we have so many foxes around its scarey. Home » All Posts » Ask a vet online » Urban foxes – could your pet cat be the next victim? This morning a MASSIVE FOX passed the house just as I was going to let it out and ran along quickly I did give it some time before letting my cat out and seemed ok this time he was lucky again and came back safely I do DREAD the time I hope he never comes into contact with anything like that EVER. I chased it away and it ran to the neighbors house and barked and almost ran back at me. I bolted outside to find my poor cat cowering behind a bush. Up until now in the veterinary world, it’s been difficult to find out the true incidence of problems like this. After 30 minutes we returned home empty handed and he was there right on our bed. My Maltese terrier dog was attacked about 3 months ago in my small garden he fractured my dogs jaw bleeding so bad the vet said he was lucky not to have had he’s head taken of also said they are vermin carry diseases gave him anti biotic jab straight away . since than we don’t know where is my kitten is. Foxes have killed TWO of my cats and ripped off the catflap trying to get into my house, claims distraught owner. Why do people persist in feeding them please stop they are a wild animal my poor dog. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. So, please, unless it’s not possible (feral cats) PLEASE keep your cats indoors. This is being done via the routine capture of first opinion clinical data via electronic patient records held with practices’ computerised Practice Management Systems. I think foxes will attack and kill animals smaller than them if their food source is scarce. Learn what to do if foxes are living under your porch or deck, how to keep pets safe from foxes and how to … Came home and she’d gone. Whilst sitting in my garden at the weekend, a large dog fox chased my cat across the garden grabbing its tail. I went outside to rescue the cat but the foxes at first weren’t bothered by my presence until I started throwing pebbles at them. Searched around the hedges with a torch for some time but did not get any responses. Nothing. Following reports of another attack on a baby by an urban fox in London, many people have been worried about the risk not just of foxes attacking children, but also pets. My cat then must have heard the fox and was quite interested, I managed to coax my cat in, and I think that will be the last time he goes out at night. Surely there is something that can be done!!? There is a problem, I read snarl’s report, foxes are a menace and most of the killings were by them. these urban foxes need to be removed professionally, We are a nation of animal lovers thankfully, I love all animals, my pets mostly & I also love foxes ( in the end they have the right to live & try to survive as they only live 2 yrs not more) Very sad and horrific! My poor old cat wouldn’t have survived an attack. And cats go missing, too, when coyotes move in. I need an answer but I’ll never get one. Also, cats are much better climbers than foxes. 2.50am and I can’t sleep, and just as well, I went into the kitchen to sit at the window to have a cigarette, I don’t switch the light on. Healthy foxes avoid people when they can. Usually both participants come off worse for wear, and rarely do the injuries prove fatal. Foxes may attack kittens or larger cats that come close to their young, but they are unlikely to attack an adult cat unprovoked and much less likely to attack one for food. At 2:45 am I heard that terrible fox noise and looked out to see it chasing my cat out from under the car. I've got a gray tabby I'll put up against any fox. Rabbit My one year old cat went missing 3 days ago. SNARL have said human intervention is involved. Foxes may kill cats, but cats will fight back in any way possible. I had heard that (very rarely) foxes had been known to attack young, old and vunerable cats. I opened my window an my cat went up the tree, the fox ran but he is back. My neighbors told me he saw a large fox taken down my kitten at right front of my house around 11pm. Of course there may be many fox attacks that are not reported to vets and there is no way to account for these. Foxes usually kill and eat kittens. On a few times I have seen a MASSIVE fox about three times his size pass in the street at the same time this obviously shook me up big time. Largely, this comes down to fights. I've been told that a fox can kill a cat. Thank god we saw it and made lots of noise to put him/her off. One of the missing survived an attack a few years ago. I was hopeful that he might limp home but as each day passes this is less likely. I have just been woken by the very loud noise of a fox outside in the road in the west end of glasgow. 6:30 am… pulled backwards through the cat flap just as he was coming into the house. Night-time roaming is great for cats, but many owners are worried about letting their cats out during the darker hours. My little 2 year old hasn’t even managed to catch a bird yet. I’m reading this, heartbroken. We have a large garden and my husband thought it was another cat at first, but then noticed the size. PLEASE NEVER ALLOW YOUR CAT TO BE OUTSIDE AFTER GETS DARK, NO MATTER WHAT ! Just saved my mums cat 2years old from a fox .. Interesting reading as SNARL have said some of these mutilations are human intervention. Required fields are marked *. This is a pretty low figure, especially when you consider that 541 per 10,000 cats had injuries from other cats and 196 in 10,000 cats were injured in traffic accidents. My lovely ginger male kitten 3 months old been missing for past week now. On the whole, foxes are not dangerous and do not harm people unless threatened. A family of foxes hang around our East London garden every night. Any uneaten cat food I now recapture rather than leave out. Bin bags have been replaced here by wheelie bins, the local foxes are getting desperate without their usual food source. they have gotten bolder since fox hunting was banned and its about time local authorities started to act upon the problems foxes pose. I know foxes eat cats. dont even know if its still alive or dead. The fox did not move when I approached, shooing it and making as much noise as I could to frighten it away. So my final answer is that a fox can kill a cat, but a cat could kill a fox. People think fox don’t kill cats they do .But cats kill other people’s Ducks chickens and pigeons what go’s around comes around. But not one with a mean right hook!!! Or maybe the rspca should start catching foxes and move them into the country? I know foxes only do what foxes do, but am having a hard time forgiving them at the moment. So to put fox attacks into context, other cats (x40 times) and cars (x14 times) appear to present much greater dangers to cats than foxes. With bbq season fast approaching I am guessing more and more will appear. Foxes will eat anything they can catch. poor moggy. A study published in 2013 collected data from over 400,000 domestic animals all over the UK. He will now only go outside late morning/early afternoon.. Two nights after his attack another cat was not so lucky. Something took her. Could this be a cub which is why the fox is being more agressive? So many fox attacks here. Enter your postcode to reveal your local vet ratings and reviews, another attack on a baby by an urban fox in London, Populist, radical measures such as destroying foxes in an area, http://www.abcbirds.org/abcprograms/policy/cats/index.html, http://www.peta.org/living/companion-animals/caring-animal-companions/caring-cats/indoor-cats/, Äter rävar katter? They are becoming dangerous with babies and coming into people’s homes. But a fatal attack by a fox could happen anywhere and leave little or no evidence. I chased it down the street and tried calling for the cat, but she’d streaked towards the secret cat alleys and was home on the sofa before me. This is an interesting read. Red Foxes can be larger than most other foxes and make a great meal for a large cat such as a leopard. Hes plays with a young fox on the field next our home and they have a wonderful time! She was an 8 year old Persian. We have scared the fox away, but asomething else also run away( it was sitting under neighbourgh’s care before we came out). I’ve just heard the most awful noise, like a growl/bark, I looked out of my window to see my 11 year old cat Spencer sat next to a fox who was making the noise. Foxes are becoming a complete nuisance!! I hope something is done. Cats are naturally nocturnal animals, and don’t have watches so attempting a curfew is impractical. Thanks for this…our cat was attacked last week – we think by a fox. I would chase them off but had to bang hard with dustpan and brush for them to shift away. I was totally disgusted and very saddened. Wide awake I got up to check. Unfortunately this time it appears there were two, so the websites stating they do not hunt in packs are untrue! I’m going to have a problem. No cats in my neighbour hold have been harmed so far by foxes.- Greenwich, London. Through the cat flap in to the back garden – only exit. french bulldo It does happen very sadly! Once the foxes learn that cats can be attacked they will continue to do so – and they do hunt in packs -teaching each other that cats are fair game. Cats are far more likely to be in a fight with another cat or hurt in a road traffic accident. Has this kind of thing happened since you published your posting? My cats will not be allowed to go out at night anymore. The owner had been walking his dog without a lead in a public area and also had no control of the dog whatsoever because not only did he not appear whilst I was shouting at the dog to let go of my cat (several times), he had allowed his dog to go into private gardens. I had no idea this was a possibility as I’d never heard of it. I was awoken at 4.30am by the screams and barking of the foxes outside my window and on looking out saw our cat amidst the foxes, which were tearing at him, biting him and pulling lumps of his fur out. Only when the owner of the cat arrived and threw her umbrella at the fox several times did I it finally back off. There is no way – other than scale a 6 foot fence, that a dying 21.5 yr old cat could’ve got out of my garden. Will foxes kill my cat? They also had no fear and whilst our neighbours tried to wake us up they kept trying to return for our poor boy. Just watched it this minute chase a fox out the garden and into the fields. As such, foxes will not actively hunt adult cats. Will certainly be investigating ways to seal up the gaps in the fences so she can roam or sleep without wild fox attacks! There can be no argument that foxes can and do kill cats. My garden has nothing in it except for grass and a shed (as house was recently renovated before we bought it). The raccoons had been eating that anyway. IIm worried this will continue. This morning I came online to read up to know how threatening foxes are to cats and most sites told me foxes don’t tend to bother with cats and I felt slightly reassured since I would feel cruel keeping my cat in when she asks to go out at night HOWEVER thanks to all of these posts I will be protecting my beautiful cat by keeping her indoors when it is dark. My beautiful cat who was only one year old has been missing for 3 days now. Your email address will not be published. They’re fascinating animals to watch and not always as bad as they are painted! But not one with a mean right hook!! I know what I will do to a fox if I see one in my back garden. I like to get them in before dark but Sam my youngest was desperate to get out for a bit at night and Ive found out why! if a wolf escaped the zoo it would be hunted endlessly, i see no difference to a fox, both are wild canids with the same instincts. It was found dead further down the road this morning. We will definitely be keeping him in at night from now on though. The fox ran off when it heard me open the door but I am convinced that had it not been disturbed this would have been a very different story and I would have been devastated. I ran outside and heard terrible noises of ripping flesh. Foxes do kill cats. Can Dogs See In The Dark – Do They Have Night-Vision. We have 5 cats. Our 8 month old cat seems to be hanging out with a fox too. he has since had regulare visits to fitzpatricks referrals where they found bite marks on his body and back of the neck which have been identified as fox bites, he was also found to be covered in saliva. As I’ve opened the window I see my cat sitting by a tree in the garden not a care in the world, then I see something move behind the wheelie bins, thinking it’s another cat, expecting my cat to see it off (he’s very protective of his territory) he dosnt he just sits there. Lets not pretend they’re innocent; they are the real culprits for so many disappeared cats. I do such proplecwoukd stop feeding them and our country needs to act quickly in these animals. Most foxes would not want to get on the wrong side of a cat’s sharp claws. It put up a tremendous fight but was overcome by the foxes circling and biting. I only came to this site because i was looking out my window in my bedroom and i hear a cat meowing (luckily not my cat) and a few minutes later i see fox go behind my flat and the meowing stopped (theres two more next to my place) we have a car park near us too and on occasions some cats will be there and i quickly go back to bed to type this, We think a mother fox got our 7 year old cat there where 3 babies around but they did nothing to our cat now there gone and so is our cat we are so saddened by this . As I said, never ever trust a fox. We have a family of fox living next door and numerous other foxes passing through. Our garden is open to the heath in Reigate, Surrey. A typical urban fox home range can be occupied by upwards of 100 cats, and most of these are out at night. I found a dead cat this morning in the garden which had been killed by a fox. Heard screeches and yowls from outside the home so rushed outside as it sounded like sounds the cat has made when fighting. Cat ended up with numerous bites and scratches, plus four deep cuts requiring 21 stitches. There are around 33,000 urban foxes living in Britain, so if you live in a city or suburb there are probably a fair few foxes lurking around the corner. People will view a fox chasing a cat and wrongfully assume that the fox is looking to kill the cat to feed her cubs. It’s was really scary. I’m so worried for my 2 cats now, the foxes seem bolder than ever. I don’t want to harm them but I don’t want them in my garden hunting my cats!!!!! No doubt in my mind that foxes kill/eat cats, but how on earth can you protect them? http://www.urbanfoxcontrollondon.co.uk, my 8 year old beutiful bengal cat spirit was found by a neighbour in broad daylight in her garden a few days before christmas fighting for his life. I have just found my cat, decapitated. I think maybe she went outside and collapsed and was picked up by one?!? My two female cats (Cali and Lami about age 7) scattered and then I saw another furry shape run after the fox. This happened at about 9.30 pm – she’s lucky to be alive! Not something I wish any pet owner to have to see of their family member. They already attacked two of my cats and are not scared of us in fact they even growl at my husband when he tries to chase them away. Ultimately, it’s your decision – the biggest risk with continuing to feed them long term is that you won’t just have the vixen you know, but potentially many, many others squabbling over the food. Its, 2 am and I am anxious about my 10 months old kitten who I have seen being attacked by a fox. Our 18 month old cat was taken by a fox only this morning. My dog was attacked and killed in u garden at 8,30 in the morning. Luckily our cats saved him, We live in Windsor and our 8kg tabby male has just been chased into the house by a screaming banshee of a Fox, very scary stuff. This was in Harrow North West London. I’m from North London, behide my garden we have train tracks where foxes are, when i was younger we use to watch a family of foxes laying on my shed enjoying the sun but since i have had my cat and my sister’s cat i have started to disslike foxe. You may have heard horror stories about foxes attacking livestock, wildlife, domestic pets and even babies, but you have to put this in context. I’m currently looking at building a bigger fence but how high will it have to be to stop Foxes jumping over..????? We have a lot of foxes where we live and this is our 3rd cat but we have never seen this before. Fear of fox attacks is one of the main reasons for this fear. Our 7 month old cat did not come home last night. Diseases They May Carry The one danger that foxes do present is the danger of disease. Animal fox forests live practically on the whole planet, except for arctic tundra and islands. We had 2 cats and now have one. They are trying to attack in the day too & went for my granddaughter who is 9! Foxes do kill cats. The cat had no injuries and looked very pleased with himself. Many bird species have gone extinct due to cats. we are a country of animal lovers but when these urban foxes start affecting my animals and my life for that matter something seriously needs to be done. We do not worry about foxes getting our barn and house cats. For many years our cats have used a purpose built ‘hut’ just outside for them to shelter in, or just take a nap. Such a product is certainly theoretically possible – our understanding of species-specific pheromones has allowed us to produce synthetic calming pheromones based on FFP for cats and DAP for dogs, without any biological cross-over between species, so the opposite is at least in principle possible. He’s managed to escape with minimal damage thankfully and as yet, no abscesses have formed on the bites. I care for a friendly feral colony & while I’ve managed to find forever homes for the kittens, many, although extremely beautiful do not trust people other than me & the constant fear of the dangers sent me on an online search as most vets will tell you that only in *rare* instances will a fox attack/kill cats. But after reading these comments it wont be happening again! Read on for all the answers. I’d like to know if I should continue to welcome the cub and his/her mum or make a them leave. Its not the first time ive heard animals screaming in the night here. If your cat has access to grounds where a forest and a field meet, there's a higher change they'll encounter a groundhog. Deepest sympathies for those that have lost their fur kids to foxes or other predators (including the human variety). and 3 cats, including my 15yr old are missing, all from one street in SW London. A strong and healthy cat can chase away a fox by themselves, though it was mentioned that an adult fox can kill a cat. but reading up it’s supposed to be a low chance they would have killed her? He was only 5 years of age. I can only assume it was a fox, but have no clue as to what has happened to her. I chased it away, just like before. Though it could happen that a fox tries to attack a dog or more likely a cat, they will be scared off when the noise begins or when a cat’s claws come out. The good news is that a new database, VetCompass, has started to accumulate real, up to date information about health issues affecting pets in the UK. Like cats, foxes are nocturnal and are mostly seen at night. Thank god we saw it and made lots of noise to put him/her off. Foxes do a lot of hunting at dawn and dusk, but can hunt anytime. This was in Harrow North West London. Good luck. I am so afraid as have 2 cats one of which is a tiny runt and although 7 years old would never be able to fight these off. Horse I am so heartbroken . I've got a gray tabby I'll put up against any fox. I see lots of foxes and they and tried to walk towards me many times as I pick my little dog up. I have 3 big boxer dogs, 3 cats and young children. She was well looked after. Not scared and me having to run tk a neighbours house as I was scared. FOXES DO KILL CATS!!!!! Live Chat, to connect to other services such as our Facebook page and determine how people are using the website. I’m so sorry for everyone who’s lost their cat, our pets become part of the family. Suki our three year old cat had been missing for a week. Foxes are most likely to attack a cat to protect their young, if for example the cat came too close to the foxes babies. My poor old cat wouldn’t have survived an attack. My cat keeps being chased by 2 small fox’s here in Surrey, now keeping him in, he was only over let out in the morning and kept in from 3pm. Learn how your comment data is processed. Im scared after reading everyones story, my cat may never come home. They are rarely a threat to cats or dogs. It’s possible but very unlikely. She had been seen that morning in an area three foxes are often seen. A young fox visits our garden nowadays – a cute little thing but I will never forget or trust a fox.