I think now that it is getting warmer I see the foxes become more brazen and coming closer. Today I saw one of the foxes chase the one of the ferals, he was on his tail I screamed and my boyfriend went out to see what was going on. the cat was hiding under our next door neighbors grill cover and the fox somehow lost track of the cat and was drinking water out of a bowl. I am trying my hardest to capture the two ferals of mine, to see if I can domesticate them. this is proving very challenging since my two cats come to feedings together mommy & son, I can't trick them and capture one without the other seeing the capture since they're like attached at the hip, where one goes the other follows. If it wasn't for the foxes I wouldn't be as freaked out. the foxes are like 2x the size of the cat, cats have nails and teeth but foxes have a bigger mouth. are the fox trying to kill the cats for food? what can i do? I can't bear with the thought of any cat getting hurt. but I live near a preserve and the fox are just natural to this area in suffolk county long island, i read about sprays that deter the foxes, but that these don't really work and it gets washed away with the rain. any advice anyone can offer would be appreciated. it was terrifying watching the fox chase one of the cats, I was frantic. cat vs. cat is one thing and raccoons generally don't even bother with cats but the fox seems like it has the advantage over the cat, and my heart was going to explode watching that encounter.
-
Too many ads? Join our community of cat lovers now to reduce ads by 90%! Click here to join for free!
Foxes, unwanted visitors to my feral neighborhood, anyone else dealing with this issue? How do I hel
- Thread starter tiger cat
- Start Date
my colony is located right at the edge of a large state owned wetlands area and i have seen quite a few red fox over the years. normally they are not a problem, but this time of the year they (fox) are certainly having a harder time finding food sources. soon, once the weather turns, the fox will have plentiful food supplies so you will have very little to worry about.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #3
oh thank you whaler, you seriously put my crazy mind at ease. naturally I worry about everything with these cats. this fox was on the feral's tail but lost him somehow. if the fox caught him I'm sure the cat would put up a fight . I hope the foxes learn that it's not worth the trouble and to stick to something smaller. I'm so used to raccoons who couldn't care less about cats and now I'm in the wildnerness here. I know coyotes are trouble and they will kill cats but luckily only have to deal with red foxes here, I'm just very unfamiliar with the species. if they weren't chasing JC to kill him, what for? I've seen such weird encounters. oreo one time just stood motionless as a fox walked past her. i went out to scare the fox away and oreo stayed and the fox ran. i feel like if an animal starts running maybe the foxes immediate response is to chase?
don't get me wrong, a fox could kill and eat a cat - desperate times and all that - but it is not too large of a worry. once the weather is warmer there will/should be ample food that makes up the fox's normal diet, so soon enough it will be almost no worry.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #5
Well I will pray all kitties stay safe until that time. As much as I can chase off foxes as I see them, I'm gone all day at work. I thought foxes were night animals but this fox chase was first thing this morning. I hope they find something else to eat soon (as much as I hate the thought of any animal getting killed, even bunnies and chickens).
why can't all animals be vegetarians? lol 
- Joined
- Sep 10, 2005
- Messages
- 14,604
- Purraise
- 1,702
I understand your concern. I live in the country and we have foxes, coyotes, bears and much wildlife. I am always mindful of what is in the yard, even before I go very far outside.
We have fox in the yard here too. It has completely freaked me out. In January and early February, I was able to leave some dry cat food out at night. One of my ferals, would only come late at night. I have surveillance cameras and have seen the fox in the yard. Then as winter wore on, the fox became bolder and came right onto the deck. Two of my three ferals were on the deck both times. The first time, they both ran under the deck and the next time, they both just stayed in their shelter. I know longer have any food out on the deck during the night and so far the fox has stayed in the yard. Below is a picture of the fox on my deck. He is sniffing at a catnip toy!
Foxes has not been issue here, they don't come to yard, they do however travel past the yard in 100ft away at times. Also Lynx is commonly walking from that distance, but stays out from yard.
Today I saw Bear tracks around quarter mile away.
There is also now wolf family, it was seen half mile away last time, they are probably nesting somewhere near now, so those might be threat to cats to end of the summer when those wolfs might move on.
Few miles away is town center and at this winter 11 cats has disappeared from there. They suspect that lynx is the reason for that, but it is bit unclear, that is really a lot of cats as there is only around 200 people living at town center and here cat persons are more rare than dog persons.
Luckily here has not been such issues now.
For foxes, some kind of feeder where cat would need to climb inside of it might work, entry from the bottom so fox can't get in?
Today I saw Bear tracks around quarter mile away.
There is also now wolf family, it was seen half mile away last time, they are probably nesting somewhere near now, so those might be threat to cats to end of the summer when those wolfs might move on.
Few miles away is town center and at this winter 11 cats has disappeared from there. They suspect that lynx is the reason for that, but it is bit unclear, that is really a lot of cats as there is only around 200 people living at town center and here cat persons are more rare than dog persons.
Luckily here has not been such issues now.
For foxes, some kind of feeder where cat would need to climb inside of it might work, entry from the bottom so fox can't get in?
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #9
OMG Shadow & Jtbo that is so scary! Jtbo where do you live that you have bears and foxes and lynx? We just have raccoons and foxes and I see the same fat raccoon every night, he is very well fed and so does not appear a threat to the cats. some of them stay there and watch and some run away but unless they start a fight with the raccoon, the raccoon is not bothering with them. the fox are [pretty scared of people. one saw me through the window and got scared and ran away. i think in the wintertime like Whaler said the fox were more desparate and hungry. I saw one chase one of the regular ferals and I freaked out. but they haven't been too common since. I'm putting up a fence this weekend, that should at least keep my neighbor's dog from running into my backyard and give me a little more privacy.
We have ton of rabbits here also, so those might keep some of the beasts fed.
Here is photo of bear track I mentioned earlier, as one can see it is fairly old track, barely visible as snow has been melting:
Rural Finland here is quite like Alaska, but I don't think we have quite as lot of wildlife and Northern Alaska is definitely colder, but it is very similar what I have seen. There was tv show about Alaska Police here, that did show quite nicely what kind of place that is, also many issues are similar here.
Old photo, but you can see how it is here:
Bit more of bear and rabbit tracks:
Normally one don't see those animals at all, only new tracks appear during the night. I don't really know how much cats are in danger, but Lynx is probably one that is mostly harmful for them. Even fox is probably preferring bit smaller prey. Our new wolf friends are then such that certainly could take cat if cat is foolish enough to get close.
Quite vast wilderness area starts from my backyard, there are only few summer houses near and then nothing but trees and lakes/ponds, swamp and of course forest areas, winters are quite long and feral cats have not too much food or shelter from arctic chill here. I wonder how they do manage in Alaska, though or if there even is ferals there?
So much life outside our closed doors and windows! I love it - until I get the notion that my ferals are in danger!! Tiger Cat - No more worries about momma oreo cat being afraid or getting hurt!! yay! Really pleasantly surprised at how well they are taking the changes! Ggod vibes your way
Jtbo - those are some amazing photos. I get the idea that a feral that has grown up amongst a certain ecosystem will do what it needs to do to survive. If one of my ferals should suddenly be faced with bears at the food station - I'm not sure they would ever cone back lol
At least cat is faster than a bear and far more agile
Last night there was rather large owl right next to house at tall tree, it was dark already, so my attempt to take a photo was not successful. Silly bird was howling right above me until decided to take off, without making any kind of sound at all, I could see owl moving it's wings and starting to fly, but I could not hear it even it was dead silent and no wind at all, it is amazing how silently owl can move and there was not even lot of distance from him being up at a tree and me under the tree, if I could of spotted him earlier I would not wondered below that tree, but kind of hard to spot those in dark.
I guess small cat might get at least hurt by such owl as they take even rabbits.
Feral cat either learns quick which things are dangers or loses in the game of nature, if feral survives to adulthood, then I guess they know how to stay clear of dangers, but large owl, lynx, are at least such that are difficult for even a feral to spot enough soon. I think that foxes are such that ferals spot them quite easily. Also my understanding is that fox is not a chaser, but more of stalker, so they wait for they prey to come into leap distance and then attack, while lynx for example runs after the prey.
Lynx can take down even a deer, while fox is struggling with an adult rabbit, fox is more of mouser than really a big animal hunter, so I don't think foxes are actually very big concern, Coyote is perhaps more troublesome, but Wolf and Lynx are such that can kill a cat and will do if they are hungry and there is an opportunity.
Surely fox can kill a cat as another cat can kill a cat, but cat is bit of challenge for fox and I think fox does prefer other possibilities over the cat if there just are other possibilities.
Fox don't climb too well, they might jump, but not too well, maybe it would e possible to place feeder bit higher where would lead only narrow path or steps, cats can easily walk steps that are 2 inches wide, fox can't, now sure about raccoon, I really don't think even they are very comfortable with narrow steps which for cats are just a walk in the park.
I think that I have seen such narrow steps to chicken hen, in some photo.
