Fox and Feral Cats

I went outside this morning to see if any of the feral kitties were still out there, just like I do every morning, and I saw a fox instead!!! It wasn't right outside where I feed the cats, but across the street, heading up the street like it had someplace to go. So do foxes prey on cats? I tried googling that and it looks like they mostly do not, but might if they get the opportunity. I don't live in the country, but in a suburban neighborhood. Has anyone else had any experience with foxes?

 In my own personal experiences, no, but I have heard people tell me that foxes do get cats. My foxes do go after my hens and the cat food but have been known to socialize with my cats, especially my tame, adult cat JC, whose fox buddy plays tag with him.  Note* JC is an 18lb Maine Coon, not a small cat.

I have heard that opposums will go after cats, and are vicious, but all the ones that I have seen, although they looked like they were "viciously" displaying teeth with jaws wide open and lips pulled back, were merely trying to get more scent information.

Blessings on your feral rescue work!! I applaud your efforts

PJB755 said:

I went outside this morning to see if any of the feral kitties were still out there, just like I do every morning, and I saw a fox instead!!! It wasn't right outside where I feed the cats, but across the street, heading up the street like it had someplace to go. So do foxes prey on cats? I tried googling that and it looks like they mostly do not, but might if they get the opportunity. I don't live in the country, but in a suburban neighborhood. Has anyone else had any experience with foxes?

Click to expand...

Yes, its as you say. usually not, a determinated cat can nicely defend itself and chase it away.  Its not unusual either get got pals.

BUT they surely can prey on an unware cat, or a defenceless cat.  It may also surely be individually.  Some foxes become more specialized on cats than others.

I remember, once when my bridgepartner drowe our cat across a rural area in the late evening, pich black, out of the search lights we saw a car running and a fox after...  Im not sure they just played. The fox may have beein in hot pursue trying to kill.

Thanks for your replies.  Makes me feel a little better.  Speaking of a fox getting cat food, I put out two small plastic containers of dry food each evening, and almost all of the time, about half of the food is still there the next morning.  I feed 6-7 cats, plus whatever neighborhood cats show up.  So I'm thinking the fox isn't interested in the cat food.  But maybe if it was very hungry, it would prefer to eat cat food rather than expend the energy trying to chase down a cat.

There is one cat that would show up every evening to eat, but she hasn't been around for about 4 days now.  It makes me very sad thinking that something might have happened to her.  But it could have been anything, other than a fox.  Or maybe she'll show up again eventually.

I have lots of foxes in my yard year round.  They never bother my feral cats.  They are often sitting in the back of the yard together.  Yet I have heard if a fox is hungry enough it might go after a small cat or kittens.  Coyotes on the other hand are a big problem.  Unfortunately we have coyotes too. 

I would caution you of leaving food out overnight.  It will begin to attract unwanted wildlife such as skunks and raccoons.  Once they find the food source it is next to impossible to get them to leave.  The raccoons can hurt a cat if they decide to tangle over the food.  It is best to bring the food in each night.

Are the cats you are feeding, spayed and neutered?  This is a big part of caring for feral/stray cats.  If they are not spayed/neutered you will soon have more cats than you know what to do with.  The cats will also fight over territory and mates.  Doing TNR on these cats is the kindest thing you can do for them.  If you are purely feeding them, you are making them strong and healthy so they are able to reproduce. 

Thank you for caring for these cats.

The cats have all been spayed (they were all female) except for two of them.  I will be taking them in soon.  Those two, I'm not sure if they are male or female (all the others I was pretty sure they were females since they were all calico), but regardless, they'll be getting fixed.

I have read that people feeding feral cats should not "feed the wildlife," and I think you make a good point.  I'll start bringing the food in at night, and put it back out for a few hours in the mornings before I go to work.

I love foxes, so I'm glad to hear that they are not likely to bother the cats.  I've never seen a coyote here in town, but I wouldn't doubt that we have some since I have seen them outside of town.  I wish I could tame all the feral kitties and find good homes for them, but the best I can do is try to make their lives a little easier by providing food and getting them fixed, and hope that they stay safe. 

PJB755 said:

 
I love foxes, so I'm glad to hear that they are not likely to bother the cats.  I've never seen a coyote here in town, but I wouldn't doubt that we have some since I have seen them outside of town.  I wish I could tame all the feral kitties and find good homes for them, but the best I can do is try to make their lives a little easier by providing food and getting them fixed, and hope that they stay safe. 

Click to expand...

Now, coyotes, foxes and even loose dogs, ie predators, arent as evil as it sounds.  Relatively speaking.

When Im trying to propagate for TNR in Sweden, the rescuers immediately begin to howl and weep about the poor homeless whom are slowly dying from diseases.  So the recipe is either to rescue them and foster,. Or PTS.    The thinking of TNR is just slowly winning overall acceptance.

Now, its possible they do exagerrate for the sake of winning the discussion. We seldom do hear the same howls from for example, american rescuers.  It surely happens ferales get sick and dies from it, but not as a massive phenomena, enough to rule out TNR. 

But if there is a core of truth in there, I think the big difference between USA and Sweden, we dont have as many predators.  No coyotes, no alligators, very few loose dogs.  Just some foxes, and of course, some birds (these half big, black ones for example).  And some birds of prey.

So in USA, these weak disease stricken homeless they are soon enough attacked and eaten up by predators - that is why we dont see them much in USA. I think.

The horrors of long, slowly dying are very often shortened in much in the USA tx to these predators.

While in Sweden, rescuers do see this  more often.

I have had foxes come up and feed on the cat food, and they have ignored the cats. I know coyotes kill both small dogs and cats, they are much more viscous. I have also had a favorite feral killed by what we can only determine to be one of the raccoons, his abdomen was sliced open, and there were no signs of a cat fight or a struggle. A coyote would have mauled or ate him, and a dog would have done much more damage. It had to have been something he allowed close and that had extremely sharp teeth. We haven't had any problems from the hawks either, but have lost several kittens to owls at night.