Aztec Performance Ltd

iTrader: (234)

Recently there seems to be a family of foxes that have moved into my garden. There used to be to odd adult fox in the past they now seem to be in the garden every night. 2 seem quite young and are quite boysterous. They hang around together which is the worrying thing.

My cat normally walks around the garden with a real strut, although he is not the best fighter, he persists and normally sees off other cats - eventually.

I know that lone adult foxes ordinarily aren't much of a serious threat to a healthy cat - but when there is 2 or 3 of them with boysterous young it can become an issue.

Have heard them fighting in the garden and had my cat come in like he's been in a fight, but undamaged.

Last night I was letting my cat in and he came over all stealth (no longer struts) while the foxes were at the other end of the garden - one of them spotted my cat and came darting over 'stalking' - they seem unbothered by my presence in an open window and my natural instinct is to protect my cat.

I'm am against all cruelty to animals etc but at the same time am protective over my cat. I ended up shooting an airgun at the fox as it was on its 'stalk' over. Felt really guilty but at the same time they are becoming a real problem.

Not sure what I should be doing, if anything.

SJ_Skyline

google is your friend


Form the first link:

Brendan Hughes

Oooh goody, cats AND foxes!

Opens fresh popcorn...

Coffin Dodger

You're against cruelty to animals and yet you own a cat that you allow to wander round outside. So what about all the song birds you cat has undoubtedly attacked, that's not cruel then

Foxes are part of the natural flora and fauna of this country, cats aren't. If you are worried about your cat keep it indoors, which incidently is the best place for them so the aren't outside killing other wildlife and sh*tting in other peoples gardens.

The Snug Rhino

Have a vet put your cat to sleep....no pain for the cat and it saves the foxes. Two birds with one stone! (assuming there are any birds left in your garden?)

Duck_Pond

If you're worried about cats in your garden, get one of those cat deterrent devices as recommended by the RSPB. Not sure if there's a version for foxes though

Aztec Performance Ltd

iTrader: (234)

I don't get your point

My cat catches/eats mice when outside - but I don't see what that has to do with anything. Its nature. Whats in catfood? Is that not animal derived?

I know nature is nature, but when it comes to your own pets you are a little more protective over them and do what you can to ensure they don't come to harm.

FlightMan

So is a fox eating a cat. The only difference here is the fox doesn't know its your cat. How do you know that one of the mice your cat had devoured isn't little Johnys pet mouse? You know the kid, Used to be happy, but now is always kind of sad looking!

Aztec Performance Ltd

iTrader: (234)

Wow, a sensible post

Yes there are deterrents available but I think they work on scent and foxes, like cats are territorial and will move on if they territory is taken over by something stronger....only problem with this method is the foxes will defend their territories and I'm not sure they will know its fox scent and not cat scent (could cause more problems than it prevents).

Aztec Performance Ltd

iTrader: (234)

Johny must have an endless supply of mice in that case

Aztec Performance Ltd

iTrader: (234)

What about all my worms that the birds keep eating?

Andy McCord

foxes are just small dogs, they will not want to be attacking a similar sized animal that has the advantage of razor sharp claws on every foot and a head full of pointy daggers I did once see my cat trying to have a friendly sniff of a squirrel on our fence, you should of heard the noise the squirrel was making, freaked my cat out big time

Reffro

Actually they are probably closer to cats, seeing as they share retractable claws, amongst other similarities.

mr flibble

We used to have a rather large cat on our street, always fighting foxes. Had his ear ripped off, and several other injuries, but he was a tough bugger!

Not much help I know, but as long as your cat is big enough a fox shouldn't be able to kill it.

http://www.nfws.org.uk/pro/problems.htm


"Whilst our society would not be stupid enough to suggest that foxes will never kill cats what we can say is there has never been a reported case of this happening. Usually foxes and cats have a mutual respect for one another. The time of year when calls peak are usually around March / April / May. People will view a fox chasing a cat and wrongfully assume that the fox is looking to kill the cat to feed her cubs. What is happening however that whilst cubs are still very young and underground cats will show a very unhealthy interest in them. If the cat was to get to the young cubs it would kill them. A vixen looking after her cubs will chase cats away from the earth. Calls again then peak usually around July where householders are claiming that a pack of foxes is going around terrorising cats. Since foxes do not hunt in packs we can assume its a family of cubs learning their way around their territory. On discovering a cat they tease the cat, in the countryside the badger is usually the one that the foxes will tease, one would never believe that the young cubs were looking to kill the badger! Once the cubs have met with the ferocity of a cat they learn quickly to avoid them.

If a fox finds a dead cat on the road it will take it away to eat. Any person observing this will assume that the fox has killed the cat. We have observed on many occasions foxes carrying marrow bones, never do we conclude the fox has killed the cow!

If more than one fox is present when this cat has been discovered, and since foxes are so selfish with their food, an argument over who's it is will commence. Remembering on many occasions that the police have been called out thinking someone's being attacked and killed because the foxes are so vocal, it is easy to assume that the foxes are killing the cat since that's what it sounds like"

bigsinky

i had the same problem, but i had dogs. i was told that they will eventually move on but neither the council nor the RSPCA would come out to remove them. if it helps they are probably more scared of your cat and will normally run if faced with a confrontation.

Rage!

Point 1) - you have a family of British native foxes in your garden that have a right to be there, so far so good...

Point 2) - you have released a non-native predator into the wild that has no right to be there.... ummmkay... lose a point....

It is an 'issue' of your own making..... lose another point....

So now we have evidence your non-native predator is causing damage to wildlife.... lose 10 points...

Totally and utterly unacceptable. Now you most likley have an injured fox that you have left to die a lingering and painful death, probably due to infection. Lose ALL your points.

What you SHOULD be doing is as follows:

1) You owe that injured animal a moral duty of care. You should do anything in your power to find that animal and ease its suffering, either by vetinary treatment or humane euthanasia.
2) You should get rid of your air rifle. You are a disgrace to shooting sports and should not be in posession of one.
3) You need to realise that just because you want to keep a cat you have no right to inflict that cat on the local wildlife, or your neighbours for that matter. By all means keep a cat, but keep it in doors where it can do no harm, and (for your benefit) it can come to no harm.

fitzscoob

Whilst I dont think it was a good idea to shoot the animal with an air rifle, its still his garden, his pet he is protecting.

There should be another way to move the animals on, without having to resort to shooting them.

I'm surprised that at the end of your post you havent added the fact that Bob should go around on his knees apologising to all foxes for his behavoir. Then on the weekends should dress as a big mummy fox and care for all the lonely foxes in his neighbourhood as way of compensation.

jasey

Keep you cat in while the dogs do their work.

As it would be a private hunt in your back garden it's probably legal .

Lee247

I have two cats and a family of foxes living in the field next to our garden. I've never had a problem, yet.
They seem to keep well away from each other

Duck_Pond

That's because they're both terrified of the owls that rule the roost in your garden

Got a pic of it yet?

Lee247

We've only got one owl
And I can't get a pic, she sits on top of one of the telegraph poles. My little digi camera is useless
Anyway, it's that massive rat they are all frightened of

Duck_Pond

Does it drive a pink Anglia?

Lee247

Yes, it clashes badly with my WR1

Andy McCord

Ah but they are not fully retractable

Tim-Grove

lol in that case I’d lose a million points. If caught an animal (wild or someone else’s pet) attacking my pet I would defend it. Like I would if I had a child and he/she was being attacked by another kid.

The real point is the pet is mine I couldn’t really give a flying **** what happens to the other animal.

Daryl

What we should really be talking about is why there are so many people on Scoobynet with a totally irrational persecution complex when it comes to cats! You lot need help...

rgv_stu

the foxes should be shot and the cats should be locked up - simple !!

foxes are pure filth like rats !!

homerdog

http://www.theargus.co.uk/the_argus/...NEWS160ZM.html

I think the killer may be lurking on Scoobynet - Rage! and Coffin Dodger seem likely suspects

shooter007

it takes a lot to kill a fox out right but not much to injure one thats why shotguns or rifles are used never airguns they just dont have enough power for a clean kill and if we have to shoot animals we have a moral duty not to let them suffer and befor any one thinks i am anti personally i like cats and foxs and wouldnt dream of hurting eather

Huxley

It's because they are all *****


HTH


And what about all the traffic that kill the wildlife FFS it's not all down to the cats FFS get a fecking life