Foxes and cats

[Cummins4x4]

I once watched a large cat & a fox square of in the middle of a road.
The fox wanted to eat the cat but the cat held it's ground facing the fox, it was a stand off, the cat showed no fear & even relaxed enough to sit down!
The fox decided it wouldn't be worth the risk & left.

Same thing happened in my backyard (4 acres). Fox and my very large Siamese tomcat. Eyed each other for a while and went their seperate ways. I think my cat actually outweighed the fox

 

[Ardent]

I have a good sized acreage in the Rocky Mtn foothills, on which we have two species of rabbit breeding on the property, as well as grouse. Unfortunately, I've seen more predation due to cats than any other predator. And we have lots of coyotes, an old badger, wolves, black bear, and cougars. I love seeing my small game flourish, but the cats are hurting things. Only shot one so far, but I 'd shoot a free running cat long before a fox. The fox is meant to be there. The fox is beautiful, enjoy watching it and be thrilled you have it. Congrats, there's still some wild in your area, don't destroy it.

 

[Cummins4x4]

I don't shoot the foxes, I built a critter proof fence all around the property

 

[sjemac]

Same thing happened in my backyard (4 acres). Fox and my very large Siamese tomcat. Eyed each other for a while and went their seperate ways. I think my cat actually outweighed the fox

Most cats do outwiegh foxes. The fox is about a 10 lb animal. It would only be able to take on the smallest of cats. I've seen cats and foxes interact several times. Most of the time it is the fox that feels threatened by the cat.

 

[hillmanr2]

BA HA AHAAH HHA HA HA AH

AWESOME THREAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My goodness what a mess.

BA HA HA HA HA HA HA AHA

I would refrain from shooting the fox unless you plan on having free range birds. A Fox will out mouse a cat anytime, anywhere. They also hunt moles, shrews and gophers although some gophers get to big. Honestly if your cat gets eaten by a fox, it was not long for this world anyways. The only other animal that will take more mice is a skunk.

We have 2 fox dens within a mile of our house. We have a house cat and a small ####zu dog (wife bought it) that spend 90% of thier time outside. Feral cats live in our yard (yard is 14 acres) in the front ditch and they are badazz.

Balance where you live and what your issues will be. For us out here I feel mice are the biggest pest after the pucking beavers. Fox's, beavers, coyotes. bears and all the animals have a place. The trick is to balance our human needs against the benifit most animals will do.

 

[ciphery]

Ok ok. Look I grew up on a farm. We had quarter horses,Muskovy Ducks and malards. And what started as THE barn cat turned into a colony of them. You could not pet these thins and let me tell you I saw a Muskovy duck being greedily eaten by about 5 cats. It was then decided to "thin out the ban cats" we baited them with a dish of cat food in the middle of the yard. When I shot the first one the others were initially scared off by the sound but then turned to cannibalism!
Granted these were NOT pets.
I agree with Hillmanr2 on this.

 

[Odinson]

"So you found proof that the cat was the one killing the chickens, or you just assumed it was the culprit because you caught it in the trap?"


No more dead chickens .... you do the math, unless it was some other animal that was using the cat as a scapegoat ......

 

[PeakXV]

I wouldn't say never ...but an average sized house cat is not exactly easy pickings for a fox. Our cat is out all the time when foxes are cruising the back field looking for mice/moles. They are definitely curious about & see each other, often locking eyes(second picture below, the cat & fox were in the middle of a 'mexican stare off'). She'll go up a tree if she feels really over-powered or threatened, but always seems to hold her ground when the fox appears. Coyotes & bobcats are much more the dangerous scenario.

 

[Until the Angels Fall]

A fox is part of the dog family...correct?

 

[Thinking]

"So you found proof that the cat was the one killing the chickens, or you just assumed it was the culprit because you caught it in the trap?"


No more dead chickens .... you do the math, unless it was some other animal that was using the cat as a scapegoat ......

Maybe it was being set up by one of those dangerous super smart wolf dog hybrids. You know, like the pups that resulted from when the Littlest Hobo had that drunken romp with Wilie Coyote.

 

[Ardent]

Maybe it was being set up by one of those dangerous super smart wolf dog hybrids. You know, like the pups that resulted from when the Littlest Hobo had that drunken romp with Wilie Coyote.

The hybrids are real, I shot one. Killed several of our goats, let that slide, then it attacked one of the dogs. Ballsier than typical.

 

[MapleSugar]

you sound like a little idiot child that is trying to make others believe you actually know what you're talking about. actually, it appears like you have the same dimwit mentality as a delightful PETA member

clearly you have not spent enough time in the bush or you never leave the the city if you have only seen cats kill rodents and small birds. they will easily kill squirrels, smaller rabbits, grouse, turkey poults, young waterfowl, birds, snakes, and the list goes on.

true, dogs are more dangerous than cats. but, canines typically dont kill for fun like cats so i'd be more concerned for humans than wildlife. but, feral cats are a huge problem for wildlife and they need to be dealt with. anyone who says otherwise needs to pull their head out of their ass

Actually, I used to live in the bush.....in a tent for most of the year.

I suppose your outdoor experience consists of leaving the 'burbs on a weekend and shooting anything unfortunate enough to cross your path.

I suppose the reason the Kelowna RCMP was shooting people's dogs that were running deer and killing them for kicks, was because the feral cats were too smart for them.

If you want to pull the same old mantra of blaming feral cats for the "destruction of the songbirds" you have your own head to pull out of your ass. Loss of habitat to human encroachment, pollution, and other predators is more to blame.

 

[Ardent]

Maple Sugar bud... Clearly you love cats, but they're no better than feral dogs and breed quicker. Plus they can survive solely off killing wild species, unlike dogs in most areas of Canada. Cats will always be a greater nuisance wild than dogs, I haven't had to shoot dogs yet. Don't take it personal, it's just that no animal, especially not humans might I add, is perfect.

 

[MapleSugar]

"So you found proof that the cat was the one killing the chickens, or you just assumed it was the culprit because you caught it in the trap?"


No more dead chickens .... you do the math, unless it was some other animal that was using the cat as a scapegoat ......

I see another candidate to replace Clouseau has joined the party.

It is possible it was the cat, but considering Thinker seems to state he didn't catch anything for several days after he tightened security on the barn and set up the trap, it makes it seem unlikely.

By the logic exhibited here, I suppose if a squirrel had been caught in the trap and the attacks had ceased, that would make the squirrel the chicken killer.

Meanwhile, the real killer had moved on when it was no longer easy to gain access to the coop.

BTW, any responsible pet owner keeps their animals in at night anyways. I don't let my animals roam.

 

[MapleSugar]

Maple Sugar bud... Clearly you love cats, but they're no better than feral dogs and breed quicker. Plus they can survive solely off killing wild species, unlike dogs in most areas of Canada. Cats will always be a greater nuisance wild than dogs, I haven't had to shoot dogs yet. Don't take it personal, it's just that no animal, especially not humans might I add, is perfect.

Dude, I've been around animals all my life and have yet to meet a nuisance cat. That is why I prefer them as a pet.

I would rather meet a feral cat in the bush than a feral dog anyday.

My step-brother used to have a ranch that he ran cattle on. He told me of the times he had to zap neighbour's dogs that would harass his calves. He likes dogs and would shoo them away several times until he lost patience with them. I like dogs too, but even the nicest ones can turn when they leave your yard, or pack up with some others.

I know a lady that was nearly blinded as a girl by a neighbour's dog that came into their yard and decided to use her as chew toy. A dog we had when I was a kid was given away after it continued to attack my sister. I've lost count of the amount of dogs that have nipped at me whenever I meet them. Two dogs a few streets over frequently get loose and have attacked my neighbour's little dog in her front yard.

Seriously, I could go on from memory of incidents where a dog attacked someone or another pet, but I can't think of any cat incidents. It broadens even more when you go through news reports of dogs leaving their yard and mauling someone walking down the street.

I know some people who raise their dogs well and they are nice animals, but I see a lot more irresponsible dog owners raising psycho dogs that are a menace to everything.

 

[Ardent]

...not sure what to say, other than that you have an odd view of cats being perfect, and dogs largely intrinsically evil though some can be OK. You very clearly have not crossed paths with a feral tomcat, pure piss and vinegar and just plain nasty animal. My brother was hospitalized by one about 4 years ago, and he's a tough young guy. He has two little kids, and it took up residence in his house unexpectedly- pissed on everything marking it, and they couldn't shoo it out of the house. He had to push it out with the broom, and it attacked, he was a mess.

In fairness, I was attacked by a Rottweiler and have facial scars from it, but I don't blame the dog, I blame the owner. If cats weren't so small, and could be the size of a 140lb Rottweiler, you'd hear about issues galore. You have an irrational love of cats and dislike of dogs. They're both just animals evolved to be endearing to us as their evolutionary survival strategy, and dogs have the distinction of being useful workers for us (guard dogs, hunting dogs, rescue dogs, blind leading dogs), cats are more self interested. We have a dog that would go to the end of the world for my wife, and since I work up north a lot, this is a trait I value heavily. Haven't found a cat that can do the things Cooper does yet. This is just to give back on the cats are great dogs aren't argument. Show me a cat that can guard my wife and house with supreme loyalty, hunt with me leading me to small game, and be such a part of the family and I may concede to your argument. My wife liked a cat we were house sitting a few weeks back. She was saying how awesome 'Tigger' was, isn't he so friendly, then asked how I thought cats compared to dogs. Well, this cat loved anybody- it couldn't have cared less if its owners never came home. Yes, there are exceptions, cats that will run to their owners new house etc. But I meet a LOT more cats that 'came with the house or barn' than dogs. Uh oh, here comes the debate...

 

[KDX]

People can be unpredictable and attack you. Dogs and cats can be unpredictable and attack you. Some Dolphins have been known to try to hump people. Life can be down right scary if you think about it.

 

[MapleSugar]

You're twisting my words, I never said I hated dogs, I just don't trust them as much as cats. I have found they are far more unpredictable.

Yes, it is easier to control a 19 lb. cat compared to a 140 lb. Rottweiler. How does that make a cat more dangerous?

Even the friendliest dogs I've know seem to love to jump up and greet me when I see them. I prefer big dogs, but I dislike having to discipline someone else's dog when they show bad behaviour and the owner does nothing. I agree though, it is usually the owners fault how they turn out. But they are still usually a different dog when they run loose and form into a pack.

I certainly don't need a dog to protect my home and my cats tip me off whenever I have a visitor. Rather than barking loudly whenever someone approaches, they give a low growl that lets me know someone is near the house even before I can hear them. No cat has ever left a pile of s**t in my yard either. They have the good manners to bury it.

To be fair, I have had a good dog warn me that a grizzly was watching me from the bush. I was a camp manager in a mining exploration camp and one of the driller's dogs would follow me around while I filled up the diesel drums. I knew there was a big grizzly hanging around the camp, but the dog took off from my side, bolted for the treeline and started barking at the shadows. He was well trained and never left the clearing. That dog had let me know danger was present when I was unaware. I already like him, but He earned my respect that day.

I try to live and let live, but there are certain members here that disgust me. None of the hunting mentors I had growing up were of the shoot everything that moves mentality. Most of them had cats and dogs and treated them all as part of the family. None of them had a hatred of either species. They only harvested game animals and followed the regulations closely.

Those people that call themselves hunters and shoot anything they see are poachers as far as I'm concerned. The image they give of gun owners and hunters to the general public, is no less damaging than that which Marc Lepine, or Kimv**r Gill has disgraced us with.

 

[MapleSugar]

People can be unpredictable and attack you. Dogs and cats can be unpredictable and attack you. Some Dolphins have been known to try to hump people. Life can be down right scary if you think about it.

I've heard that about dolphins too. I've also heard they've saved shipwrecked sailors from drowning.

What to believe?

 

[KDX]

I've heard that about dolphins too. I've also heard they've saved shipwrecked sailors from drowning.

What to believe?

That they are horny and like to help people?