It’s a common concern for cat owners, especially those who allow their feline friends to roam outdoors: Will A Fox Eat A Cat? Many cat guardians bring their cats indoors at night, a time when cats are naturally inclined to explore and when urban environments are quieter. When asked about this night-time confinement, the overwhelming reason given is fear of foxes. This fear is widespread, and as someone working closely with pet owners, I felt it was crucial to investigate the reality of this perceived threat. Fueled by sensationalized media reports, the idea of foxes as a danger to cats has become ingrained in many minds. However, my own observations, such as seeing foxes quickly retreat when cats or humans enter a garden, suggested a different story. This prompted me to delve into research, consulting online resources, veterinarians, wildlife sanctuaries, and cat owners themselves to get a balanced and factual understanding of fox and cat interactions in urban spaces.
A fox pictured after successfully hunting a rabbit, highlighting their natural predatory instincts but not necessarily towards cats.
Understanding Fox Diet and Behavior
To understand the potential threat foxes pose to cats, it’s essential to first look at their natural behavior and dietary habits. Here are some key facts about foxes in Britain:
Fox Fast Facts:
- There are an estimated 225,000 adult foxes in rural areas and 33,000 in urban environments across Britain.
- A significant portion of wild foxes, around 84%, do not survive beyond their second year.
- Foxes began establishing themselves in British cities in the 1930s.
Source: University of Bristol and John Bryant
What Do Foxes Naturally Eat?
Foxes are opportunistic omnivores with a highly adaptable diet. According to BBC Wildlife, their diet is remarkably varied, especially in urban settings. Urban foxes commonly consume:
- Earthworms and Insects: Including beetles, cutworms, and craneflies, particularly on damp lawns.
- Fruits and Vegetables: Available in gardens and urban green spaces.
- Birds: Primarily feral pigeons and smaller garden birds.
- Mammals: Most frequently field voles found in allotments, railway lines, and grassy areas.
This diverse diet indicates that urban foxes are adept at finding food within their environment, often without needing to target larger prey.
Fox and Cat Encounters: What Usually Happens?
When considering the question, “will foxes kill my cat?”, BBC Wildlife offers this insightful perspective:
It’s possible but very unlikely. A typical urban fox home range can be also occupied by upwards of 100 cats, and most of these are out at night. Foxes and cats meet many times every night, and invariably ignore each other. When a fight does break out, it’s often the fox that comes off worse in the encounter.
This highlights the common coexistence of foxes and cats in urban areas, suggesting that interactions are more often characterized by indifference rather than aggression.
Expert Opinions and Research on Fox-Cat Interactions
Further research and expert opinions reinforce the idea that fox attacks on cats are not a common occurrence. Pete Wedderburn (BVM&S CertVR MRCVS), a veterinarian, conducted in-depth research on this topic, publishing his findings in February 2013.
the fox Vs cat debate
His research drew upon data from VetCompass, a collaborative research project by the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) in London and the University of Sydney. VetCompass aims to study health issues in companion animals using data from veterinary practices across the UK. Their database includes health information from over 400,000 animals across more than 200 practices.
VetCompass Study: Statistical Evidence of Fox Attacks on Cats
VetCompass data revealed the following regarding fox-related injuries in cats:
- Out of 145,808 cats in the VetCompass database (from January 1st, 2010 to February 2013):
- 79 cases (5 in 10,000 cats) of confirmed fox fights.
- 130 cases (9 in 10,000 cats) of suspected fox fights.
- Total: 14 in 10,000 cats with confirmed or suspected fox fight injuries.
To put this in perspective, the study also found:
- 541 per 10,000 cats were presented with injuries from cat bites (40 times more frequent than fox-related injuries).
- 196 in 10,000 cats were treated for injuries from road traffic accidents (14 times more frequent than fox-related injuries).
Pete Webberburn concluded:
to put fox attacks into context, other cats (x40 times) and cars (x14 times) appear to present much greater dangers to cats than foxes.
This statistical evidence strongly suggests that the risk of fox attacks on cats is minimal compared to other common dangers cats face.
Insights from Veterinary Surgeons
To gather further real-world insights, I personally consulted with 12 veterinary surgeons in both London and rural practices, asking about their experiences with suspected fox bites or fights in cats over the past year. The overwhelming response was consistent: NONE. Only one vet, working in Central London, reported a case – his own 17-year-old deaf cat was killed by a fox. However, he attributed this to the fox being opportunistic and targeting a vulnerable individual. He emphasized that this was not typical behavior, stating:
…because the fox is an opportunist and would have preyed on something they considered weaker (his cat, as well as being old, was completely deaf). The natural prey of a fox is not a cat and in most cases a fox would not attempt to kill a healthy cat especially one that could defend itself.
Even in this tragic personal case, the vet acknowledged the exceptional circumstances and did not consider fox attacks on healthy cats to be the norm. David Cuffe Associates, a veterinary practice in Clapham, further noted that:
most of the serious injuries we see on cats are due to territorial fighting between neighbouring cats.
This aligns with the VetCompass data, highlighting intra-species aggression as a much more significant threat to cats than foxes.
The Fox Project’s Perspective
Trevor Williams, who runs The Fox Project, a charity specializing in fox welfare and information, offered valuable insights. When asked about fox attacks on cats, he shared:
Well, from a personal perspective, I’ve had three cats in recent years and all of them chased the foxes out of the garden if they spotted them! And the foxes didn’t hang around!
He further emphasized the rarity of fox-on-cat aggression:
It would be absurd to suggest a cat never comes off worse from an encounter with a fox, but we’d suggest it was so rare as to be insignificant.
However, he did point out a specific circumstance where risks might be elevated:
However, when there are problems, it’s usually during the cub season, when foxes – like all species – will take on anyone and anything to protect their young. As cats are notorious for curiosity and for mauling small animals, their concern is well founded, and we admit several such cubs every year with serious cat scratches and bites.
This suggests that while direct fox attacks on adult cats are unlikely, defensive behavior from foxes protecting their cubs could pose a minimal risk, especially to overly curious cats. The Fox Project also highlighted a common misinterpretation:
Over the 23 years we’ve been in existence we’ve paid for around 15 post-mortems on cats suspected of being killed by foxes. In every case, death was from other means, usually crushing (road accident). As foxes will certainly scavenge roadkill, sightings of foxes hauling dead cats across the road or even found consuming them, are regularly misinterpreted.
This clarifies that while foxes may scavenge dead cats, this is often misconstrued as predation, leading to inaccurate perceptions of fox behavior. Interestingly, The Fox Project also noted:
Interestingly, scores of proud cat owners (all of whom think their cats unique) have sent us photos over the years of cats chasing foxes. No-one has ever sent us one of a fox chasing a cat and we’ve never observed such ourselves.
This anecdotal observation supports the idea that cats are often the more assertive species in fox-cat encounters. The Fox Project summarizes their stance in their ‘Disease And Aggression’ pamphlet:
Little Foxes Wildlife Rescue’s Observations
Penny Little, founder of Little Foxes Wildlife Rescue, expressed concern about misinterpretations and misinformation surrounding fox behavior. She stated:
Most reports of foxes attacking cats are either a result of misunderstanding, or are malicious. Foxes have many human enemies! But I hear so many stories from people, and sometimes it is obvious to me how the misunderstanding arises.
She provided an example of misinterpretation:
For example, a lady rang me concerned that the family of foxes in the garden would hurt her cats. She explained that she had actually heard the foxes attacking the cats. A little probing made it quite obvious that what she was actually hearing was the cubs at noisy play – they make a lot of yickering and screechy noises when they play. She accepted this was indeed what she was hearing, and stopped worrying about the cats!
Penny Little firmly believes:
I am absolutely convinced that foxes do not represent a threat to cats. I would make a small possible exception for tiny kittens, which could possibly be attacked purely as an almost reflex action of pouncing on a small furry animal (however I know of no actual cases of this).
She emphasizes the lack of concrete evidence for fox attacks on cats, attributing claims to:
…anecdotal, subject to misunderstanding and also to the average person’s extremely low knowledge of wild animal behaviour. Foxes are massively misunderstood. Their mating cries can, and certainly are, misinterpreted as the screams of , say, the cat later found up the road injured, although in actual fact the cat was in a cat fight – nothing whatsoever to do with the amorous foxes!
She also points out the role of media sensationalism in perpetuating myths about foxes:
Newspapers give ludicrous coverage to fox scare stories and so the myths build up.
Interestingly, Penny Little shared an incident from her sanctuary highlighting potential risks to fox cubs from cats:
We also once took in here at Little Foxes a very young cub that had been attacked and brought in to a house by a cat. The cub died minutes after arrival. Thus it is understandable if vixens with young cubs act defensively if a cat comes too near the nursery earth, as the cat clearly can represent a lethal threat to tiny cubs. Even then, I think a vixen would be relying on threat rather than attack.
This further underscores that defensive behavior is more likely from foxes protecting cubs, and that cats can pose a threat to vulnerable fox cubs.
Case Studies and Anecdotal Evidence
Beyond expert opinions and research, anecdotal evidence from cat owners and pet professionals provides valuable real-world context.
Cat Owners’ Experiences
A cat grooming client with a large number of free-roaming rescue cats shared her experiences:
- Number of Cats & Roaming Status: 13 cats, all free-roaming.
- Issues with Foxes: “No – never.”
- Fox Sightings: “Yes – almost every night. They come in from the allotments at the back of the garden. We have a regular couple, I think male and female, who come.”
- Cat-Fox Interactions: “With benign tolerance. The cats watch the foxes when they’re in the garden. Sometimes the cats chase them out – we had a fox in the house once that I saw and our smallest female cat chased it out.”
- Fox Age: “I have only seen adults.”
This firsthand account from a multi-cat household with frequent fox encounters reinforces the idea of peaceful coexistence and even cat dominance in interactions.
Pet Sitter’s Observations
Sharon Williams, who runs Purr-fect Kitty, a pet sitting company in a woodland-adjacent area, shared her observations from caring for numerous free-roaming cats:
- Cats Looked After Weekly & Free-Roaming Percentage: “Last week I cat sat for 15 households and most of those cats were free roaming.”
- Fox-Related Issues: “I’ve never experienced any problems with foxes and cats although one of my clients found her cat dead and blamed it on foxes.”
- Client’s Suspicion: The client believed foxes killed her cat because “she is worried about foxes and when the cat was found it had been chewed up a bit.” Sharon offered a plausible alternative explanation: “Yes, it has been mentioned by several vets that foxes find roadkill and may drag the cat back to their den or be opportunists and eat parts of the dead cat. Then a person finding their cat would blame the fox for killing it. It’s a theory, but makes a lot of sense.”
- Fox Sightings in Client Gardens: “I don’t always see foxes, as they’re usually quite shy creatures, but on one occasion recently there were always two foxes in the garden and the cats of the household were often in the garden with the foxes.”
- Cat-Fox Interactions: “On this occasion the cats and foxes went about their own business ignoring each other.”
- Fox Age: “The foxes in the garden were adult foxes but I could often hear the cubs playing. I never saw them in the garden though.”
Sharon’s experience further supports the notion that direct predation of cats by foxes is rare, and that misinterpretations of scavenging behavior can lead to unfounded fears.
Ethology Institute of Cambridge’s Experience
Roger Abrantes PhD, Scientific Director of The Ethology Institute of Cambridge, contributed his expertise:
We don’t have any data to corroborate any statement. However, our experience both in the UK and in Scandinavia, where we were stationed for many years prior to the UK, does not confirm foxes attacking cats as normal or frequent behavior. On the contrary, even in farms where attacks on chicken were common, casualties among cats remained nil or extremely low, only counting as exceptions.
His experience across different regions further reinforces the rarity of fox predation on cats, even in environments where foxes prey on other domestic animals like chickens.
Addressing Misconceptions and Fears
Despite the evidence, fear of foxes harming cats persists, often fueled by misconceptions and media sensationalism.
Common Misunderstandings About Fox Behavior
Penny Little from Little Foxes Wildlife Rescue effectively addressed several common misunderstandings, such as misinterpreting fox cub play noises as attacks, or misattributing cat injuries to foxes when they are actually from cat fights. The tendency to anthropomorphize animal behavior and project human fears onto wildlife contributes to these misunderstandings.
Media Scaremongering vs. Reality
The article references a Kensington and Chelsea Council report following media coverage of an alleged fox attack on a child. The council report concluded:
In the past few years there have been some reports of attacks on children. Thankfully these are extremely rare. Statistically, the risk that foxes pose is very small indeed. The risk from dangerous dogs is far greater.
This highlights the disproportionate media attention given to rare incidents, creating a skewed perception of risk. Urban wildlife expert John Bryant, as reported by the BBC, stated:
I have only ever heard of two cases in my 40 years of dealing with foxes, one of which turned out to be a German Shepherd and the other a cat. But it is always possible – there are thousands of three-month old cubs beginning to run around. They smell food and go through an open door but it is freakish that a fox should attack someone. Foxes are among the most amenable, least aggressive mammals you could share your environment with.
He concludes:
It’s very rare for a fox to be brave enough to face a cat
The RSPCA, in the same BBC report, described foxes as:
shy creatures and the case in East London was an extremely rare occurrence.
These expert opinions from wildlife professionals and organizations emphasize that fox attacks on both humans and cats are exceptionally rare events, not representative of typical fox behavior.
A Norwegian Forest Cat depicted chasing a fox, visually reinforcing the idea of cats asserting dominance over foxes.
The council report further clarifies fox-cat dynamics:
Foxes pose little danger to cats. But, like any other dog, foxes will chase cats. Generally, though, when faced with the claws and teeth of a cat, foxes will back away, knowing they will probably suffer a serious injury in any fight. However, foxes will scavenge the remains of dead cats, but actual evidence of them killing cats is extremely rare. Cats and dogs vastly outnumber foxes and they usually co-exist without any serious problems. But many fox cubs are killed each year by pet cats and dogs.
This reiterates the defensive capabilities of cats and the scavenging habits of foxes, distinguishing between scavenging and predation. It also points out a less discussed dynamic – the threat cats and dogs can pose to fox cubs.
Conclusion: Coexistence is the Norm
Based on expert research, veterinary data, wildlife organization insights, and anecdotal evidence, the idea of foxes as a significant threat to cats is largely a myth. While exceptional circumstances, such as a vulnerable cat or a defensive vixen with cubs, might lead to conflict, these are far from the norm. Foxes primarily scavenge and hunt smaller prey, and generally avoid confrontation with cats, often being chased away by them.
The fear that foxes pose a constant danger to outdoor cats is disproportionate to the actual risk. As Martin Hemmington, founder of The National Fox Welfare Society, notes about fox behavior around humans:
It takes quite a lot of effort to catch them. Walking into people’s houses is not common place and they would never go in with the intention of attacking someone. I can only imagine the fox has found itself in a situation and it has become distressed and panicked.
This reinforces the shy and non-aggressive nature of foxes towards larger animals, including cats.
While vigilance is always wise regarding pet safety, especially for vulnerable animals, cat owners can be reassured that foxes are not the lurking predators waiting to snatch their feline companions. Instead, foxes and cats generally coexist in urban environments, sharing space and resources with minimal conflict. Perhaps it’s time to reconsider the ingrained fear and appreciate the fascinating, and mostly peaceful, dynamic between these two urban wildlife neighbors.
Thank you to the following individuals and organizations for their contributions and information:
Sharon Williams, Biggin Hill Vets, Village Vets – Maida Vale, Notting Hill Vets, John Hankinson Vets SE14, Amwell Vets Waterloo, David Cuffe And Associates – Clapham, Paxton Vet Clinics, Cotswolds Vet, Billericay Vets, Penmarin House Vets – Cornwall, Trevor Williams, The Fox Project, Kensington and Chelsea Council, Pete Wedderburn BVM&S CertVR MRCVS, Fiona Nolan, BBC Wildlife, The Royal Veterinary College, University Of Sidney, VetCompass, Martin Hemmington founder of The National Fox Welfare Society, John Bryant, RSPCA, Penny Little of The Little Foxes Wildlife Rescue.
