Any ideas on how to stop foxes chasing my cats???

[Nosha123]

Cant remember if I have asked this before....
ANyhooo

My two 1 year old kitties (white birmans) are naughty to say the least. .and one has obviously found a local fox den, presumably with cubs.... I dont think he's interested in attacking them - but just being stupidly nosey and sniffing around...

Well - almost DAILY he is being chased the full length of our garden at FULL SPEED by an adult fox (or foxes).
I pray to god he keeps running fast and doesnt get caught....
What on earth can I do (if anything) to stop this? I worry he is going to get attacked and killed or injured...

[rowanwitch]

I'd keep them in while ther foxes have young cubs

[Zeuhl]

Our foxes are pretty timid and have been cornered by one of our cats in the past

However, as rowan says, if they have a den nearby with cubs it may be a different matter

[Nosha123]

I just cant keep 3 cats indoors for the next few months.... Honestly.. the young two are like Houdinis!! and can literally move obstacles to try to escape through the flap!

[wildwood]

Is the garden very big? It may be possible to get/hire some sort of temporary fencing to keep the fox out. Even 3' high wire netting on a few poles would do.

[owdhamer]

get rid of the cats

[SlackAlice]

3' is not high enough. I've seen foxes clear my 6' high fence with no problem.

[RATTER15]

The fox is just chasing them away, very unlikely to harm them.

[rowanwitch]

The cats will get faster as they fully mature so if the fox can't catch them now they will probably be ok but I would suggest the one being chased daily is not very bright if he hasn't worked out its a daft thing to do...

[weecalf]

Get them a cat of their own

[snags]

''Any ideas on how to stop foxes chasing my cats''

The foxes are only being protective. It'll probably take your cat being nipped etc. for it to stop doing it. As rowan says, maybe he's a bit 'slow' ;-p

[EDDIE51]

I would have expected the cats to learn not to go after the fox den , but possibly they are slow learners. Hopefully they will learn soon.

[razza]

As slack Alice points out 3 foot fencing is no good,and if they cant get over it will often try to dig their way in from underneath,I too have 6 foot fencing and they get into my garden,and I have had them dig to get in.The only way to stop them is by shotgun.Not a way for most people I suspect.

[Kiki-frog]

I don't think you can stop them; the foxes are only protecting their youngsters from potential predators. I shouldn't worry too much. The kitties will soon learn that playing with foxes is not a good idea.

[beattie819]

Foxes will kill cats, it happened to mine. Get pest control in, foxes are vermin and will (rarely) but will attack a child.

[FredPuli43]

Don't anybody say that cats are vermin because they kill thousands of birds every year, not generally for food. And as for dogs, how many children (and cats) get killed or severely wounded by dogs? [A pet lover writes!]

The foxes in this instance aren't catching the cat, which may, perversely, enjoy the 'game' of the chase. We may surmise that they won't; they achieve their objective by chasing the cat away.

[beattie819]

My Dad was a poultry farmer. Foxes killed over 200 chickens, not for food.....they dug underneath the hen houses, and got them by the legs through the slats of the hen house. Dead hens strewn all over the place, just for fun, not food. Iwas 12, and saw my Dad cry. Thats all I will say on the subject.

.

[China Doll]

Leave 'em to it... your cat will have to work out that aggrivating foxes is only fun as long as they don't catch up with you... oh, and make sure you have pet insurance for vet bills if necessary!

[vetuste_ennemi]

Yes, it would take more than a 3' fence to keep our fox(es) out. We feed them daily and also have seven cats. Once your cats are mature, Nosha, (hoping they survive) I don't think the fox will be a threat to them. I think Beattie's cat got unlucky.

[China Doll]

I believe it's rare for a fox to attack a fully grown cat although i can't remember where I know that from. (I think cats take about two years to fully develop but yours sound like they're not really kitty size anymore).

[rowanwitch]

Birmans are beigy fluffy jobs to a fox they may look like rabbits.... just a thought