The Intruder...

[Jemisa]

I let the cat out last night & left the door ajar for her to come in when she was ready, as I do most nights. 20 mins later I went to check if she was in & had the shock of my life, in the conservatory stood a fox, I wanted to scream I was petrified. It just looked at me didn't move, what shall I do? I thought for a minute & edged my way to the fridge its eyes still on me.
There was a chicken leg in there left over from tea I got it & got nearer to the door opened it wide & threw it, the fox just looked at me then slowly walked out the door (Phew!!) what a scruff of a fox it was it was a dirty grey/brown colour v/skinny & it only had half a tail.
Made me think will it be back tomorrow for more chicken?. Evidently the cat wasn't bothered she trotted in 5 mins later.

What would you have done?

jem

[islasmum]

If you don't want it around, don't feed it, and if it looks mangy it's probably because it is! And then it rubs itself round trees, fencing posts etc and passes on mange to your dogs (if you have any) or maybe your cat. Then you have to spend a fair whack of money at the vets for the treatment for your two dogs with mange - and if you think I sound bitter, I am! I hate foxes, and regard them as vermin; I have spent a great deal of time working on farms and various stables, and have seen how much damage foxes do to poultry etc.

[LoftyLottie]

If people looked after their poultry correctly and housed and contained them safely then foxes wouldn't get to them. Good husbandry. Hate is a strong word to use about any animals - animals act on instinct unlike humans who kill for pleasure!

[Jemisa]

Lottie, thats because I am 'Mrs Fox' (No Kidding)

jem

[chaptazbru]

Well said LL - with you 100% ......

[islasmum]

Well, let's agree to differ there Lottie - i do not take any pleasure in killing any animal, but I have seen the carnage that a fox can make, managing to get into the most secure of hen coops - of course I believe in good husbandry - that is very important, but foxes are not described as "sly" or "wily" for no reason. I also wonder if everyone would be so keen on feeding and protecting a fox if it looked more like a giant rat, rather than bearing a resemblance to a pointy-faced red dog?

[chaptazbru]

But they DON'T look like rats, so silly question imo !!!

It makes me laugh when people go on about the carnage caused by animals, when the human race causes the most carange in the whole world and we're supposed to know better .......

[Jemisa]

Although my name is Fox I must admit I do not like them, I will not encourage them by feeding them.
That was a one off the other day& thank gawd it hasn't been back so I think it must have been lost. I too have seen the carnage they leave behind.

Thankyou folks for all your comments.

jem

[boxtops]

do foxes have fleas?

[Zeuhl]

<foxes are not described as "sly" or "wily" for no reason.>

No, it's because they interfere with our exploitation of animals and are annoyingly good at it.

Anyone who takes large numbers of birds bred to be a meal on legs and incapable of defending themselves, traps them in a confined space and then moans because they've allowed a fox to gain access and do what nature intended it to do - needs to take a bit more responsibility for their own actions.

Our foxes are beautiful, well fed and share the garden with the cat (and our dog when he was alive) showing the greatest respect for each other.

[237SJ]

I share Islasmum`s views. If you feed town foxes they will just grow strong and breed even more. I do know that they have been rounded up and dumped in the countryside (although nobody admits to doing that). That`s when they really do suffer as they are only rummagers and can`t find food themselves leading to death by starvation. Personally, I wouldn`t want to encourage that.

[magicmick]

As a slave to two cats myself I would be carefull when I let the cat out, that would be my main worry