This morning as I've been on the laptop Magic has driven me spare and finally I worked out that she wanted out in the garden again. Much explanation (!) ensued as I tried to convince her that drizzly rain, wet grass and soft paws was not a good or comfortable combo. She conceeded.
Anyway, just a few minutes ago I saw something flash past the patio doors and even Red popped his head up from the sofa. It was a fairly substantial big fox wandering about the two gardens at midday. I tried to get a picture but was so surprised it is not a great picture. The fox is beside the fence on my neighbour's side.
This area has loads of foxes, hence my dreams of having chickens has been shelved, and I never let the cats out when I go out at dusk or after dark to bring in the washing. I'd somehow thought only a sick or injured fox would be out in daylight but this one obviously didn't get the memo. I am now really concerned as to what this means for letting the cats out. What chance would a sweet wee chubby housecat with arthritic back legs or a candyfloss weight cat have against a streetwise fox? I usually keep the dining room door closed when the patio doors are open because if one sneaks off to a hidden sleepy spot then I dont know whether they are in or out so when there is only one room to search it is easier. Now, if a fox got in two cats, a human and a contained fox is never going to end well.
Predicatably the sun has now come out and Magic is back staring lovingly at the garden...not a hope you are getting out petal!
That is scary! One of our neighborhood cats was recently killed, and we just got an alert about bobcats and coyotes in our area. We got the "This is why you always stay inside!" lecture from the head peep about that. Maybe you need a catio? Our homeowner's association won't allow one.
ReplyDeleteWow, we've never known foxes to get so close. We have a few coyotes around here and are told to make sure small animals are not left outside alone 'specially in the early morning.
ReplyDeletei have never heard that one - that is a gem
ReplyDeleteThat is scary! We get coyotes in our neighborhood, so we are never, ever allowed outside.
ReplyDeleteWe see the fox and that's scary!
ReplyDeleteWe're not sure what your living arrangements are (home owner, renter, city bylaws, etc.), but if a fully enclosed "catio" is doable, that would allow them to go out safely. There's huge variation in size and set up to "catios," including just "cages" that attach to a window, big enough to sit out in but not particularly large.
Oh dear. How very scary! We don't have any scary wildlife to deal with where we stay, thankfully! Though at my parents place, there have been cats who went missing and the suspect was a python! Are you able to get the wildlife dept to trap the fox?
ReplyDeleteThanks for all your advice and even scarier stories of coyotes and PYTHON's. That's tonight's sleep gone I think!
ReplyDeleteI am not sure what might be best. Some of the garden is shared and for the short time they get out with me I am not sure I could justify the cost of a catio, even if it is do-able, as there's work needing done on the house that I'm still saving for. I might try and speak to the local council tho' how useful this will be can only be guessed but as the house is near a suburban railway station I wonder that that might be a fox run.
I always check the garden before I let them out but I had been looking for other cats not a full grown fox! So for now they are housecats. I'll keep you all posted.
Thank you for visiting us.
ReplyDeleteOh, it is scary when the fox roams around. Stay in, stay safe, friends. Purrs!
Our ape says that it is a foolish fox who takes on a cat. That said, there have been stories in the press over the years of foxes attacking very elderly cats or very, very young kittens. There's also a lot of hysteria in the press these days about urban foxes.
ReplyDeleteStaying in at dawn or dusk seems sensible to us, and of course in at night. The ape seems to think that it's mostly country foxes that obey the rules about dawn and dusk, but she's seen country foxes out and about at all hours she says. That railway line is a corridor for all kindsa wildlife, including foxes.
Looks like the UK will see more Catios being built to keep us safe.
Gerry & Mungo
Just back to respond to your comment on our post today...They let the human have lunch once or twice a week (which she spends blogging)....Ha!
ReplyDelete(Seriously, it's a great dept, terrific boss, no complaints there!)