That the fox is an omnivore, that is known. But is it to be expected that foxes eat cats? No, and there are all kinds of reasons for this, which we will show you here and inform you why you do not have to worry about your cat. Should you see a fox near your cat, then this has to do with the external circumstances.

We humans make sure that foxes feel comfortable in our vicinity. Therefore, we give you some tips on how you can prevent or at least reduce the likelihood that the fox will become a permanent guest.

Cat eaten by fox

This was the sentence that an acquaintance threw at us completely unprepared. We stood somewhat incredulously at the garden fence and naturally asked. How did that happen, what did you see? We could not believe the story, because the cat that our acquaintance has was a decidedly large specimen of a European shorthaired cat.

Defensively estimated I would say 5.5-6 kg and she beat up all the cats from the neighborhood that approached her. A little background knowledge to the story. The cat is an outdoor cat and since a few weeks a fox roams the gardens in the neighborhood again and again. Cat disappeared, so the fox must be to blame.

We tried to calm the neighbor down and told her that it is very unlikely that foxes eat cats. We pointed out to her that it must be some other reason that your cat did not come home today. However, our words and attempts at reassurance were to no avail, it went so far that she called the hunter in charge to finish off the fox.

This in turn, said the same as we and refused to kill a healthy fox in the residential area. The end of the story was that after a few days the cat was happily running through the neighborhood again, looking for tomcats that could become its victim. We then approached our acquaintance and she meekly said that after two days she suddenly reappeared.

Why the fox does not eat a cat

You could simply say "Because he is not stupid". Because the fox knows very well which animals he can easily catch and which not. Animals that are in his weight class, he will usually leave alone. Exceptions to this are escape animals, such as rabbits, chickens, etc. However, a cat is not a flight animal, but a predator itself, just like a marten or a weasel.

All these animals a halfway intelligent fox will not want to eat. Because if the fox wants to eat a cat, then he would have to hunt it before, put and kill. However, this fight would be for the fox a fight with a very uncertain outcome. Since he knows this, he lets it be. Because as an intelligent wild animal, he knows very well how dangerous an injury can be for him.

His survival would be at risk and if he has kittens to boot, which he is raising, then this situation becomes even more unlikely. So once again foxes eat cats that are healthy definitely not.

Fox kills cat

That this happens is, as we have described before, very unlikely. However, in the realm of possibility, why this can happen, usually has a simple, but very plausible reason. As soon as a cat becomes sick, old and weak, then logically it can no longer defend itself so well, these could be moments when a fox would eat a cat.

But here, too, you have to limit. A fox will see this sick and old cat as a food source at all only if it is very weak. At the same time, the fox must be very hungry and other food must be unattainable for him. Then an extraordinary constellation occurs and the fox would hunt the cat, kill it and eat it afterwards.

Foxes eat cats

Yes, it happens all the time that foxes eat cats, of course. But these are 99.5 % cats that have died due to influences other than the fox. The fox is a scavenger and why would it spurn a cat that offers it plenty of food. So if the fox finds a cat that has been run over by a car, for example, its table is set and it will feast on it.

For us humans, such a situation, in almost all cases, is unpleasant and unappetizing to watch. The cats are for us dear pets and for the fox in such a case only a supplement to his menu. However, it is part of nature and we have to put up with it. Maybe it is even good that the fox takes the cat from the street and eats it.

Because as we all know, very few drivers stop to pick up a dead animal from the road. The end is that in the course of a day countless cars have driven over the body and he lies squashed and unsightly on the road. Then, in our opinion, it should rather be brought safely off the road by a fox and should be good food for him.

Fox in the garden - fear for the cat

If there is a fox in your garden and you are afraid that this fox will eat your cat, then you should take certain safety precautions. The reason why the fox visits your garden almost always has something to do with the fact that he finds something to eat. Because a set table is also popular with the foxes and easier to clear than if he had to go hunting.

Especially in households with cats, owners often put cat food outside to feed the cat outside. For the fox, cat food is just as tasty as for the cat itself. So why not snack on it, or even gorge on it. So if you are afraid that the fox will eat the cat, then you should stop feeding it outside.

At the very least, you should consider putting the food bowls away after the cat has eaten, so that the fox is no longer able to smell them. Another point that most cat owners know is that the cat catches mice, then plays with them, they die and then are just left lying around. These dead mice are also an invitation for the fox.

Because as a scavenger, he will certainly not say no to a dead mouse. Should you observe that your cat regularly kills animals such as mice and birds, then there are two possibilities. The first would be, you dispose of the animals and the second probably better it is your killer cat perhaps a bell to hang around, so that the hunt is no longer so successful.

Do foxes eat cats - Conclusion

Finally, we would like to say again, foxes eat cats only when they are very old and sick, or so weak that they can no longer defend themselves. But then, one does not let his animal as a rule any more alone outside, or the cat it is not possible at all any more outside herumzustreunen. A dead cat, however, is eaten by the fox and this is part of the natural cycle of our lives.