T
he Momma foxes are working hard to bring home food for their young. They are working 24/7, day and night. Please remember that Red foxes are NOT NOCTURNAL! It is normal to see them at all times of the day. The moms are working especially hard to catch mice, squirrels, rats and rabbits to feed themselves and their young. They are working so hard and are so focused that they will trot right past you, through your yard, past your dogs and cats as they move from their hunting grounds to their den. They are not interested in eating your dogs or cats.
A Red fox will chase a cat that gets too close to her den- Cats are very curious and often end up in places they shouldn’t be. A momma fox is concerned about having a cat too close to her pups, so she will chase kitty right back home, up onto your porch or tree it. She isn’t interested in eating your cat – she just wants it to go away from her pups. Please keep in mind, for the safety of your cat from other predators such as great -Horned Owls who now have hungry young in the nest, keep your cat indoors, especially at dusk and dawn when owls are hunting.
If you have a fox den, or even a skunk or raccoon with young that are in a place where you don’ want them, such as under a porch or back yard shed, its easy to convince mom to move her babies! Coyote urine is easily purchased online (and in special circumstances, picked up, free, from us!) and no momma wants to raise her young where a coyote is hunting. I simply put coyote urine infused pine shavings in the area where the unwanted family is. They generally are gone in the morning! Trying to Live trap and “relocate” a family of foxes, skunks or raccoons is a futile effort and usually ends up creating orphans. Try the coyote urine- it works, and is humane because Momma moves the family to a different place all by herself.