Urban foxes - An annoyance, but what to do?

[C70R]

I live in Inner London. Foxes are just part of life here, but the lockdown period earlier this year seems to have emboldened them.

A vixen also appears to have had two cubs in a neighbouring garden during the time, and then buggered off. As a result, we now have two fairly confident cubs that are a similar size to a Spaniel that seem to love sunbathing in our garden. One appears to be carrying a pretty grim limp too.

My cat is a territorial git at the best of times, and has no issue with chasing them out of the garden. However, I wonder how long he's going to be able to get away with that before they fight back and injure him.

If this were the countryside I'd have no issue with dispatching them, because I've experienced the damage they can cause. As it isn't, I'm not really sure what to do. Any suggestions, humane or otherwise?

[underwhelmist]

We used to get foxes in the garden, but then badgers moved in and they seem to have scared the foxes away. I wouldn’t recommend this as a solution, they cause a lot of damage and we think they’ve also eaten all the hedgehogs.

We tried all sorts to dissuade the badgers, we’ve now got an electric fence around the perimeter of the garden which seems to have done the trick. Second hand off eBay, about £100. I should think it would deter foxes too.

[vixen1700]

Love the foxes, we see them everyday here in East London and it's great to see them jumping around playing with each other. They like a brand of dog biscuits that you can get in Poundland, which tends to stop them going through the bins if have something else to eat.

I can imagine they may well be annoying to some though.

[C70R]

vixen1700 said:

Love the foxes, we see them everyday here in East London and it's great to see them jumping around playing with each other. They like a brand of dog biscuits that you can get in Poundland, which tends to stop them going through the bins if have something else to eat.

I can imagine they may well be annoying to some though.

If we didn't have a cat, I wouldn't care at all.

[vixen1700]

C70R said:

If we didn't have a cat, I wouldn't care at all.

Our cat is mega-territorial and they don't bother him at all. I've not really heard any cases of foxes attacking cats and there are plenty of both around here.



Here's a picture of him not giving a toss about the foxes outside.

Edited by vixen1700 on Tuesday 1st September 14:09

[MXRod]

Foxes carry sarcoptic mange ,giardia ,fleas ,worms , all of these can and do infect domestic dogs ,we know .
Our dog had the giardia parasite ,and it took 3 rounds of treatment to deal with it ,and now our dog seems susceptible to even minor intestinal tract problems . She has just got over another bout of trotts and vomiting , most definately due to Foxes in our garden .
Our problem is a neighbor who attracts Foxes by feeding them and also feeding homeopathic treatment for the mange.
Unfortunately you can't take it into your own hands to deal with the problem ,all that can be done is to capture and relocate . Local councils are not interested

[otolith]

It's not in a fox's interests to try to tackle an adult cat, and generally they won't attempt it. A kitten or small cat might be seen as prey, a large cat is potentially a lingering death from sepsis.

[kippertie]

Foxes in a town are pests, it is unnatural and they are only maintained by scavenging waste food, they really should be eradicated from a very unhealthy and unsuitable environment.

[rigga]

We have several fox's visit out garden, lots of camera footage, which although nice to look at, is an issue because our Schnauzer loves to roll in any fox poo he finds, also likes to eat it, which I'm now wondering was the cause of his very expensive holiday in the vets a few months back, with gastrointestinal issues.

Would love to find a way to deter the foxes from our garden.

[Chubbyross]

We have foxes in our garden (Islington) and they’re a pain. Luckily our cats are fine with them but our new pup has to watched like a hawk right now. She hasn’t had her second set of inoculations yet and I’m terrified of her picking up parvo from one of the damned foxes. The foxes also made a home on top of my car. I assume it liked the soft-top roof, until I made a set of rubber mats for the car covered in plastic spikes. Worked a treat on the bugger.

[sociopath]

Used to live the foxes in our harden in east london. It was the only bit of nature we ever saw.

Now we're in North Wales in the countryside and never see any.

No badgers either, in fact, a lot less wildlife than in the cities.
Maybe the city is the new country

[kippertie]

There is lots of wildlife but they don't like you so you do not see them....

[MXRod]

Yeh lovely cuddly animals
So far the foxes have :-
Chewed through webbing straps holding caravan cover on and mains cable feeding caravan , how they were not electrocuted is amazing ,perhaps RCD saved them

Crapped/scrapped on our drive to horrendous screeching , and crap laden footprints on hall carpet
Chewed through , Christmas light cables, cable feeding ultra sonic fox repelling gismo (waste of money that was )

Chewed through micro irrigation pipes .

Given our dog 2 bouts of giardia , this is difficult to diagnose due to 3 day life cycle of parasite .The parasite particularly attacks small and young dogs , causing dehydration , vomiting , severe squits , and the need for strong anti worm treatment .
We have also to keep on top of flea/tick treatment , just in case .

People just do not realise , by putting out food scraps the fox problem will get out of hand , if it isn’t all ready

Lovely animals !!!!!

[Dr Mike Oxgreen]

C70R said:

My cat is a territorial git at the best of times, and has no issue with chasing them out of the garden. However, I wonder how long he's going to be able to get away with that before they fight back and injure him.

Unlikely. We have two small female cats, and they don’t take any st from foxes. And the foxes appear to know that. Here’s a fox spotting our cat (or catching her scent) and scarpering PDQ...

https://youtu.be/zLK0Xv0CELk

^^ This is one of the funniest clips I’ve captured on the trail camera. I love Coco’s reaction: “Huh? Whered’he go?!”

Generally a fox won’t take the risk of getting injured in an altercation with another animal.

Edited by Dr Mike Oxgreen on Wednesday 2nd September 16:05

[vixen1700]

Dr Mike Oxgreen said:

https://youtu.be/zLK0Xv0CELk

The look of surprise that the fox has done a runner.

[hyphen]

C70R said:

My cat is a territorial git at the best of times, and has no issue with chasing them out of the garden. However, I wonder how long he's going to be able to get away with that before they fight back and injure him.

I wouldn't worry. There are several large foxes who occasionaly turn up in my garden, various neighbours have small cats or fat cats and no issues.

It puzzles me, I thought they would get eaten for food, rather than fight as you suggest. But nope, they have no interest.

[OnaRoll]

rigga said:

We have several fox's visit out garden, lots of camera footage, which although nice to look at, is an issue because our Schnauzer loves to roll in any fox poo he finds, also likes to eat it, which I'm now wondering was the cause of his very expensive holiday in the vets a few months back, with gastrointestinal issues.

Would love to find a way to deter the foxes from our garden.

I'm out in the sticks, however, many locals here with chickens collect human hair from the local barbers, put the hair in nets and hang them about the place.

I don't know it it works but it might be an alternative to taking a piss around your garden every night.

Fox's also tend to have a regular route that they take. Perhaps your property is on the way to somewhere that there is a food source.

If you can disrupt their route blocking off areas spikes on fences etc.

[SmoothCriminal]

Foxes are vermin their piss and st stinks and they scream so loud wish there was a way to rid them permanently.

[rigga]

OnaRoll said:

rigga said:

We have several fox's visit out garden, lots of camera footage, which although nice to look at, is an issue because our Schnauzer loves to roll in any fox poo he finds, also likes to eat it, which I'm now wondering was the cause of his very expensive holiday in the vets a few months back, with gastrointestinal issues.

Would love to find a way to deter the foxes from our garden.

I'm out in the sticks, however, many locals here with chickens collect human hair from the local barbers, put the hair in nets and hang them about the place.

I don't know it it works but it might be an alternative to taking a piss around your garden every night.

Fox's also tend to have a regular route that they take. Perhaps your property is on the way to somewhere that there is a food source.

If you can disrupt their route blocking off areas spikes on fences etc.

I've blocked all entry points I can find, interesting conversation with a near neighbor today revealed someone local keeps chickens in their garage, never knew this, and possibly why the fox's are in the vicinity.

Hanging hair bags around the place seems a little out there, and possibly urinating around the edges might work better, although I've yet to read about a foolproof method to dissuade them from entering.

[elanfan]

Zoo nearby? Tetdome Lion poo.