Media misinformation and narrative.

[MarinePMI]

That shows one incidence of a fox biting the throat of dead cat. It doesn't prove the cat was killed by the fox. And it certainly doesn't prove that it's a big problem or common.

I didn't say it didn't happen. I said it was rare. Which is pretty clear by how little evidence there is out there- and that most cats are vicious bastards and capeable of defending themselves.

 

[TringSaint]

View attachment 413890 absolutely everywhere mate

And there was me thinking that political debate had been banished to the dark side of mars!!
FWIW, if anyone thinks that the BBC is lefty or righty then compare and contrast with both the Guardian and the Telegraph - you will find it’s somewhere in between! Strangely enough!!

 

[Rake Aboot]

Morningside in Edinburgh is full of foxes , the locals feed them , they sleep on top of walls in the sun and any that are captured are released onto local shoots anyway.

Morningside if full of posters on lamp posts about missing cats
Go figure.
That aside, I don’t shoot anything that doesn’t need shot
If there isn’t a reason then im not doing it .

 

[User00056]

That aside, I don’t shoot anything that doesn’t need shot
If there isn’t a reason then im not doing it .

Exactly my take on it

 

[shakey jake]

I knew an old keeper who swore a dead cat was a foxes favourite meal. Bury it shallow and surround with gin traps, could well have been post war years

 

[MarinePMI]

<sigh> Just use a "house cat in distress" predator call while out sitting in the field. When foxes and/or coyotes come out of the brush looking for a free meal....then you have your answer as to whether they prey on cats and small dogs or not.

This isn't rocket science. They are a canine predator. They prey on other animals for their caloric needs.

 

[billy_boyle_2010]

I guess “witnessed opportunity”…would be a better description, missing cats are not unusual, many of those will be fox food, opportunity to take a dog is not that common, the ones I know of have been pups being let out for the toilet and the fox has run in and grabbed them.

Yup small v young pups I can understand actually. A pretty easy meal for sure. But a cat must put up heck of a fight. There must be easier meals out there 99.99% of the time.

I would have thought that with Ringo doorbells and CCTV there would actually be quite a fair chance of witnessing.

 

[landkeeper]

It's amazing what you come across at earth's as a kid I used to collect skulls (I know ) a favorite place of mine was a huuuuuuge badger sett covering a couple of hundred yards of bank , amongst it were several parts used by foxes I used to sit up a tree and watch the comings and goings of both species
Every spring when foxes and badgers were cleaning out there would be lots of skulls and other remnants kicked out along with fresh soil ,I had some huge buck rabbit skulls , numerous badger and fox skulls and lots and lots of adult cats skulls the rabbit fox,badger skulls I can understand , prey and underground deaths over the years .
Now this was in a rural part of Warwickshire nearest house maybe 1/2 mile away and only 4 or 5 houses within a mile ,my grandparents (nearest dwelling ) always had a cat as did my uncle again one of the closer houses but rarely did a cat vanish that I can remember .
Another fox earth years later one spring had the remnants of several cats outside along with the normal.feathers will and other detritus, I've also shot a fox carrying a dead full grown cat that was still warm whether it picked it up on a rd or killed it I don't know

The old adage don't go back to somewhere you have fond memories is very true lol
I just looked on Google maps now there's a dozen houses right next to my old skull hunting spot
@Ratel
Broad Lane