Bitey Fox.

[Babbit]

I’m not sure how many other people have experienced this; but both me and one of my friends have the same story.

Around Crawthew Grove and Crystal Palace Road: I was followed by a large fox right on my heel. At first I didn’t notice because I had my headphones on, but then I noticed my shadow had an extra lump in it, funnily enough, it was a fox, very very close to my feet. Even if I sped up walking it just tried to get closer - it was quite frightening actually, it was quite clear that it wanted to nip me. I didn’t know what to do so, I started to reprimand the fox and walked slowly away from it, facing it - which it didn’t seem to like and backed off a bit. I then proceeded to speed-walk away.

 

Quite frankly, the whole situation was quite embarrassing and a little bit frightful as I’d never had a fox even come up to me. I’ve heard of particularly curious foxes that might come up to someone who beckons them, and maybe even bite that person, but I’ve never heard of a fox chasing someone. The amount of confidence that it had was incredible. 
 

When it happened, I was on the way to see some friends, and once I had told one of them, she told me the same thing happened to her. 

if anyone else knows anything about this bitey fox then let me know!

[Jenijenjen]

I've noticed the foxes are very frisky at the moment, it's mating season. Perhaps it was a male fox who saw you as a danger to his vixen and wanted to see you off.

[Penguin68]

It's also possible that someone is hand feeding foxes and encouraging them by this to approach others. I have heard of foxes attacking young children (if only anecdotally) but not adults. They do seem to attack cats. 

[Jenijenjen]

11 minutes ago, Penguin68 said:

They do seem to attack cats. 

Watching my cats over the years with foxes, I've found that foxes have totally ignored them. One exception was when a young fox hadn't seen my cat and found himself eye to eye with my cat at a distance of 1 metre. There was a stand off but the fox blinked first and my cat chased him out of the garden. So proud of her.

I believe when foxes have attacked cats, the cat has been vulnerable  - old, young, ill wounded.

[Penguin68]

1 hour ago, Jenijenjen said:

I believe when foxes have attacked cats, the cat has been vulnerable  - old, young, ill wounded.

Certainly the infamous (and mythical) SE London cat killer turned out to be foxes attacking dying and dead cats injured by cars, but fox: cat encounters do appear to happen, even where cats are victorious. Fox: adult humans less so. At least where foxes are the aggressors.

[Lamusica]

Although this sounds worrying, a "bitey" fox is unusual. I see foxes all the time where I live near Rye Lane and have never experienced this. I've even seen a fox sitting in the garden where an outdoor cat lives, whilst the cat was there - the cat was fine and is still alive. I think my flat is on a fox path because I hear and see them most nights, none of the local cats seem bothered by them. I can't help but wonder what would make the fox act in such a way, I've just read that toxoplasmosis might make them more aggressive 

[the_hermit]

The young ones can bite car tyres around this time of year - I assume they do it for the thrill of the hiss or something like that.  We had a spate of damaged tyres and thought it was a disturbed person or at a stretch an environmental protestor taking it too far, but caught a fox on a house camera.

[louisemurray]

I've seen my cat many times walk straight past a fox, at less than half a metre separation. both animals ignored each other.

[David Peckham]

3 minutes ago, louisemurray said:

I've seen my cat many times walk straight past a fox, at less than half a metre separation. both animals ignored each other.

Have they had a bit of a 'falling out'?.

[Huggers]

Driving down Lordship

lane around 2.45pm today saw a v sick looking fox walking in and out of the crowd. 

[Happyme5]

I remember seeing something a few years ago on TV about a fox that was actually biting through people's shopping / takeaway food bags.  It was situated in an alleyway.  Not in London.  Very interesting in how the  urban foxes brain development has  been affected by their surroundings.   Not an exact quote from Darwin.  It's the adaptable that survive / not the strongest or the most intelligent.   I would be worried if a fox came close me.   Because they might be after my fur babies and they carry a lot of nasties.   Although they look beautiful from a distance or on a 🎄 card.  

Edited yesterday at 18:20 by Happyme5
Addition

[Angelina]

Let’s not all get scared of the foxes now.

Most likely explanation is protecting its den or association with food.

We have foxes, and cats and they are no bother to each other. The fox will leave when the cats are out. 

 

[Rockets]

Some foxes are very tame. The foxes that live near the electricity sub-station thing on the corner of Calton and Woodwarde will happily walk up to you/passed you. They are some of the best looking foxes around so clearly being well-fed - glorious coats and bushy tails but interested in humans and keen to engage/be fed rather than being scared.

[civilservant]

I've never been in a stand-off with a fox, and have never heard of this happening to anyone else before! we have foxes on and off in our garden and they tend to be quite timid.  Our dog goes bananas when he senses one so that might keep them away. 

As for cats and foxes, i once saw a small one running up Denmark Hill for dear life mid-morning because it was being chased by a cat

Edited 3 hours ago by civilservant

[Ryeland]

Never had aggression from foxes when seeing them quite close when out and about, maybe some become more cheeky if regularly fed by humans?