Usually, foxes are pretty friendly and calm around humans, but in some circumstances, foxes might feel threatened and go back to their wild roots.When seeing a fox for the first time, the first thing that might come to your mind is that getting close might be dangerous. People are generally worried about foxes near their properties as they are wild animals and might attack your kids and pets. They may also spread diseases that can create more trouble for you and your family.Foxes are wild animals found in the countryside and even in urban areas, but they are not interested in humans and their day-to-day lives. They are predators but hunt smaller animals, as foxes are usually the size of a medium dog. They are not big, but due to their wild nature, they might attack you if provoked. It is pretty normal to think that if you handle any wild animal, there is a risk of getting bitten or clawed. In the case of foxes, this is 100% true, as they are wild animals. This means that it is their natural instinct to hunt or be hunted. If you get too near to a fox, it will think that you are a threat and will naturally attack you. This does not happen too often as foxes are fearful of human beings, and if they see you, they will escape before deciding to attack you.There are some occasions when foxes can be a threat to you or your family, but it is not a common occurrence. If you try to trap or catch a fox, it might try to attack you. Also, if a fox is trapped somewhere and there is nowhere else to go, and you appear from somewhere trying to rescue the fox, it might attack you out of fear. A fox can bite you or scratch you ferociously, but any animal would do the same in such a situation. Do not attempt to capture a wild fox. Red foxes, quite common in the United States, are considered urban foxes due to their presence in most urban regions. For these foxes, it is now quite natural to be near humans, and urban foxes have learned to coexist with human beings.Food can make a fox attack you. If there is food on the table and a fox has not had any food for a couple of days or even hours, it might attack the table if a door or window is open. This is not a common occurrence and will only happen once in a blue moon. However, it can be dangerous if a fox attacks you and infects you, your kids, or your pet with a disease. Sometimes a sick fox attacks humans and spreads diseases. However, you will know of a fox’s bad health by its physical appearance, aggressive behavior, and ragged fur. There are two known diseases that foxes might carry; the first one is mange, which only causes mild irritation in humans but can be quite dangerous for dogs. However, it is extremely rare for cats to get mange from other animals like foxes. Rabies is another disease that foxes might carry and is lethal for humans that are not vaccinated. You will notice a rabid fox right away by its demeanor, aggression, and intentions to harm itself. Thus, it is best you stay away if any of these situations arise.If you enjoy this article, why not also read about whether foxes bark and learn about fox teeth here on Kidadl?Frequency Of Fox Attacks On HumansIt is uncommon to see a fox attack a human being or even a pet, but it does happen sometimes.People living in urban regions are always worried about foxes trying to scavenge and wreak havoc on their yards at night. However, their concern typically stops there. For others, foxes are something they have never seen in cities and are only found in dense forests. Though a fox attack is a rare event, this does not mean that you should go and make friends with the neighborhood fox. There are cases of foxes attacking humans and leaving them injured. It is better to be careful and stay away from foxes and also keep pets away from areas that foxes visit. Be careful of foxes around your family and livestock, as their aggressive nature is rare but not unheard of. Also, there is a chance that you could catch rabies from a fox, which can be fatal.Fox Dangers To PeopleAn urban fox has a lower risk of attacking people than a wild fox, as it is the natural instinct of wild foxes to attack at first sight.Although foxes are scared of humans and will often run away when nearby, there is a chance that foxes will attack humans. Under normal conditions, foxes won’t do that. However, rabid foxes might attempt to hurt you and attack you at the first chance they get. If you don’t attempt to catch a fox, it probably won’t attack you.There are a few reasons why you should avoid getting bitten or scratched by a fox. Foxes might carry diseases like mange and rabies. Mange is an infection caused by mites. In the case of humans that are affected by this kind of mange, it leaves them with a mild irritation on their bodies. However, the same cannot be said about dogs, as these mites can really harm pets. Cats are not generally affected by mange that easily. Rabies, on the other hand, can harm humans. If you get rabies from a fox and you have not had any vaccinations against it, the disease can even kill you.Foxes And PetsMany people feel worried about keeping their pets outdoors when a fox is around. Being left alone outside is quite dangerous for other animals that you keep as pets, as foxes can easily take down small pets.An adult cat is more or less the same size as a fox, and a fox won’t be very interested in attacking a cat as it can easily defend itself. However, a fox will attack kittens and small adult cats. So be aware of the situation nearby and take necessary precautions. Keep cats indoors at all times if you hear loud noises from a fox family nearby.Dogs are not at that much risk. As they are larger animals, dogs can harm foxes when in the mood. However, the diseases that foxes carry (such as mange) can be dangerous to dogs. Smaller dog species are at risk from foxes and other predators and need to be closely monitored when roaming in your yard.Smaller pets, like guinea pigs and rabbits, need to be kept indoors at all times, as even younger foxes can attack these domestic animals. With one bite, foxes will be able to harm your pet, be it rabbits, a small dog, or a small cat. Rabbits and guinea pigs should not be allowed in the yard if there are foxes in your city. They should be put in small boxes to protect them from other animals, such as birds, cats, and large pets that prey on these smaller animal species.You can use repellents that work on dogs to keep night creatures out of your house. Fencing can also help to keep foxes away from your pet animal. This can also help against predators like wolves and coyotes. If your pet is ever bitten by a fox, take it to the clinic immediately.Foxes only scavenge garbage cans and leftover food, so if they get the opportunity to prey on chickens and other pets in your house, they will hunt them down as well.Foxes Out And About During The DayFoxes do not like to eat humans but are instead naturally scared of them. So, if you see one during the day, nothing will usually happen.Foxes will run away as soon as they sense your presence during the day and won’t even come near to you. However, if a fox is accustomed to having people around, it might come up to a human asking for food.There is nothing to fear for a human when they see a fox during the day. However, there might be circumstances when a fox might attack you. Due to this, it is better to be aware of any danger than ignore it completely.Dangers Foxes Can PoseIt is normal behavior for a fox to attack anyone that poses a threat to its life. The danger posed by a frightened fox is real. Though people should not fear foxes to much, it is good to be aware of their behavior.If you try picking up other animals and birds, they will try to bite you to get themselves free. This is no different in the case of foxes. Foxes are predators and have wild instincts. Foxes are fearful of humans, but if the situation arises, they might hurt people on occasion. If you come across a fox, try to escape as soon as possible. Foxes can also bring a lot of deadly diseases with them, such as mange and rabies. Mange can really hurt dogs and can even kill them. Rabies can also prove fatal for a person.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for ‘Do foxes attack humans?’, then why not take a look at ‘Fox paw print’ or ‘Red fox facts’.
Usually, foxes are pretty friendly and calm around humans, but in some circumstances, foxes might feel threatened and go back to their wild roots.
