# My pet fox is cool. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 3, 2003, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pet-fox-is-cool/172860 "2003-05-03T15:21:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![js\_africanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2003, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pet-fox-is-cool/172860/21 "2003-05-04T20:49:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Davebear \* > **Way to put a damper on a nice thread. :rolleyes:** šŸ˜› ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2003, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pet-fox-is-cool/172860/22 "2003-05-05T04:45:49Z")
Ah, I thought it was funny. Maybe **js\_africanus** is from Australia.šŸ˜ƒ **Eats\_Crayons** , I read in a nature book that foxes actually are closer to cats than dogs. Very interesting, I thought. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2003, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pet-fox-is-cool/172860/23 "2003-05-06T00:54:48Z")
We used to live in an ā€œapartmentā€ that was a section of an old mansion. It had been split into four living quarters. Our section of the grounds alone was absolutely enormous. However, the place was over run with old brush and tangles of bushes and weeds. It was a haven for black snakes and mice. But there was a fox around there a couple of times. I only saw him from far away-because my dad wouldnā€™t let me out if it was there. But, I will say, my cat, Buffy, looks just like a little red fox-sheā€™s so cute. ---
**Author:** ![js\_africanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2003, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pet-fox-is-cool/172860/24 "2003-05-06T06:07:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Guinastasia \* > \*\*But, I will say, my cat, Buffy, looks just like a little red fox-sheā€™s so cute. \*\* Iā€™d like to have one of these. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2003, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pet-fox-is-cool/172860/25 "2003-05-06T06:13:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by featherlou \* > > **Eats\_Crayons** , I read in a nature book that foxes actually are closer to cats than dogs. Very interesting, I thought. Very interesting, yet completely false :). Foxes arenā€™t even remotely more related to cats than they are other canines. Cites available on request, though I think we did this in GQ within the year. I work graveyard shift and we have a pair of very bold Grey Foxes on site that regularly trot on by within ten feet of us. Handsome critters. - Tamerlane ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2003, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pet-fox-is-cool/172860/26 "2003-05-06T06:18:45Z")
according to [this](http://www.infobiogen.fr/~dessen/prp/taxo_theria6.html) foxes are taxonomically placed firmly in the order _canidae_ which include dogs, but not cats which are in the order _felidae_. ---
**Author:** ![ratty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ccd318/32.png) [@ratty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratty)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2003, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pet-fox-is-cool/172860/27 "2003-05-06T12:42:04Z")
Foxes are definitely canids, members of the _vulpes_ family. They are a very old group, possibly the oldest existing canids today. They share many characteristics in common with felines, namely their ability to climb and their antisocial habits. They do not form packs in the same sense that most canines do, and they are lone hunters who prefer to ambush their prey. This shouldnā€™t be too surprising, since cats and dogs share a common ancestor in the relatively recent past. Maybe youā€™re thinking of hyenas? They are more closely related to cats than to dogs, despite appearances and behavior, but are different enough from both to merit their own taxonomic category. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2003, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pet-fox-is-cool/172860/28 "2003-05-06T13:45:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ratty \* > They share many characteristics in common with felines, namely their ability to climb and their antisocial habits. They do not form packs in the same sense that most canines do, and they are lone hunters who prefer to ambush their prey. Considering that almost half of all canid species are foxes ( in several genera ), Iā€™d hardly call them behavioral outliers from the rest of the canids :). Anyway some foxes, like the Corsac Fox, Pale Fox, Crab-Eating Fox and Bat-Eared Fox are rather more social than their American cousins ( to a degree - pair to family group level bonding - but then only 5 or 6 species of canids _regularly_ form full packs). Also, Grey Foxes are the only really adapted climbers, with hooked, semi-retractable claws and a different limb articulation than other canids - Red Foxes will climb readily, but not as much ( or as well ) as Greyā€™s and other species wonā€™t climb much at all. Iā€™d say that the foxes as a group are a little too diverse to call them felid-like in toto. I suppose the Grey Fox is the most felid-like of the bunch. But not if you compare them to lions ;). - Tamerlane ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2003, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pet-fox-is-cool/172860/29 "2003-05-06T13:52:12Z")
I live near the Fox River on the edge of a woods, northwest of Chicago. In all the years Iā€™ve been out here, Iā€™ve only seen a fox twice. Theyā€™re so coolā€¦so beautifulā€¦but unfortunately, weā€™ve built up the neighborhood so much that I donā€™t think there are many left. Iā€™d like to see more of them. Theyā€™re like little dog-cats! ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2003, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pet-fox-is-cool/172860/30 "2003-05-06T13:53:49Z")
What kind of pets do you have, js\_africanus? ---
**Author:** ![js\_africanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2003, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pet-fox-is-cool/172860/31 "2003-05-06T15:54:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by carnivorousplant \* > \*\*What kind of pets do you have, js\_africanus? \*\* None, though I really do enjoy dogs and cats. We did usually have a dog while I was growing up. Iā€™ve also had several roomates with cats and Iā€™ve enjoyed them immenselyā€¦the cats that is. The roomates were a mixed bagā€¦ My anti-cat feelings only arise when they are outside because they are non-native and are outrageously good predators ā€“ even bottle fed ones who really donā€™t know how to kill properly. It _would_ be cool to have one of those domesticated silver foxes from Russia. I always am wondering how somebody could go about getting one. ---
**Author:** ![Lyllyan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b2d939/32.png) [@Lyllyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lyllyan)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2003, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pet-fox-is-cool/172860/32 "2003-05-06T15:56:14Z")
Ok, I couldnā€™t resist any longer. [here](http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/lyllyan/lst?.dir=/&.view=t) are my foxes. ---
**Author:** ![js\_africanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2003, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pet-fox-is-cool/172860/33 "2003-05-06T16:10:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lyllyan \* > \*\*Ok, I couldnā€™t resist any longer. [here](http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/lyllyan/lst?.dir=/&.view=t) are my foxes. \*\* Great photos. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pet-fox-is-cool/172860.md?page=1)