A couple of pet owners discovered something unusual hiding in their backyard, thanks to a stray cat who had been hanging around their home begging for food.
In a viral TikTok video shared on Tuesday under the username @theaveragecatlady, the poster can be seen feeding the stray, who, instead of eating his food, stares toward a particular spot at the back of the yard. "Update on the stray cat, I brought him out food but he wouldn't eat. Then I saw what he was watching! I thought it was another cat until I zoomed in …"
As the poster zooms in, the animal they thought was a cat clearly turns out to be a fox, who also seems to have spotted them from her hiding place. "This was an unexpected visitor! The cat knew what was watching them way before I or my other kitties knew," says the caption.
With their incredible skill to adapt to most climates and locations, foxes are widespread across all continents except Antarctica, and there are more than 30 species globally.
Red foxes are common in North America, usually living in woodlands, human neighborhoods, wetlands, and fields, as well as urban areas such as yards, parks, and golf courses. They are nocturnal animals, rarely active during day time.
Typically, foxes do not attack humans, unless they are rabid, which is rare. They can, however, attack small animals, like kittens under 5 pounds, rabbits, guinea pigs or chickens.
If you or your pet is bitten by a fox, then seek medical help immediately, and report the bite to your local animal-control agency.
The video quickly went viral on social media and has so far received over 125,000 views and almost 6,500 likes on the platform.
One user, AcridDread3, posted: "Silver fox, they usually don't attack cats, she wanted to be invited to dinner though."
LoneWolf7124 wrote: "That is another friend that is hungry and would like extra kibble left out."
User 11004300841 added: "I feed wild foxes every night. They live harmoniously with other animals including stray cats. I suspect that's a mama fox waiting for leftovers to bring to the den, if you're worried leave food out where she is away from the cats."
Newsweek reached out to @theaveragecatlady for comment via TikTok comments. We could not verify the details of the case.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to [email protected] with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.