Fox Attacks House Cat

Observation by Russell Cameron:

A resident of Kotzebue reported his cat was attacked by a fox. Local law enforcement responded and observed blood on the residence porch. At the time of this report the fox remains at large in the community with a possible suspect fox photographed foraging behind the hospital on 10.29.2024. The Maniilaq Office of Environmental Health has offered to do a rabies booster vaccination for the house cat.

LEO Says:

Over time we have seen numerous posts in the LEO Network about wildlife and pet encounters. This is the first report of a fox attacking a cat. We reached out to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, State Veterinarian Kimberlee Beckmen for additional information and recommendations. Thank you to Maniilaq Association and Russell Cameron for reporting this incident to the local authority and to the LEO Network.

Consult by Kimberlee Beckmen:

It is unusual for a normal, healthy red fox to attack a domestic cat. Starvation (and fighting over food left out or something the cat was scavenging) or disease is more likely to cause this behavior. In Alaska, rabies is the most common infection that causes a red fox attacking any pet or person. When clinically ill and spreading the virus, they will attack and bite anything that moves and even inanimate objects. Other infections that cause brain inflammation can cause similar behavior with canine distemper and avian influenza being the two that we diagnose most frequently in coastal red foxes after rabies.

Comment from Gemini:

The attached articles detail of fox encounters and rabies outbreaks in Alaska, providing context for the reported fox attack on a cat in Kotzebue. Several reports from Nome, a community relatively near Kotzebue, describe rabies outbreaks among foxes, with increased attacks on dogs and people. For example, one observation notes 23 of 61 foxes tested positive for rabies in Nome following a winter of increased attacks ("Rabies outbreak worries health officials"). Another Nome report documents a significant increase in rabid red foxes, with over a dozen testing positive compared to the usual two or three cases ("Research shows a significant increase in rabid red foxes around Nome"). These reports highlight the potential for rabies to be a factor in unusual fox behavior, including aggression towards domestic animals.

Update,

Beyond rabies, other observations point to avian influenza H5N1 as another possible driver of unusual fox behavior. One report from Unalaska confirms H5N1 in a red fox and eagles, suggesting transmission through scavenging infected birds ("H5N1 Avian influenza detected in a red fox in Unalaska"). Another observation from White Mountain describes unusual, fearless behavior in a fox, coinciding with the confirmed H5N1 case in Unalaska ("Unusual behavior in red fox"). These reports raise the possibility of disease, other than rabies, influencing fox behavior and potentially contributing to the cat attack.

Furthermore, several observations discuss the increasing interactions between foxes and humans, particularly in the context of food availability. One report documents red foxes moving into arctic fox territory on the North Slope, aided by access to human garbage ("Red foxes move into arctic fox territory on North Slope - with help from people"). Another observation from Nelson Lagoon notes an increase in the red fox population at the landfill ("Proliferation of Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) in Landfill"). These reports underscore how access to human food sources can alter fox behavior and potentially lead to increased contact with domestic animals.

Given this history of rabies outbreaks, avian influenza infections, and human-influenced changes in fox behavior in Alaska, the attack on the cat in Kotzebue warrants careful consideration. It is important to consider the possibility of rabies or other diseases as contributing factors and to take precautions to prevent further incidents. Testing the suspected fox for rabies and other diseases, if possible, would be valuable. Maniilaq Association's Environmental Health Department is an important resources for addressing these type of events. Residents are reminded to secure garbage, avoid feeding wildlife, and vaccinate pets against rabies to help mitigate future risks. The information on red foxes and rabies provided by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=wildlifenews.view_article&articles_id=56) could be a useful resource for the community.