Sir – Your letter “Fox problem” could cause unnecessary alarm among cat owners.

The RSPCA has funded scientific study of foxes in urban areas. These have demonstrated that most cats are at little or no risk from foxes.

Foxes and cats have been watched through night vision binoculars. On most occasions, the animals either ignored each other or the foxes were chased away or were nervous of the cats.

Nearly 2,000 fox droppings were examined from the city of Oxford; eight were found to have traces of cat fur. But the presence of cat fur does not mean that foxes kill cats.

Foxes will eat from the carcass of a cat killed by road traffic.

Such traffic poses a much greater risk to cats than foxes.

KLARE KENNETT
RSPCA press officer