The Great Smoky Mountain Journal
Source:
Tuesday, January 01, 2019 02:44 PM
Blount County Woman Captures Intense Standoff Between Cat And Fox That Comes Right To Her Window
As she looked outside, she saw a wild fox peaking inside her Blount County home.
"And then all of a sudden it came right to the window, and looked in," Bobinski said.
That wasn't the first time the she had seen the animal on the prowl. The fox has been a repeat visitor for a couple months. Diane tried to capture the moment on camera every time.
"She'll just come, she'll sit and rest and then she's got a mission. You can tell she's looking for food," Bobinski told Local 8 News reporter Robert Grant.
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency had received reports of baby foxes following dog walkers on their way home in search of food handouts. Wildlife experts said when people feed wild animals, it can create a dangerous cycle, and wild animals will adapt.
It's something Bobinski never considered. "She's wild," Bobinski said. "People told me to feed her, put some dog food out, and I'm like, 'no.'"
Wildlife experts said they suspect the fox around Bobinski's house could have once been a pet. Tennessee law requires anyone fostering a fox to hold a license. They didn't suspect it had rabies, but officials reminded people it's always a possibility with wild animals.
While foxes are not as big as coyotes, officials said foxes can also be harmful to your pets.
Bobinski even stopped letting her cat on the screened-in porch in fear of what could happen with the fox around.
She reminded other locals to mind their distance. "Coexist," she said. "They lived here before we even got here, and built houses. Just co-exist."
TWRA said if you find a similar problem, make sure you have any pet food locked up and out of sight. Once you do that, wildlife experts said it could take another couple weeks for the wild animals to stop coming around.