Gray foxes are common here, and their distinctive feature is a bushy tail. They are much smaller than coyotes and generally dangerous only to squirrels and lesser rodents. They also eat fruit, insects, bird eggs and garbage. Your pets are safe from them (except possibly kittens). Adults weigh about 10lbs. Foxes are devoted parents; the mother stays in the den with her newborn pups for over a month, with the father bringing food and standing guard. Despite being in the canine family, foxes are oddly catlike; they hiss, meow and yowl like cats, and foxes also arch their backs when upset. They are frequently seen in the daytime when hunting for food to feed their young. Our foxes easily climb trees, whether chasing squirrels or hunting for ripe figs.
Photo by resident/WAC member, N. Davis.
The Humane Society has good info on dealing with foxes in urban settings: https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/what-do-about-foxes
This site has good info and lovely photos of gray foxes-- http://visitwimberley.com/critters/grayFox.shtml
If you are unsure whether you are seeing a fox or a coyote, check this helpful site—
http://www.differencebetween.net/science/nature/animals-nature/difference-between-coyotes-and-foxes/
