The Difference Between Cat Poop and Fox Poop?

If you venture out into your lush green backyard and unexpectedly step into something unpleasant, it can ruin your experience. The truth is, there are numerous animals that may pay you a visit and use your lawn or flower beds as their personal restroom, whether it be during the day or night.

These unwelcome presents can be left behind by a variety of animals, such as badgers, rabbits, foxes, hedgehogs, and cats, with cats and foxes being the most common culprits.

Do you frequently wake up to find piles of animal poop in your garden? Are you exhausted from constantly scouring the outside to see if there are any animal feces to clean up, especially when you have young children?

Let’s explore the differences between cat and fox poo so that you can identify the culprit and take appropriate measures.

Cat Poo or Fox Poo?

Although fox feces may appear to be similar in size to cat feces, there are significant distinctions that can help you distinguish between the two and identify the animal responsible for leaving unwanted gifts on your lawn.

By examining the shape, color, smell, and contents of the feces, you can generally determine whether it was left behind by a cat or a fox.

What does Cat Poop look like?

Normal cat feces typically have a smooth, cylindrical shape with no apparent contents. They typically have a deep brown color and a firm texture, resembling modeling clay.

What does Fox Poop look like?

Foxes tend to excrete poop that resembles that of dogs, with a pointed end and containing items like fur, feathers, small bones, seeds, and berries. In rural areas, the feces is generally dark in color, but in urban areas where foxes consume human food waste, it can be lighter in color. Fresh fox droppings have a distinct “foxy” smell that differentiates them from other types of feces.

Fox-Poop
Fox Poop

It’s likely that foxes will use your backyard as a location to poop and mark their territory. If a fox considers something to be their territory, they may defecate on the lawn, garden furniture, rocks, logs, or any other item that they consider to be theirs.

This sends a message to other foxes that your yard is already occupied and not available to them. Making the scent-mark more visible improves the likelihood of it being detected by other foxes.