Urban Wildlife in the Southwest

"Which cat is that in the driveway?"  "That's not a cat.  I think it's a fox!" 

So went the conversation with my husband, Wayne, one recent evening as we sat on the porch swing at our home in El Paso, Texas. 

We are used to seeing our five outside cats as they prowl around the property, especially on warm autumn evenings.  A feral mama cat and her four kittens adopted us several years ago.  We eventually succeeded in trapping the whole family and took them to the veterinarian for fixing. Now the cat family enjoys the life of Riley, with food and water provided throughout the day and a large property to select the perfect place for their many cat naps.

Mama cat on bench in front of kiva fireplace

A cat we call "Kamacazi" (for her aggressive approach to the food bowl) likes to hang around the swimming pool.

Kamacazi, the tomboy cat

And my favorite outside cat is Tommy, the sole tomcat.  He likes to sleep on and around the dog house, built for the two Australian Heelers that used to live with us.

Tommy loves the high grass where he can pretend to hide.  

Two more cats, Minime and Cry Baby, complete the cat family.  I didn't succeed in snapping their pictures. None of the outside cats will let me get closer than three feet, but at least they no longer run from me when I walk around the garden and yard. 

But on to other wildlife - the fox!  Wayne found a paw print in the driveway a day or two after we thought we had seen a fox.

Fox print?

A Google search led us to believe a fox had made the print, but we still were not sure.

Early one morning, we were having coffee in an outside room we call the bunk house.  The door was open with a view to the back garden.

"Quiet!" Wayne warned me as he grabbed his cell phone.  I caught a glimpse of an animal with a very long, fluffy tail.

Fox in front of garden gate

Fox disappearing into garden

Now we are speculating as to where the fox has his (her?) den.  We think it may be near a primitive walking trail that we have built around the property where lots of palo verde trees, creosote bushes, and grasses grow.  I left food out several evenings, but it only attracted ants.  However, I do leave a pan of water in the garden for "Foxy."  Maybe he will show himself to us again one day.

I like the idea that although we live in a suburban neighborhood we can still enjoy nature by walking out our back door.  It gives me great pleasure to share our living space with the cat family and now, the fox.