As I was heading out to retrieve the dog from her final constitutional of the evening, I happened to glance out the window at the lighted dog run. My mind said “cat” at the same instant as my mouth said aloud, “what is that ?” The gray kitty turned on graceful little feet – pirouetted, in fact – and its black-tipped tail didn’t just follow the motion, it flowed. I thought it seemed awfully gosh-darned cheerful for a cat that was only a few feet away from a 70-lb dog, albeit with a chain link fence between them. As it finished its little dance maneuver it’s head ended up in three-quarters profile to me. What an interesting little…snout? Um, cats don’t have snouts, at least not last time I checked…

I’ve often seen red foxes in Minnesota, including one memorable twilight encounter with a gloriously winter-coated pair bouncing, pouncing, and rolling in a snowbank. This gray fox sighting was my first. My Collie was Not Amused.

Interesting tidbit – gray foxes can climb trees, supposedly the only canid other than the Chinese racoon dog who can do so. I’m guessing then that a 6-foot chain link fence would not be much of an obstacle, so turning that corner of the fenced area into a chicken yard doesn’t seem like that great of an idea anymore. I just hope the fox noticed our all-you-can-eat gopher buffet.

(And no, I didn’t take the picture, it’s from Wikipedia.)