The Foxy Tail of Taz

Richard Bell’s Wild West Yorkshire nature diary Saturday, 7th June 2008

‘HAVE YOU SEEN this cat?’ asks the poster on the pole by the entrance to the woods; a large, light-coloured ginger tom.

Yes, that does sound familiar so I ring the number when we get back from our walk around the valley.

It was the evening before last, I explain, when Barbara spotted a mystery animal:

‘A fox has just walked across the patio!’ she exclaimed.

When we looked, we saw an unfamiliar looking cat sitting on the old concrete coal bunker next door, its foxy tail hanging down.

The owner, who lives a little further up Coxley Valley than we do, was relieved to hear of our sighting;

‘He wanders off for 2 or 3 days but this time he’s been gone much longer, which is why we’re worried.

‘He feeds on rabbits - which is why he’s so big! If you see him again, his name is Taz.’

He’s welcome to as many rabbits as he can eat - they decimated our veg seedlings last year!

Hope Taz checks back home soon. His owner is concerned that he may eat a poisoned rabbit as she believes that people are putting out poisoned bait.

That thought also occurred to me this morning when I found a dead short-tailed vole and wood mouse by the herb bed.