A cat lover is warning fellow pet owners to be watchful after a spate of fox attacks.

Beddington woman Carol Perry's Burmese cat was saved when her son Marc spotted a fox bite her in the throat and try to carry her away earlier this month.

And when Mrs Perry told a friend about the incident she heard another cat had its head ripped off by a fox in a nearby road prompting fears the feral animals had got out of control.

Mr Perry, 42, was at his mum's home in Queenswood Avenue when he heard a strange noise. He said: "I looked out and there was this fox with the cat in its mouth. I shouted out of the window to spook it away and it ran off.

 

Mr Perry and his mum took the cat to a vet in Wimbledon and she spent the night in intensive care. She has since made a recovery but has become timid according to her owner.

Mrs Perry said: "I went on holiday the following morning to Spain but my holiday was ruined because of worrying.

"When I was in the bank the cashier asked how my holiday was so I told her what happened and the woman next to me said a fox had mauled her daughter's cat while she was looking after it and tore its head off.

"The foxes have become a real problem. We used to be able to .let the cats come and go but we can't do that any more."

Mr Perry added: "There have always been foxes in this area but they've never really been a concern. Now, in the last six months, you see them more and more frequently. They leave a lot more mess around the place.

"We're worried its getting out-of-hand."

Your Local Guardian: PALS: A fox and cat enjoy the food together at a Radcliffe farm. Photograph by Dave Bonney, DJB Imaging

A fox looks at a cat

Mr Perry appealed to Sutton Council to do more to control foxes. A council spokesman said: "Foxes are a natural part of the biodiversity of the UK, however, it is recognised that fox densities in urban areas can be high

"The only really effective way to deal with foxes is to use humane methods to deter them from gardens and surrounding areas. This does however require a sustained and long programme to achieve results.

For advice on keeping foxes out of your garden, contact the London Wildlife Trust/Fox Project advice line on 01892 826222.