We live in southern New England, in the forest. Our woods are teeming with wildlife; deer, bears, foxes, coyotes, racoons, etc..

Last summer, we had two of our cats dissappear. One was seventeen, and one was eleven. They never left the yard. People told us that they were taken by coyotes.

Well, the other morning, one of our six goldfish was missing from our outdoor garden fishpond. Someone told us that fisher cats will pull fish out of water.

I went online and they look like weasels. We had one killed by car a few weeks ago, and I got a good look at him, even though his face was squished. I understand that they can run very fast, and can tree a cat.

Any info?

By Colette on Wednesday, April 20, 2005 - 07:08 am:

They are SCARY. I had the phone in my hand one morning - very early - because I thought a woman was being murdered or raped in our woods. I kept hearing this god-awful screaming. Then dh told me it was a fisher cat and that's the noise they make. We've had a few cats around here vanish and my neighbor had a fisher in her yard the other day.

By Trina~moderator on Wednesday, April 20, 2005 - 07:39 am:

Oh yes, we had one on our back deck in NH in broad daylight several years ago. They do look like weasels but are about the size of a house cat. They can be vicious and are known for preying on house cats. ONE of the reasons why our cats are strictly indoor pets. Haven't actually seen any here in CT but I'm pretty sure they're out there. We live in a rural, wooded area and have deer, bear, racoons, oppossums, wild turkeys, etc..

By Trina~moderator on Wednesday, April 20, 2005 - 09:59 am:

Fisher

By Janet on Wednesday, April 20, 2005 - 10:51 am:

They look like wolverines, don't they? My! You NE ladies live exciting lives! Bears in your yards and fisher cats in your ponds... I'm glad to be in the good ol' Midwest, with nothing more exotic than coyotes and skunks! LOL

By Amecmom on Wednesday, April 20, 2005 - 11:17 am:

I've never heard of them. I have to see if we have any here in the lower Hudson Valley. I know we have cyotes and bears (had one in my yard) and other nasties. Can you put a screened in cover over your fish pond at night? I don't know if it's practical, but it may help.
Ame

By Kathy on Wednesday, April 20, 2005 - 11:24 am:

I had never heard of them either...that is, until we got our kitties about a month ago and the vet asked if they would be indoor or outdoor cats, to which we answered "indoor". The vet was glad to hear that as he was worried about the fisher cats. Since I had never heard about them, I looked online to see what they were. Ugly little beasts. ;)

By Fraggle on Thursday, April 21, 2005 - 07:35 am:

My parents have a problem with them. I guess they like the squirrels that frequent my parent's birdfeeder.

By Karen~moderator on Thursday, April 21, 2005 - 08:38 am:

I've never heard of them......until now.......they look creepy! LOL

By Hol on Tuesday, April 26, 2005 - 01:43 am:

Yes, DH made a frame with mesh screen in it to put over the fish pond at night. I also round up all four of the kitties and MAKE them come in at night.