[arugula]

I just said that, sort of!

[Springlands]

JayG,

Are the "number twos" are similar size to those of a cat? I'm wondering fox, but I've never come across their "number twos" in a garden, so I'm not sure if they would dig a hole in that situation as they wouldn't out in the field.

There's a big danger of providing too much information here; let's just say that Chris Packham would not have been able to handle it very easily! 

I'm wondering whether the hole was originally dug by a fox and then a cat came along thinking "Hmm, nice handy toilet!" 

From your description it sort of sounds like badgers - if they have eaten lots of worms CP would most definitely not have been able to handle it (though he would probably have a good try  )

[evie2]

Never thought of them

[arugula]

Do you get them much in non-rural areas? I didn't really think you would....

[Springlands]

Do you get them much in non-rural areas? I didn't really think you would....

Yes because they are very territorial - as we expand into their areas they usually do not move further into the country. A really good example of this is Bristol - it has a well documented urban badger population. (Just re-read this and it sounds like a lecture  )

I live outside a small village and the land to the back of me is all fields and I see badgers on a regular basis. They are really quite beautiful if you see them up close.  My best view was when two were walking along the path outside my front window early one evening.

[arugula]

No lecture Springlands its very interesting!

[evie2]

We have a visiting badger to our garden, although our back gardens a very big we are a little estate of about 100 semi's and 50 detached houses 

[Springlands]

We have a visiting badger to our garden, although our back gardens a very big we are a little estate of about 100 semi's and 50 detached houses 

If you want to encourage then out some peanuts - they just love them.

[evie2]

Our visitor doesn't need any encouragement, it wanders round the garden in broad daylight

It had Jules and Eils fighting each other to be first in the house and as  for Ali he wouldn't go out again until I made sure it was definitely gone, big jessy 

[Paul Plots]

An elderly neighbour, across the road from my parents, has a very well known cat... she yells its name at the top of her voice several times a day!!!  :blink:

The cat, Bengie, disappears behind her garden shed - probably slaps its paws over its ears to proctect its hearing..... then wanders off into everyone elses gardens for miles around.

This morning Bengie appeared from behind the shed a few minutes after a huge, healthy looking fox shot out and across the Close.

Good old Bengie..... I guess he dislikes the foxes digging up the front gardens almost as much as I do! 

(Shame he is an equally guilty culprit!!!  )

[JayG]

Odds on a fox being the culprit for my back garden excavations/latrines have now shortened dramatically.

According to my next-door neighbours they saw a young fox crossing our road before being spooked by something and shooting straight up into my garden. This was at 1100 today! 

This nervous temperament might explain the nature of the, um, deposits (who needs Gillian McKeith?!) 

[arugula]

Well that's a relief!

[evie2]

Foxes, sly 

[operabunny]

Badgers cause utter destruction once they start digging in earnest. Even a small scrape will start at about 6" wide. I saw half a school playing field completely destroyed in 2 days earlier this year.

[evie2]

Cripes :blink: