At One Place

Domestic cat vs Red fox

Domestic cat vs red fox
Red fox is larger on weight
Red fox is somewhat greater than domestic cat on weight — about 1.3×.

A domestic cat and a red fox can be compared on 5 measures. The figures below are typical adult or full-size values, with the larger of the two in bold.

Side by side

Larger value in bold. Ranges reflect genuine variation, not uncertainty.
Domestic cat Red fox
Weight 3.6–6.8 kg 2.2–14 kg
Height 0.23–0.3 m 0.4 m
Length 0.36–0.55 m 0.45–0.9 m
Top speed 48 km/h 50 km/h
Typical lifespan 12–20 yr 2–15 yr

What the numbers say

  • Red fox is somewhat greater than domestic cat on weight — about 1.3×.
  • Red fox is 1.6× domestic cat on height.
  • Red fox is 1.5× domestic cat on length.
  • Domestic cat and red fox are near enough identical on top speed.
  • Domestic cat is 3.8× red fox on typical lifespan.

Weight compared.

Red fox 2.2–14 kg
Domestic cat 3.6–6.8 kg

Domestic cat

The domesticated cat, kept worldwide and still an efficient small predator.

Red fox

The most widely distributed wild carnivore on Earth, at home from tundra to city centre.

This is a comparison of published measurements, nothing more. It describes how two things differ on measures that have been recorded; it does not predict how they would fare against each other in any situation.

Common questions

Which is bigger, domestic cat or red fox?
Red fox is somewhat greater than domestic cat on weight — about 1.3×. Both figures are typical values; the full range for each is in the table above.
How do domestic cats and red foxes compare on height?
Domestic cat: 0.23–0.3 m. Red fox: 0.4 m. Red fox is 1.6× domestic cat on height.
How do domestic cats and red foxes compare on length?
Domestic cat: 0.36–0.55 m. Red fox: 0.45–0.9 m. Red fox is 1.5× domestic cat on length.

Related pages

Sources

  1. Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place
  2. Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History — Smithsonian Institution

How these figures are compiled and checked