---
title: "Domestic cat vs red fox — size, weight and speed compared"
description: "Red fox is somewhat greater than domestic cat on weight — about 1.3×. Compared on 5 measured properties, with the full range and a source for each."
url: https://atoneplace.net/vs/domestic-cat-vs-red-fox/
site: "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.

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## Sources

- Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place (/about/)
- Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History — Smithsonian Institution (https://naturalhistory.si.edu/)