The following story and fisher cat pictures are from one of our website visitors in Andover, MA.
Our dog (Annie – Golden Retriever) was going crazy this morning (April 6, 2009) to get out into our (Andover, MA) backyard. My wife noticed something brown walking along the top rail of our chain link fence and recognized it as a Fisher Cat. When Annie ran out, the Fisher ran up a small pine tree. Not realizing it was on the other side of the fence, it nervously chattered at us while we took pictures of it. It eventually realized it was protected, climbed down the tree (only a few feet in front of me), leapt into the neighbor’s yard and ran off. Annie cornered one up a tree a couple years ago as well.
In the second photo, you can notice the blurred horizontal line toward the bottom. That’s the top rail of the chain link fence.
Video of the Fisher Cat
I live in Casco Maine and I am aware of the presence of fishers, coy dogs, fox, and even mountain lions in our area, therefor, I make sure my 2 cats are in at night. However, my male cat (quite a hunter himself) came home a few afternoons ago, looking like something had nearly “ripped him a new one”. Had a 1 1/2″ gash next to his anus. This was around 3 pm!! The vet had no idea what got him, and he’s lucky to be alive, although a little ashamed of his naked behind and the drainage tube sticking out of his tail. I assume it’s a fisher that got him, as I heard the screaching a few weeks ago as a fisher chased another animal up a tree in my backyard. I will be keeping a much better eye out on my kitties AND my kids!! Scary!
A fisher also attacked my old cat. The vet told me that fishers attack from behind, grabbing and holding on to the hind leg/s, and when its prey is subdued it will climb on top and evicerate it. He also indicated that it was likely a young fisher as the bite marks from its k-9s were close together. This event also took place in mid afternoon. A full grown fisher would’ve killed my cat. I guess she gave as good as she got because she ran home injured but without a pursuer
i heard a weird noise outside my house in pa last night. it was a screaching noise. it was so scary.
I heard that same noise last night, but a lot closer. It sounded more like a girl getting killed.. Thats why im searching to see if i can hear the same sound! Thank you!
bob cats sound like girl screaming very scary if you don,t know what it is.
I hear this noise nearly every night between 11pm and 1am in the back yard. I live in Laconia, NH, and it’s decently populated with houses close together. These animals are brave and undefiable. My parents live in Plymouth and my father has actually saved some of our cats by shooting the fishers on the spot. We also lock our cats in every night as they have a cat door to use during the day. If you own pets, you might want to take these precautions. Fisher cats, coy dogs, weasels, and some spotted lynx are a constant danger in the new England region.
That looks kinda kreepy
so, i googled this fisher cat, and i also youtubed it but it seems like some people have them as pets in their house and a dog crate ? so my mom let our two little shih tzus outside to use the bathroom, and she said she had saw a fox or a coyote and so her friends said to us that there is a creature call this fisher cat and so i googled it today to see if that is what she saw and it was! im scared, but they seem nice ? info please .
It sounds like something dying from getting shot and a child getting murdered .
I have them all over my yard and I wake up to their screech every night like an alarm clock.
Shabooty out !!!!!!
are there fisher cats on cape cod, specifically Provincetown?
I live in Marinette County, Wisconsin. My husband has a picture of a Fisher on his motion camera. This is a first, as he has been putting the camera out for years. It seems on the picture the head is more brown, but the body and tail are black. I didn’t know we had them around this area.
our neighbors dogs were going crazy and we went outside to see what it was at first we thought they had gotten a hold of a screech owl and had hurt it,but it was a fisher cat and it make a horrible screaming noise !
I live in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia ( Canada) and have heard this ungodly sound at night several times. It wasn’t until today that I now know its a fisher cat. Played the audio clip I found on the net and it matches what I have heard.
My Mother in law saw one in our backyard today.We live in central southern Connecticut. we must be at the southern end of its range.i have never heard of one in our area before.
Keeping our dog on leash.
when there were tons of fisher catsin the cape cod a couple years ago so many people got attcked and killed
We live in southern Pierce County, WI and caught a Fisher on our trail camera (twice). I guess the Fisher Cat’s are following the Black Bears down, and extending their range.
We have one right in our back yard in Byfield, Ma. It’s screeching at night is so close and intense. last night it was constant for over two hours. I wondered why they screech; is it most prevalent when they are threatened or when threatening? Does it mean they caught prey or is it a call to other fishercats? Does it screech wherever it goes or mostly close to home? Every night for the past five nights it screeches here. It sounds ominous and feels like being caught in a horror movie. Having two small dogs and a 4ft high chain link fence, how cautious do we need to be during the day? Thank you so much for sharing all this information and amazing pictures.