What is a Fisher Cat and What Does It Look Like
A lot of people have never heard of a fisher cat. What is a fisher cat? The fisher cat is a North American marten, a medium sized mustelid. The fisher is agile in trees and has a slender body that allows it to pursue prey into hollow trees or burrows in the ground. Despite its name, this animal seldom eats fish; the name may originate from the French word fichet, which referred to the pelt of a European polecat. In some regions the fisher is known as a pekan which is derived from its name in the Abenaki language.
Adults weigh between 2 and 7 kg (4-15 lbs) and are between 65 and 125 cm (29-47 inches) in length. Males are about twice the size of females, with the smallest females having been recorded being as small as 1.4 kg (3.1 lbs), hardly larger than most other martens, and males at as much as 9 kg (20 lbs). Their coats are darkish brown, with a black tail and legs; some individuals have a cream-colored patch on the chest. All four feet have five toes with retractable claws. Because they can rotate their hind paws 180 degrees, they can grasp limbs and climb down trees head first. A circular patch of hair on the central pad of their hind paws marks plantar glands that give off a distinctive odor, which is believed to be used for communication during reproduction. Fishers are also known for one of their calls, which is often said to sound like a child screaming, and can be mistaken for someone in dire need of help.
Fishers are solitary hunters. Their primary prey include hares, rabbits, squirrels, mice, shrews, and porcupines. Their diet may also contain small birds, fruit and berries, as well as deer in the form of carrion. While fishers and mountain lions are the only regular predators of porcupines, the fisher is the only predator to have a specialized killing technique. As observed by Robert G. Snyder in the Adirondack mountains of New York, a fisher first approaches from the direction the porcupine is facing. The porcupine tries to protect itself by turning to present its tail, covered with quills, to the attacker. The fisher then jumps directly over its prey, forcing the porcupine to keep turning to protect its vulnerable head. A dozen or more such maneuvers suffice to exhaust and confuse the porcupine into a stupor in which it can no longer protect itself. Then, by repeatedly biting and scratching at the porcupine’s face, the fisher causes it to bleed to death. The fisher eats the porcupine by flipping the dead animal over and starting with its unprotected belly.
Fishers are also known to eat ground nesting birds such as grouse and turkeys. Often, young of the year and eggs make easy targets. Also, in some areas fishers can become pests to farmers because they will get into a pen and kill large numbers of chickens. Fishers have also been known to eat small pets left outside, such as stray cats and dogs. While this is rare, when densities are high and food resources are low, animals may become desperate.
In 2005 a Boston Globe article told of fishers attacking cats. A July 4, 2007 article in the New York Times raises the possibility that fishers have turned up in Hopewell Township, New Jersey, causing concern among cat owners. Zoologists are skeptical, suggesting other animals could be responsible, observing that it would be difficult for fishers to migrate into the area. A study done in 1979 examined the stomach contents of all fisher trapped in the state of New Hampshire. Cat hairs were found in only one of over 1,000 stomachs. Attacks on domestic cats may be documented, but zoologists suggest a bobcat, coyote, or dog is more likely to kill domestic cats and chickens.
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July 14th, 2008 at 8:51 pm
I’ve never seen one of these fisher cats but I heard a noise that sounded like a fisher cat screech. They say it almost sounds like a kid screaming?
October 13th, 2009 at 9:12 pm
In Somerset County, NJ. Two Fisher cats at 3am
my dogs were alerted. by their presence. I had been missing my Maine Coon Cat for 3 weeks,a saavy hunter and wise cat. Now that I saw two of the weasel like creatures around my car in the driveway, I know now that the cries I heard (thought that it might be deer) were the Fisher Cats. How to deter them? My dogs went crazy
over the scent by my car. I why are they predators of domestic cats, with so much wildlife in the woods.
October 18th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
I believe I saw my first Fisher yesterday afternoon here in central Vermont. It was quite large and very black. Looked very much like a river otter. It stayed looking back at us on a dirt road for quite a while and didn’t appear to be fearful of us. Pretty cool!
October 20th, 2009 at 7:14 pm
I live in North Stonington, Ct and every Aug-Nov the Fisher cats come into the State Forrest behind our house. We have NO stray cats, squirrels, chipmucks, Not even any geese, ducks, birds in and or around the lake across the street. I don’t know what the state of Connecticut is waiting for to do something. The fisher cats are now coming up on to our porches, No more raccoon, possums getting into trash. Everyone locks up their animals at night fall. Lost my cat in August, the one night I couldn’t catch him and lock him up, GONE the next day. Haven’t seen any deer come through my yard this fall. It’s eerrie because it so quite. Only hear the neighbor hood dogs barking. The State of CT need to get off their butts and do something, I’M JUST waiting until the problem is in their back yard. Believe me the fisher cat will move to the food source is.
October 23rd, 2009 at 3:35 pm
I have seen three fisher cats within this last year. All three times the were running across the road in our rural hills of Pennsylvania.
November 17th, 2009 at 7:40 pm
i did not see anything but i heard it i didnt think t sounded like a child or lady it sounded like a large bird dying. i ran around trying to find the source but i saw nothing. i think it was coming from behind my neighboors house. i don’t live near woods.
December 7th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
I’m all for wild animals eating domestic house pets. If people want to let their cats roam at night they should realize that kitty has put itself into the wild. Cats do terrible things to the ecosystem. They kill moles and birds and baby rabbits and whatever else they can kill. Payback’s a b****!
December 8th, 2009 at 8:56 pm
I live in small town in Pa with woods around and I seen the cat that I thought was an over size pig, untill my daughter told me to look at the net, and sure as I seen it it was a fisher cat.
January 12th, 2010 at 2:46 pm
Do Fisher Cats eat snakes?
January 26th, 2010 at 12:06 pm
We have a fisher living in our area, which is Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada. We are on an acreage north of Stony with lots of forest for a back yard. This is the first time I’ve seen one in north western Canada in my life (over 50 yrs) My cats have been aware of him for weeks. They will not go outside. I saw the tracks in the snow and on our deck, but thought it was a coyote. Today it went cruising through my yard and down the driveway while I was having my morning coffee. Couldn’t get a good picture, wasn’t fast enough with the camera. As soon as he heard me moving around, he ran. I have read that they don’t really go after cats, but are deadly to porcupines. This is good because porcupines almost killed my fruit trees by eating the bark off last year and they went for one of my prize pines this fall. Maybe the fisher will eliminate the porcupine.
February 17th, 2010 at 10:59 am
To Debra in North Stonington, I too live in North Stonington, I hunt and hike in the Patchaug State Forest year round and there certainly are a number of fisher living there. there are also deer, squrriels, rabbit, turkey and other species there as well as habitat permits. While a localized fisher population can no doubt put a dent in the local rodent or domestic cat population, i don’t think they are having any significant effect on your local deer or duck population. Coyotes are also plentiful in the Pachaug SF. Predators are a natural part of the local fauna that should be appreciated and enjoyed. Just this morning in the newly fallen snow I found domestic cat, fox, and coyote prints in my driveway. It wasn’t our cat (ours is indoors at night and a good part of the day) but I wouldn’t be surprised if i see a “cat missing” sign in the near future if it’s hanging around at night in North Stonington. It’s wild out there Thank god.