Animals in this family are sometimes described as canids, canines, and may even be referred to as dogs!
Like all canids, foxes are born blind and walk on their toes.
Foxes can be found across the globe, with species living in Asia, Africa, Australia North America, and Europe.
Many canines are pack animals, but foxes are solitary and spend most of their time alone.
When raising their young, foxes may live in small families called leashes or skulks.
Foxes are primarily nocturnal, but can sometimes be seen during the day.
Depending on the species, a fox can be anywhere from 12 to 35 inches long!
Although foxes are omnivores, they’re excellent hunters and can reach speeds over 30 miles per hour.
15 Animals Like Foxes
Although the fox has many unique traits, it also has a lot in common with other canines, felines, and many other types of animals.
Every one of these 15 animals shares several traits with foxes.
Coyotes | Image by David Mark from Pixabay
Why coyotes are like foxes: Coyotes are a fast, furry mammal that’s a part of the caninae family
Coyotes are North American mammal that is usually found in open habitats, like deserts and prairies.
As canines, coyotes and foxes have many shared traits, such as lean bodies, thick fur, and bushy tails.
While coyotes are excellent hunters, they’re omnivores that will eat all kinds of foods, including fruits and vegetables, insects, and grass.
Dog resting on hardwood floor | image by llee_wu via Flickr | CC BY-ND 2.0
Why dogs are like foxes: Not only are dogs and foxes both canines, but both animals are frequently featured in folklore
Dogs are famously loyal to humans, but foxes and humans have a strong bond as well.
Research shows that foxes were domesticated by humans during the Bronze Age. While domesticated dogs no longer need to hunt, dogs have powerful noses with more than 300 million receptors!
Raccoon | Image by Alexa from Pixabay
Why raccoons are like foxes: Both mammals are nocturnal and are known for getting into mischief
Just like foxes, raccoons are comfortable in urban environments and are sometimes considered to be pests!
Raccoons have black mask-like markings on their faces that absorb light and help them to see clearly when they’re out during the day.
As opportunistic omnivores, raccoons will eat just about anything and will even dig for food in the trash.
Least weasel | image by Bering Land Bridge National Preserve via Flickr | CC BY 2.0
Why weasels are like foxes: Like foxes, weasels are vocal and live in underground dens
The weasel is a small nocturnal animal that is between 4 and 10 inches long when fully grown!
In spite of its small size, weasels are carnivores that feed on animals like mice, frogs, and songbirds.
Similar to foxes, a weasel’s fur can be many different colors, including brown, black, gray, and red.
A weasel’s body can’t store fat, which means this animal has to hunt constantly while it’s awake.
Silver backed Jackal | Image by Nel Botha from Pixabay
Why jackals are like foxes: Foxes and jackals are both omnivores with long, pointed ears
Jackals are a part of the canid family, which means they’re closely related to foxes!
The jackal primarily lives in Africa, where it can be found in habitats like bushlands, mountains, and savannas.
Not only are jackals omnivores, but they’re willing to eat all kinds of different foods, ranging from insects and berries to reptiles and antelope.
Bobcat in the jungle | Image by Eszter Miller from Pixabay
Why bobcats are like foxes: Both animals are solitary and have a powerful hearing
While a bobcat’s ears are much smaller than a fox’s, both animals have excellent hearing, along with strong vision and a powerful sense of smell.
The bobcat is the most common wildcat in North America and usually makes its home in forests or swamps.
Bobcats aren’t nocturnal, but they do most of their hunting in the evening and the early hours of the morning, when there’s very little light.
Skunk chasing its prey | Image by Silvia from Pixabay
Why skunks are like foxes: Skunks are famous for being stinky, but foxes also have a strong, unpleasant scent
Foxes are able to secrete a strong odor from its scent glands that it uses to mark its territory and communicate with other foxes.
Like foxes, skunks are omnivores that make their home in underground dens.
Wolf standing in snow | Image by 942784 from Pixabay
Why wolves are like foxes: Wolves and foxes are both canines, and some species look very similar
Foxes are smaller than wolves, but the two animals look a lot alike, with narrow snouts and fluffy tails.
While it’s common to describe someone as a “lone wolf,” wolves are actually social animals that prefer to hunt in packs.
Wolves have powerful noses with more than 200 million receptors and can hear sounds up to six miles away.
The wolf is known for its howl, but the animal is an excellent communicator with many different vocalizations.
Mountain Lion | Image by 3031830 from Pixabay
Mountain lions and foxes have extremely sensitive whiskers known as vibrissae that allow them to detect slight changes in the surrounding air.
Thanks to this trait, both animals are able to hunt effectively at night.
The mountain lion is a feline and can be found across North and South America.
They’re excellent jumpers and can reach speeds up to 50 miles per hour.
Dhole sitting on rock | image by Tambako The Jaguar via Flickr | CC BY-ND 2.0
Why dholes are like foxes: Dholes are furry canines that closely resemble foxes
The dhole is a type of wild dog that can be found throughout Asia.
With its lean body, pointed ears, bushy tail, and red fur, it could easily be mistaken for a fox.
Dholes are extremely social and live in large clans of up to 40 animals.
Cat stares at the sky | Image by Susann Mielke from Pixabay
Why cats are like foxes: Both animals are nocturnal, have whiskers, and can retract their claws
While it’s easy to spot the whiskers on a cat’s face, cats also have whiskers on the back of their legs, a trait they share with foxes.
A cat can reach speeds up to 30 miles per hour and can jump up to eight feet!
Naked Mole Rats underground | image by Cheryl via Flickr | CC BY-ND 2.0
Why mole rats are like foxes: Like foxes, mole rats live in underground dens and can sense the Earth’s magnetic field
The mole rat might not look much like a fox, but both animals have a sixth sense that allows them to detect magnetic fields.
While foxes use this ability to detect prey, mole rats use this skill for navigation when moving underground.
Culpeo on a dirt road | image by Greg Schechter via Flickr | CC BY 2.0
These animals closely resemble foxes, but they’re more closely related to jackals and and wolves.
The culpeo is native to South America and can be found in many habitats, including deserts, rainforests, and plateaus.
Culpeos are opportunistic predators and will eat almost any type of prey.
Red Panda in the forest | image by Sara via Flickr | CC BY-ND 2.0
Why red pandas are like foxes: Both mammals have pointed ears, red fur, and long tails
Although red pandas look like they could be related to foxes, this small mammal’s closest relative is actually the raccoon!
Red pandas are solitary animals that live in China and the Eastern Himalayas.
Even though the red panda is technically a carnivore, it primarily feeds on insects and bamboo.
There are currently less than 10,000 red pandas in the wild, and the species is classified as endangered.
Margay was looking down | image by Proyecto Asis via Flickr | CC BY-SA 2.0
Why margay are like foxes: Margay are solitary, nocturnal animals with leg whiskers
Margay has thick, plush fur, pointed ears, and a long tail just like a fox does.
The margay is native to Central and South America, where it makes its home in forests.
It spends most of its time in trees, but it will walk on the ground when it’s hunting at night.
The animal is an omnivore that feeds on lizards, birds, fruit, and grass.
The fox is a small to medium-sized mammal from the Canidae family, often known as the canine or dog family.
Found everywhere in the world apart from Antarctica, foxes prefer forested areas, but sometimes they also explore grasslands, mountains, and deserts.
But that doesn’t mean, when you consider the thousands of fascinating wildlife, foxes are so unique that you can’t find other animals like them.
This article walks you through some of the animals similar to fox while also pointing out their differences.
You’ll also know where these fox-like creatures are found.
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Some of the animals similar to fox include Jackals, Korean jindos, Finnish Spitzs, Coyotes, Dholes, Culpeos, Wolves, Mountain Lions, Common cats, Margays, Red pandas, Dingos, Bobcats.
The red fox is the majority of the 12 fox species, and most of its members share its red/orange color morph.
But the animals are not entirely reddish-orange, as they’re white on the bellies with brownish-black legs.
All foxes have pointed snouts, and the ears are triangular like some dogs.
They also have bushy tails and grow whiskers not only on their faces but also on their legs.
Rarely seen during the day, these cunning animals are active at night, either just roaming or looking for food.
Talking about food, meat is the priority of foxes, and the animals have an excellent sense of smell and hearing and can run about 30 to 40 miles per hour, making them prolific hunters.
On social behavior, foxes are primarily solitary, territorial animals and are only seen in pairs when mating or raising their young ones.
13 Different Animals Similar to Fox
Jackals are medium-sized mammals native to Africa and Eurasia, with bushlands, mountains, and savannas as their preferred habitats.
They belong to the Canidae family and are close relatives to foxes, coyotes, and wolves.
Like foxes, jackals have athletic bodies well-suited for running long distances while maintaining speeds similar to that of their cousins.
And even though jackals have relatively long ears than foxes, they take the same upright and triangular shapes.
Also, Both animals have long, bushy tails.
What’s more, although they’re social animals that live in pairs, jackals vigorously defend their territories from intruders, like foxes.
Jackals also exhibit similar feeding behavior as the fox, as, although primarily hunters, they are opportunistic that devour any fruits they come across.
Korean Jindos are medium-sized indigenous dogs native to the Jindo Islands of South Korea.
The jindo dogs are also popular in South Korean households as they make great pets.
Besides the color, Korean Jindos look like foxes due to their similar body shapes.
The dogs are also intelligent, like foxes.
And while the jindos are loyal to their owners when kept as pets, they’re still territorial in their own sense, guarding their turf against other invasive animals and strangers.
Finnish Spitzs are medium-sized dog species native to Finland.
They are kept as pets for hunting, and are also the national dogs of the country.
Like foxes, these dogs are intelligent and always alert and lively, making them excellent hunters.
And although found at home, you can easily mistake Finnish Spitzs for foxes, thanks to their overall body shapes, including the upright, triangular ears.
The dogs also exhibit fox-like territorial behaviors, protecting their owners.
Coyotes are small to medium-sized mammals native to North America.
Coyotes range in open habitats, including deserts and grasslands.
Due to their lean, athletic bodies, bushy tails, and upright ears, these North American mammals look like foxes.
Coyotes also show behavioral similarities to foxes, as they’re primarily carnivorous, although you can sometimes find fruits on their menu.
They are also excellent hunters, like their cousins, and typically move alone and are rarely seen in pairs.
The most significant difference between the two animals is coyotes have brownish legs.
Also called red fox or red dog, dholes are canids native to Southeast Asia and Central and South America, and their ranges span from mountainous areas to alpine meadows.
Thanks to their body types, dholes resemble foxes such that you can easily mistake them for their cousins, particularly the Arabian fox, due to its color.
The animals are also excellent hunters and can kill prey way large than themselves.
To stand out, however, dholes are social animals that live in clans of about 40 individuals.
Culpeos are the second-largest members of the Canidae family and are more closely related to wolves and jackals.
Culpeos deservedly earn their nickname ‘Andean fox’ thanks to their body shapes and colors that resemble that of many foxes.
Andean foxes also share some similar behaviors with foxes, as they lead solitary lives and only come together during the breeding season.
They are also omnivores, like their look-alikes.
Wolves are among the large members of the Canidae family and are endemic to North America and Eurasia, where they live in diverse habitats, including deserts, grasslands, woodlands, and tundra.
For the untrained eye, it’s easy to confuse wolves and foxes.
Wolves have body types resembling foxes, including long, bushy tails and upright ears.
Not only similar through appearance, but wolves also boost over 200 million receptors in their noses, plus an excellent sense of smell to locate prey as far as six miles away, like foxes.
Also called cougars, mountain lions are the second largest cats after tigers.
Cougars are native to the Americas, and you’re most likely to find them in the deer-inhabited regions.
Mountain lions might come from the feline family but are similar to foxes in some respects.
Although they have distinct body types, both animals have whiskers on their faces.
They also exhibit similar behaviors, with both animals leading solitary lives.
What’s more, cougars and lions are efficient night hunters, thanks to their extremely sensitive whiskers.
But, unlike foxes, mountain lions don’t have an appetite for plant-based foods.
Domesticated cats are other feline animals similar to foxes.
Despite coming from different families, cats and foxes have several physical similarities.
Both animals have upright ears, sharp, retractable claws, and whiskers on their face and also on their legs.
Cats also exhibit some fox-like behaviors, as they’re active at night and can reach speeds of about 30 miles per hour.
Margay is a small feline that lives in South and Central America, inhabiting deciduous and evergreen forests.
Apart from their colors and size, margays look like foxes.
They have thick fur, upright ears, and long tails.
Physical similarities aside, the cats lead solitary lives like the foxes and spend most of their time sleeping on trees as they’re nocturnal.
Also, Both animals share similar diets, although the cats are not as opportunistic as the foxes.
Related to raccoons, red pandas are small mammals that live in Southwestern China and the eastern Himalayas.
Red pandas have long tails, and upright ears and their bodies are covered with red fur like some species of foxes.
Also, these small mammals are solitary and defend their territories with the aggressiveness of foxes.
Dingos are medium-sized mammals from the Canidae family, although their taxonomic classification is debatable.
Like with many dog species, you can mistake dingos for foxes, thanks to their athletic bodies and similar physical features such as upright, triangular ears and long tails.
What’s more, like, foxes, Dingos are omnivores with their diets consisting of rodents, rabbits, fruits, and other plant materials.
They also exhibit nocturnal behaviors when living in warmer regions.
Young male dingos tend to live alone, but adults are often seen in packs of about 10 individuals.
Also called red lynx, Bobcats are medium-sized felines endemic to North America.
Apart from their upright ears, bobcats don’t have many physical characteristics to share with foxes.
The felines, however, exhibit several behaviors that make them similar to foxes.
They are primarily solitary animals and, although not nocturnal, prefer hunting in the evenings and early mornings when there’s little light.
Also, the small animals have excellent hearing and powerful senses of smell to qualify as prolific hunters.
Additionally, bobcats are known to hunt and kill animals 10 times their size, such as pronghorns.
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