Many years ago I befriended two foxes, one with a deformed mouth we called Lippy and the other was Pretty, as she was prettier than Lippy.
We started feeding Lippy when the ice was on the ground and she looked around our garden for food. We gradually got to know each other and Lippy would sit with me in the garden until I fed her by hand and she then went off into the fields. She was always near and came to my call. Pretty was much more timid and only took food that was thrown to her. They both bought their babies into the garden and one spent the night in the porch, curled up in the letter box. It had a little feed before going back to it's Mum. Both Lippy and Pretty looked after the cubs, washing and licking them, they were joint parents. After about three years Lippy died , I heard her screaming in pain (about the time her cubs were due) but I could not find her. Pretty is buried at the spot where she always waited for me and where she came one day to die.
I have seen a fox cross the road within 50 yards of the George at London Bridge and another in Twickenham High Street.
The only thing you may catch off Foxes is Mange.
We have two cats and they have never been attacked by foxes ,as Will says they will not take a cat on, they will however take one if it has been run over, or injured.
As a final story a friend stayed at our house and saw our foxes. She had had major problems with foxes killing her chickens.On her return home she started feeding them and never had problems with foxes killing her chickens from that day on.The fox used to sit in the doorway whilst her husband minced up tripe for their English Setters.
I do not feed the foxes now unless the weather gets really bad. They are now starting to get their lovely red winter coat and it is my pleasure to watch them walking through the fields.
Al