What's the smallest space a fisher cat can fit through?

[lengel]

What is the smallest space a fisher cat has been able to fit through in your experience? The one that killed my hen wasn't able to get it back out of the enclosure because the hen was too big. I estimate that the gap that the fisher cat got through in the first place was about four inches. The gate had twisted because of the ice so it wasn't square in the frame any longer. The top was completely covered and there was no way that it could have dug under the fence because everything is frozen solid with a layer of ice on top of it.

 

[ghulst]

Haven't had fisher but have mink. They can go though a very small maybee 1-2"

 

[lengel]

Quote:
So you can't even use chain link for daytime enclosures, can you?

 

[erinm]

They are expert climbers so it does not matter unless the top is covered. Some are pretty large and maybe cannot get through chain link but they rip things apart also with their nasty sharp teeth. ErinM

 

[nnbreeder]

From what I have read about them they are very determined hunters and will have no problem facing you down if you get too close. Excellent climbers and diggers.

http://home.mcn.net/~wtu/fisher.html

 

[LynneP]

They can compress their skull significantly, I've heard that if a rat could get in, they can. so 4" is plenty of room. As Les has mentioned they are exceptionally bold. We stopped to look at one that was trotting along the side of a dirt road in the restoration zone and it stopped and snarled at us while we were in the truck. Like a groundhog, they will lunge and challenge, so it is possible to get bitten, badly. They can kill cats and small dogs, too. Oh and rabbits. Here, we can't harm them in any way, so we have to predator proof the coop significantly and watch constantly for activity.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Marten

Very pretty animals, clever, ambitious...