Catskill Critters

What’s a fisher cat? Neither fisher nor cat

By Zoey McGee | Manor Ink

Though not commonly seen due to their solitary nature, there is no doubt that fisher cats are abundant in the Catskills. You may not be very enthusiastic about these creatures, as they are known for raiding chicken coops and attacking small domestic pets, but read on – you might learn a little bit about our little murderous, introverted neighbors.

Fishers have an appearance that resembles a super large mink. They have slender bodies with sleek, chocolate-brown fur and muscular, black, stubby legs, that are great for climbing trees. Male fishers are twice the size of females, but both genders have large tails that are one-third the size of their body length.

Fishers are mostly carnivorous. Their diet consists of rabbits, squirrels, mice, reptiles, amphibians, birds, insects, carrion and, as mentioned before, chickens and small pets. Also, no, fishers do not go fishing, but they will eat decaying fish they find.

The fisher cat is known as one of the only animals that is capable of successfully killing and eating a porcupine. Porcupines are obviously difficult to kill, but one will provide many days worth of meals for the fisher.

So how do they do it? The fisher attacks the vulnerable parts of the porcupine’s body, like its face and stomach. Then, once the porcupine has become weak, the fisher finishes the job. Sounds simple enough; why can’t other animals handle it?

Well, this is where the fisher cat’s short legs come in handy again. Other animals’ long legs make them strike porcupines from above, but they fail because of the mantle of quills in the way. The fisher’s short height allows them to attack the lower areas of the body that are quill free.

Fishers try to avoid humans and don’t travel in large open areas, which is why they are not often seen. The average home range of these mammals is 15 square miles, with males typically traveling farther than females. They live in a mixed forest habitat with a heavy canopy covering. Occasionally they may use logs, old porcupine dens or root masses as temporary dens during heavy snowfalls, as deep snow limits the mobility of the fisher.

An expecting fisher mother is picky when it comes to choosing a den for her young. She selects a tree cavity or log that has an opening big enough for her to enter but too small for any predators. Nearly a whole year after mating, the kits or baby fishers are born and are completely helpless. They rely on milk from the mother for about eight weeks. The kits start to crawl at three weeks and begin climbing at three months. They are weaned at about four months and finally, at five months old, are ready to take care of themselves and live on their own.