CaliToday (04/11/2025): It’s a heart-stopping moment for any homeowner: discovering a tiny, wild animal in your yard, clearly separated from its mother. We’ve all heard the stories a startled deer bolting, leaving a spotted fawn frozen in the grass. Often, the story ends happily when the mother returns. But sometimes, a baby wanders too far, leading to a truly unexpected and poignant encounter.
This is exactly what happened to TikToker @kimurgrace. Her discovery wasn't a fawn; it was a tiny, impossibly fluffy fox kit. And he wasn't just lost he was desperately lonely.
The story, which Kim shared as a beloved memory from "long ago," captures a scene of pure, unadulterated innocence meeting an immovable object of senior-dog indifference.
An Unlikely Pair
The video's main players are the tiny, brave fox kit and Bella, the family's senior Labrador Retriever. It’s immediately clear that the baby fox, likely orphaned or hopelessly lost, has decided to imprint on the first large, furry creature it found.
With boundless, pogo-stick energy, the kit bounces, pounces, and playfully shadows Bella all over the yard. His tiny tail wags in a blur as he tries everything to get her attention. He’s clearly looking for a playmate, a protector, or perhaps, a stand-in mom.
And Bella? She is the perfect, hilarious image of an unimpressed senior.
She offers the baby fox nothing but her furry backside, pointedly ignoring the tiny creature orbiting her. She wanders off; the fox follows. She sits down to rest; the fox boops her nose. At one point, Bella gives the camera a look that perfectly says, "Can you please come get your kid? I am retired."
It’s this beautifully mismatched energy that makes the clip so endearing. As Kim noted in her caption, she "still loves" the video, and it's easy to see why. It’s a "heartbreak" of the cutest kind—a one-sided friendship that is as hilarious as it is adorable.
What to Do If You Find a Baby Fox Alone
As cute as this interaction is, it’s a critical reminder that finding a baby fox (a "kit") requires a specific and cautious response. Experts stress that intervening is often the wrong thing to do.
If you ever find a baby fox that appears healthy, like the one in Kim’s video, follow this expert advice.
1. The Golden Rule: Do Not Intervene
The best thing to do is leave it be and keep a close eye from a distance (e.g., from inside your house). A vixen (mother fox) is almost certainly nearby, hunting or watching, and will not return if she senses a human presence.
The Wildlife Center of Virginia explains, "Baby foxes start emerging from their dens at about four weeks of age. Once the weaning process begins at about two months of age, foxes begin to explore their environment." It is very common for them to be alone while their mother hunts.
2. The Critical Warning: NEVER Give Food or Water
This is the most important rule. Wildlife officials caution that this seemingly kind act can be fatal.
Sickness or Death: Inappropriate food (like cow's milk) or improper feeding techniques can lead to severe sickness, aspiration, or death.
Rabies Risk: Foxes are a high-risk rabies species. Hand-feeding them may qualify as a potential exposure, which can have serious consequences.
Habituation: A fox that is fed by humans will lose its natural fear, becoming a nuisance or a danger, and will likely be unable to survive in the wild.
3. When to Call for Help
The only time you should act is if the kit appears visibly injured (e.g., a broken limb, covered in flies, crying weakly) or if you are absolutely certain the mother has not returned for many hours or after a full 24-hour cycle.
In that case, do not touch the animal. Contact your nearest licensed wildlife rehabilitator or veterinarian for guidance. They are trained to provide the proper care and nutrition these wild animals need to one day return to the wild.