How can a nine tailed fox catch its prey?

Need ideas for the fox's tails. In case you're wondering, this is for a speculative evolution book I'm doing which is suppose to build a structure for a novel series about these foxes (something like Watership Down or Warrior cats). To start the extra tails are actually massive dreads of matted fur extending from the hindquarter which are religiously groomed and stretched with teeth and tongue to resemble a real tail.

At the base of the tails there are long, thick hairs which are similar to spines of a hedgehog or a porcupine which help erect them as the fox flares the tails up in a shimmering fan position, which helps with both sexual display and aposematic display.

While for some species, they are used for shade for desert species, as a blanket for extra wamrth for both tundra and mountain species, as a form of hierachy for pack-hunting ones, balance and for one cat-sized species that lives in the swamps whose tips of thier tails have been stiffen and tangled with insects to help lure in fish near the water, like a fishing rod.

The problem is that the tails could be a nuisance when stalking, pouncing or chasing after prey as the fox could easily trick over of the tails. Any ideas to overcome this handicap? Other question is how long the tails should be?

Pouncing on prey has already been solved thanks to IndigoFenix's help (thanks for that) and also has running thanks to GrinningX. All is left is stalking

Something like this

Copyright belongs to http://arvalis.deviantart.com/art/Ninetales-582816024

posted about 8 years ago

Alexander R. Hunt‭

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