Throughout the generations, foxes have always been considered intelligent creatures. They live on every continent except Antarctica and thrive in cities, towns, and rural settings. Despite being all around us, they are also not dangerous towards humans which makes them great companions due to their playful nature. However, they're a bit of a mystery. Here's more about this elusive animal.

1. Foxes are related to dogs.

Foxes are members of the Canidae family, which means they're related to wolves, jackals, and dogs. They're medium-sized, weighing anywhere between 2 and 24 pounds, with pointy faces, lithe frames, and bushy tails.

2. Foxes are more like cats than dogs

Similar to cats, foxes are nocturnal. Due to their vertically slanted pupils, they have increased visibility in dim light. Foxes also climb trees, use their whiskers to navigate and even stalk their prey like cats. Grey foxes can retract their claws, too — just like cats. Grey foxes also more closely resemble cats, while red foxes have a similar appearance to dogs. Additionally, male foxes are called dogs while female foxes are called vixens. Foxes even tread like cats, using the balls of their feet to silently and elegantly stride.

3. Foxes can make around 40 different sounds.

One of the most well-known sounds a fox can make is its scream-like howls. Other calls are also used to communicate with other foxes during the mating season. They also have particular calls when it comes to protecting their territory and warning other creatures of this. Foxes can make a variation of screams, barks, and howls that can range from high pitched tones to lower tones.

4. Foxes live in underground dens

Fox families, also known as a skulk or leash of foxes, live in underground dens. When the vixen has her pups — a litter of foxes can range between one and 11 pups — they live in the den together for seven months while the pups grow. The pups live in the den with the vixen, while the dog fox gathers food. These underground dens also provide shelter from predators, such as coyotes, wolves, and bears. Humans, however, pose the largest threat to foxes.

5. Foxes are smelly

Yep, foxes stink. They have a sickly, musty scent that comes from the glands at the base of their tails. If you start smelling this around your home or in your crawl space, it may be an indicator that foxes are nearby.

6. Foxes are considered to be solitary animals.

Unlike other members of the dog family, foxes are not considered to be pack animals. More commonly, foxes will live by themselves or in small family groups. They prefer to hunt and sleep alone, except when they’re busy raising their young in their den.

7. The red fox is the most common fox.

Geographically, the red fox has the widest range of any of the 280 animals in the order Carnivora. While its natural habitat is a mixed landscape of scrub and woodland, its flexible diet allows it to adapt to many environments. As a result, its range is the entire Northern Hemisphere, from the Arctic Circle to North Africa to Central America to the Asiatic steppes. It's even in Australia, where it's considered an invasive species.

8. Foxes use the Earth’s magnetic field.

Like a guided missile, the fox harnesses the Earth's magnetic field to hunt. Other animals, like birds, sharks, and turtles, have this “magnetic sense,” but the fox is the first one we've discovered that uses it to catch prey. According to New Scientist, the fox can see the earth's magnetic field as a “ring of shadow” on its eyes that darkens as it moves toward magnetic north. When the shadow and the sound of prey lines up, it's time to pounce.

9. Foxes are good parents.

Fox pups are born blind and don't open their eyes until nine days after birth. During that time, they stay with the vixen (female) in the den while the dog (male) brings them food. They live with their parents until they're 7 months old. Vixens sometimes go to great lengths to protect their pups—once, in England, a fox pup was caught in a wire trap for two weeks but survived because its mother brought it food every day.

10. Foxes have long had a relationship with humans.

Although foxes are usually wild, their relationship with people goes way back. In 2011, researchers opened a grave in a 16,500-year-old Jordan cemetery to find the remains of a man and his pet fox. This was 4000 years before the first-known human and domestic dog were buried together.