small fox of western North America, 1812 (Lewis and Clark), the first element perhaps kit (1560s) the shortened form of kitten (n.), in reference to smallness.
Entries linking to kit-fox
kitten n.
late 14c., kitoun, "the young of a domesticated cat," probably from an Anglo-French variant of Old French chaton, chitoun (Old North French caton) "little cat," a diminutive of chat "cat," from Late Latin cattus (see cat (n.)). In playful use, "a young girl, a sweetheart," from 1870. As a verb, "bring forth kittens," late 15c. To have kittens "lose one's composure" is from 1908.