Bunnies with cat

[Salem Fluffle]

Hi all,

 

I’ve read posts on here and elsewhere about people having cats and rabbits together no problem but I feel like my situation may be different than picking up any kitten from a breeder/shelter/wherever. My neighbors have a little kitten (maybe six months at this point?) but they greatly neglect her so I have been feeding her and trying to take care of her as much as I can. I would bring her inside in a heart beat if I could but I live with somebody who has severe cat allergies. I plan on taking the kitten with me when I move in a couple years after graduating from graduate school and letting her become an indoor cat. I’m sure her people let her indoors at one point because she’s always trying to follow me into my house and she is extremely social. I have never met a cat so awesome! Anyway, I have two Mini Rex’s who can be kind of timid around new comers. Since the kitten is outdoors right now, I’ve watched her stalk the squirrels in my yard and chase things and I’m worried that she may try to chase the bunnies if I bring her in eventually. Has anybody taken in an outdoor cat and somehow bonded them with their bunnies?

 

Thanks!

[litheandgraphic]

It’s entirely possible, but you will just have to be very cautious about introducing them, and they may never be able to fully interact.

My boyfriend’s cat was picked up off the streets as a kitten and became a spayed indoor cat after she was adopted. She loves hunting things. We have been introducing Theodore to her for a long time now, and they have had several monitored interactions. She does stalk him, but she does not see him as prey due to his size; he’s nearly her size, after all, and does not smell tasty like rodents do, due to the lack of the kind of dander that rodents produce that smells like food to cats. He also is very mellow most of the time and does not respond to her like a skittish prey animal. However, the problems arise when she tries to play with him. Because, of course, playing from cats looks like predatory behavior to rabbits. So, we’ve not felt comfortable letting them interact too much at all now, but they sniff each other through the gate that we have set up between the room where the rabbit lives and the rest of the apartment. They interact, but they are separated enough so that they cannot hurt each other.

I would strongly recommend doing the following things:

1) When you bring the cat in, make the introduction as slow and gradual as possible. If possible, keep the rabbits in a room where they cannot see, smell, or hear the cat. If this isn’t possible, you could try putting the cat into a carrier and covering the carrier so you can transport her inside without them detecting her.

2) Rub the cat with a towel and rub the bunnies with a towel and swap the towels so that each animal can get used to the scent. Do this for the first few days the cat is indoors. Give either animal a treat when they smell the towels, so they can form positive associations with the scents.

3) After three or so days of doing the scent introductions, you can finally allow visual contact to see how the animals will react to each other. Make sure that the cat cannot reach the rabbits, but can see them, and vice-versa. It’s a good idea to keep them fairly far from each other at first, so they can scope each other out.

4) Judging by the reactions of the animals, you can allow them to get closer, or stop the interaction and try again another day.

5) Obviously, you’ll have to use your own judgment to determine what’s best – whether or not you can allow them supervised visits outside of the cage. 

Finally, check out this article, it will probably help you a lot. Don’t worry – sometimes it doesn’t work out completely between cats and rabbits, but they normally don’t hate each other and go after one another; though you should be prepared for this scenario.

Good luck!

[Salem Fluffle]

Thank you so much for your great insight! I really don’t think the cat would try to hurt them but I know things could happen. Plus, this cat is a serious snuggle bug and I’m guessing that if and when I can make her an indoor cat, she will be more interested in rubbing against me than messing with the bunnies. My rabbits already smell her all the time on my clothes because I find myself sitting outside on my porch with her for a good hour or two when she’s over and the buns normally just sniff me for a few minutes and leave. I’ll definitely have to do the towel trick and slowly introduce them though when they’re all inside. I’m really hoping I can get this to work. I am smitten with the cat and I think it’s a mutual feeling – she starts purring loudly as soon as she sees me. =)

[LittlePuffyTail]

I wouldn’t worry too much about a cat and rabbits, but of course, you will want to supervise. Funny Looking Rabbit gave you some great advice.

I had 5 cats at one point (only have 2 now) and they all got along with my bunnies. They were not friends but they pretty much ignored each other. Honestly, when I had my little Mini-Rex, I worried more about HIM hurting the cats as he thought it was fun to chase them out of the living room and try to bite their tails.

One of my cats had been a stray and she never showed any aggression towards my bunnies.

[Salem Fluffle]

I definitely appreciate both of you for your input on the situation. I have one more question (well, I think it may be the last! ) about the placement of the bunnies and the cat. Due to my roommates allergies, the cat would temporarily be confined to my bedroom/bathroom/closet which is a large master room in my house but that is also where my bunnies live. They do have free roaming time when I am home but spend their day and night in their large enclosed cage when I’m at work or it’s bedtime for the three of us. If I was to slowly introduce the cat with the buns, do you think they would be okay being kept in my bedroom unsupervised while I’m at work? I have seen the Soft Paws nail adhesives and am considering getting these to help protect furniture but more importantly the buns from accidental scratches if the kitten decides to play. She did see them today for the first time while the bunnies were eating in their cage and she seemed more scared of them than they were of her. She can remain an outdoor cat for now if that’s what is best but I would eventually like to bring her inside as I feel it’s more humane and would help me sleep better at night to know she isn’t on my deck in her shelter all alone.

 

Oh okay, I guess I have another now that I think of it – I knew it wouldn’t be the last question! LOL Are there any health issues I should worry about with the two species mingling? I am aware of the toxins in cat poop and she will have her own litter box in my bathroom since my bunnies don’t go in there because they don’t like the hardwood flooring. From what I have read online, it is just important to make sure the box is properly cleaned and I make sure to thoroughly wash my hands afterward. Also, have your cats ever tried to use the rabbits box? Besides the one in the cage, the do have one in my bedroom that is filled with hay and they rarely use it as a bathroom but more of a feeding station.

 

Thank you guys so much for the help you’ve given me! I love all animals and want to make the best decision. I would be devastated if anything happened to Rascal or Freckles.

[Roberta]

All of my cats defer to the bunnies. Bilbo is convinced anything with fur is his and he appoints himself Nanny, he loves baby bunnies and will sit with them for hours. They can jump on him, chew his tail and generally be obnoxious and he loves every minute of it. Luna likes to watch them and dream but the minute they notice her she runs away. Finn Gall is at that stage where curiosity is getting the better of him and he would love to play but is not sure how. Until he works it out Finn Gall won’t be left with them unsupervised, he wouldn’t hurt them intentionally but he can play rough.
My buns are all caged during the day and the cats have free reign, so far no problems in 4 years even with a couple of oops litters and a rescue litter which meant lots of tiny energetic fluff balls bouncing about that looks like snacks.
I would say you need to watch the introductions from a distance and gauge how it goes.
As to health concerns, FLEAS, I would recommend treating every one with revolution Puppy and Kitten under 2,5KG. You can buy a 3 pack and it will do the kitten as well.

[Roberta]

I don’t know how you are set financially but you could also consider a catio or cut run off your room with access via a cat flap in the window. You could do this without damaging the window by putting the cat door into a panel that fits into the partially open window and then secure the window so It can’t be opened for access by anything bigger than a cat.

[LittlePuffyTail]

I would make sure you are confident the cat won’t hurt the rabbits (or the other way around!) before leaving them together. I totally trust my cats and my rabbits alone.

Soft paws are a good idea but some cats are very unwilling. Some people have to get the vet to put them on. An alternative is to make sure the cats nails are kept very short.

I’ve never had a problem with the cat using the rabbit boxes, probably because the litter is not the same. My cats use clumping and the rabbits use Yesterdays’ News. My youngest cat does try to sleep in in their beds, though. Olivia tried to attack my cat once because she was in her bed! And watch out for the cat food! For some reason, my lop loves the crunchy cat food. I have to take the bowl up away when he’s out. He makes a beeline for it if I don’t and tries to eat it.

[Salem Fluffle]

Roberta, I will definitely be getting the kitty vaccinated and spayed (I’m assuming her people haven’t done either…) before any interaction with the rabbits. I will also make sure to have her clear of any fleas or eat mites she might have picked up outside. As far as the catio goes, I unfortunately live in a neighborhood where even dog houses are not allowed so a catio is out of the question. The room where she will be staying has three windows, two quite large, so she will still be able to watch what happens outside

Thanks for sharing about your cats and rabbits. Kitten does not seem to generally want anything to do with most people or animals that are around when I’m outside with her. I’ve watched her chase squirrels up the trees but I have yet to see her actually injure one and she doesn’t mingle with the people who take a stroll by the river in front of my house. I feel like her and the bunnies could definitely become friends. Out of the three, I have no doubt my bossy bunny girl would rule the house still. 

 

Little Puffy Tail, how long did it take before you felt comfortable leaving your cats and rabbits alone? I will be very careful with the introductions and spend a lot of time supervising them. Luckily my semester will be done here very soon so I will have more time to spend trying to bond the three of them.

The kitten is alright with me touching her paws outside, I mean, I don’t specifically set out to touch them but when I have, she doesn’t react. If I couldn’t put on the soft paws, I can’t imagine my vet charging much to put them on for me. I would also imagine trimming cat nails is like trimming those of a rabbit or dog?

And finally, that is too funny about the bed! My babies have their main bed in the cage but they do have one tucked under an end table in my room that they pretty much ignore and don’t think they’d mind if the cat got in it although I would supply the cat with her own bed too. I wondered if the buns would try to eat the food. I guessed the smell of chicken/fish/beef/whatever meat flavor the cat food is would turn them off but I guess not since your Lop likes it. LOL Rascal, my boy, will eat almost anything he can get his paws on and I already have to be very cautious of him (and Freckles too sometimes) as he will find a way to hop onto the table and steal food off my plate if my back is turned. I will have to think of a good spot to put the kitty food that Rascal won’t bother.

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