Can anyone help?
paul strohm
Hi Liran,
>My question is: Can cats harm bunnies?
>Thanks!!
>Liran
I don't think it likely that a cat with attack a rabbit. I live in a
rural area with many roaming cats and dogs. They have been innumerable
attacks by dogs. Never once have I heard of a domestic cat attacking
an adult rabbit.
I have ducks and chickens which free roam during the day but are
penned at night. Several times I have found the fowl in an uproar with
a cat inside the pen, but I have yet see a cat attack an adult fowl.
They have attacked and killed chicks though.
However you might want to consider providing boxes or large tubes for
hiding places. Rabbits do spook rather easily. Rabbits can be trained
to use cat doors (you have to put them through several times, but they
catch on).
Be sure your yard is dog proof. Even small dogs will chase a rabbit.
Good luck.
***********************************
pst...@ix.netcom.com
I just can't take myself seriously-
no one else does.
*************************************
Liran/Paul
Hi,
Im writing because I really dont know what to do.
My bunny has the back yard for himself during nice days, when Im at
home.
He loves running around hopping and binkying everywhere.
Today I got a heart attack, a cat out of nowhere was in our back yard.
Bugs got really scared and I was in a state of shock.
The cat I guess got scared too and left. Nothing really happened, after
less
then 5 mins Bugs started playing again.
My question is: Can cats harm bunnies?
(he is a chinchilla standard bunny, so he is not that big. The cat was
bigger).
I cant spend hours outside, sitting there watching him.
But I wouldnt want him to sit in his room all day either.
Please answer me fast, I dont know what to do.
Thanks!!
Liran
David J. Smith
Yes cats will attack rabbits. I have had to stop taking my dwarf
netherlands out for walks on leashes because the neighbors cats stalk
and follow me from the bushes. They pounce as soon as my eye is off of
them for a second. They will bite and maul rabbits with ease. Lucky
for my rabbits I was able to pick them up fast enough to avoid damage.
Better to let them play inside if any cats are around.
Dave Smith
Gretchen
David J. Smith wrote:
> I have had to stop taking my dwarf
> netherlands out for walks on leashes because the neighbors cats stalk
> and follow me from the bushes.
How in the world do you get your bunny to walk on a leash? Mine just goes
where she wants, and I have no choice but to follow. If I try to lead
her, she just digs in her heels.
Gretchen
AlkMal
>
>My question is: Can cats harm bunnies?
Yes, definitely!! One of my friend's bunnies was bitten and partially
eaten by a cat. Really disgusting! Be very careful--I wouldn't leave Bugs
outside unattended. If you can't watch him, then he's safer indoors, or in
a sheltered hutch or something.
Judith Fallon
I have two rabbits and two cats who get along fine. They play and chase
each other around the yard when outside.Unfortunately I also know someone
who brought a rabbit home and while discussing the details of where it
would stay in the house the family cat attacked it and killed it
instantly.So I guess it depends on the cat itself.
On Fri, 15 Aug 1997, Liran/Paul wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Im writing because I really dont know what to do.
> My bunny has the back yard for himself during nice days, when Im at
> home.
> He loves running around hopping and binkying everywhere.
> Today I got a heart attack, a cat out of nowhere was in our back yard.
> Bugs got really scared and I was in a state of shock.
> The cat I guess got scared too and left. Nothing really happened, after
> less
> then 5 mins Bugs started playing again.
>
> My question is: Can cats harm bunnies?
Chaz Clover
Liran/Paul wrote:
> My question is: Can cats harm bunnies?
> (he is a chinchilla standard bunny, so he is not that big. The cat was
> bigger).
> I cant spend hours outside, sitting there watching him.
> But I wouldnt want him to sit in his room all day either.
Yes a cat will attack and kill a rabbit - others atest to that.
What to do?
1: Get rid of the cat - I know it's not your cat but.........
2: Give the Bun a covered run to play in when you can't be there -
include a hiding place so the bun can hide out when the bad guys come
around. That part is important - if the rabbit can't find a safe place
to go to when danger approaches the cat will worry it to death in a very
short time.
3: Bring the bun inside whenever you can't supervise it outdoors.
4: As far as not wanting the rabbit to be indoors a lot, would you
rather have a dead, half-eaten pet on your hands? I rather doubt it.
And if you think house cats are a problem, we have Mountain Lions to
deal with.
</chaz>
Carrie Sceusa
Definately be careful!! I know of bunnies that have been killed by
marauding cats. But something ELSE to think about, my neighbor across the
street has lost rabbits to BIRDS! And we live in the city. I might never of
thought about it except someone told me to be careful.
If you can't stay back there, I would set up a run that has a top on it, to
keep out cats and birds.
Good Luck, Carrie and Theo and Frances
support
>
> My question is: Can cats harm bunnies?
> (he is a chinchilla standard bunny, so he is not that big. The cat was
> bigger).
> I cant spend hours outside, sitting there watching him.
> But I wouldnt want him to sit in his room all day either.
>
> Thanks!!
> Liran
Liran.... we have 3 cats that live in the house with several rabbits...
when the rabbits are loose (often) the cats basically ignore the
rabbits.... we have never had an incident of a cat bothering a rabbit,
let alone attacking it. However, it may be that cats that are outdoors
are more likely to be in a "stalking" or "hunting" mode......
Brad
Liran/Paul
Chaz,
> You wrote:
> 4: As far as not wanting the rabbit to be indoors a lot, would you
> rather have a dead, half-eaten pet on your hands? I rather doubt it.
Bugs has his own room indoors, I just know how much he enjoysplaying
outside and wanted to know if cats are any danger.
When Bugs saw the cat that time, he totally ignored the cat, and the cat
passed just next to him like nothing on earth. I was there, but didnt
expect
a cat to visit us, So I was wondering...
I would like to thank you and everyone else who sent me answers.
I will never let Bugs outside again when im not there with him.
We also got a "Get off my garden" against cats, but I dont intend to
find
out if it works... just in case.
Liran
Busbybun
Twiglet wrote:
>ps What is 'binkying'? I'm sure I've observed it and just call it by a
>different name but I'd love to dazzle my local bun-friends with a
>brilliant display of lagomorphinian terminology.
Well, I'm not sure it is proper "lagomorphian terminology," but what we
seem to call the "binky" is a shake- your- ears, and- leap- into- the-
air- with- joy- and- maybe- even- with- a- flip- that-a- gymnast- would-
be- proud- of- type- of- maneuver. Whew!! What fun to see!! :)
Twiglet
An adult bunny is large enough that most cats won't bother it, with
exceptions of course. Providing a place for your little one to hide is
good. My buns would sometimes run and hide under the chair I was
sitting in when they got spooked, no cat was willing to go through me
just to chase my little niblets.
You said the cat was as scared as your bun. You might want to encourage
the cat to stay as scared as your bun with some well-aimed pinecones.
(FYI I AM a cat-lover, a well-aimed pinecone will give a cat a little
sting to spook it away and won't hurt it. I do NOT reccomend rocks)
If the cat problem continues or the cats become bolder a cat-proof
structure involving some fencing and a roof will be in order. A friend
of mine put up fencing about 10 feet by 10 feet with some kind of nylon
mesh over the top. She made sure to fence some shrubbery and
pachysandra so the buns could get some shade and have fun 'tunneling'
throught the pachysandra.
Good luck!
Twiglet
ps What is 'binkying'? I'm sure I've observed it and just call it by a
different name but I'd love to dazzle my local bun-friends with a
brilliant display of lagomorphinian terminology.
Liran/Paul wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> Im writing because I really dont know what to do.
> My bunny has the back yard for himself during nice days, when Im at
> home.
> He loves running around hopping and binkying everywhere.
> Today I got a heart attack, a cat out of nowhere was in our back yard.
> Bugs got really scared and I was in a state of shock.
> The cat I guess got scared too and left. Nothing really happened, after
> less
> then 5 mins Bugs started playing again.
>
DW Comm
>
>My question is: Can cats harm bunnies?
Yes, cats can harm rabbits, but this depends on the individual cat.
I have three cats, two of which woudn't bother- in my opinion.
I've witnessed one of my cats with a stray rabbit in his mouth, but the
rabbit escaped.
Dale
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