Bonding cat with bunnies

[manitario]

Hi all,

First time poster here; I’m sorry if this question has been answered elsewhere on the forum. My girlfriend is moving in and has a 4y old cat; he’s an indoor cat, very friendly and affectionate. I have two bonded bunnies that I keep in an ex-pen and they usually have several supervised hours in a day where I let them out to roam around the house to explore.

Just wondering how to introduce the cat to the bunnies; should we be doing play dates with the cat/bunnies b/f she moves in? What process have others used to introduce a cat to bunnies? What would be indications that the cat/bunny bonding isn’t going to work out?

Thanks!

[DanaNM]

Bunnies and cats don’t bond the same way bunnies bond with each other, but they usually get along fine. Many times the bunnies are actually the boss of the relationship.

I think the main thing is to just supervise them when they are together to make sure they interact safely. If the cat has a strong prey drive, or the bun is very scared, you might need to supervise more intensely.

I try to make sure my cat doesn’t invade the bun’s home base (their condo), although he occasionally will sleep in there and they don’t seem to mind (or notice).

 

 

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[Louiethebunny]

My mother had a rabbit and a cat many years ago and they got along well, the rabbit usually chased after the cat, so depending on the personalities of each animal, you might have to make some small adjustments. Some rabbits love chasing the cat, so if the cat is tolerant of it, it usually works out well.

[HipHopBunny]

I know someone who has had a rabbit die from a heart attack, from a cat. So I would personally not try to bond them, but others have had different experiences with bonding them, so it all really depends (as stated above) on their personality.

[Hazel]

I think the most important thing is to teach the cat that the rabbits aren’t toys. If the cat starts to stalk, paw at or pounce on the bunnies (or even just gets that hunting “look”) put a stop to it immediately. Spend some time playing with the cat (away from the rabbits so they aren’t being associated with play time) and try another meeting when the cat is calm. A tired kitty is a good kitty. 🙂

I would also make sure to keep the cat’s nails trimmed.

[DanaNM]

Oh, Hazel reminded me of another thing!

Try not to use any toys that mimic rabbits. I used to have a stuffed toy that my cat would grab and kick with his back legs. Those types of toys teach the cat to attach rabbit shaped things so I got rid of it. Now I stick to smaller, wand type toys and little batting toys.

And second trimming the cat’s nails!

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[pinkiemarie]

It really depends on the individual animals but cats and rabbits can absolutely be friendly, or at least cohabitate nicely. The cat, depending on it’s personality, may need a lot of training with a spray bottle if it thinks the rabbits are toys or snacks. I have one small breed rabbit and one cat who likes to bother him occasionally. The general rule in our house is that cats are never allowed to swat at rabbits, rabbits are always allowed to defend themselves, and the crazy cat in general is encouraged to simply avoid the rabbits.

That said, my first bun was desperately lonely the first 3 months I had him and made friends with another of my cats. They don’t hang out anymore now that he has a bunny friend, but the cat was very good with him. We have a 3rd cat who is friendly with them. She head butts them and plays a chasing game with them where she chases them across the room then they turn and chase her back. All 3 of my rabbits enjoy this game (I know it seems crazy) but she’s their buddy and she has never hurt them. So it’s really all down to watching them very closely at first, training the cat, then seeing what type of relationship the rabbits want to have and encouraging the cat to live within those boundaries.

 

[pinkiemarie]

Unfortunately it isn’t letting me upload pictures today but here is my favorite cat and bunny! https://m.imgur.com/a/v6kQIQe

[Author]

Messages