Cats and Cages

[my3monkees]

Hi,

I joined this forum with hopes someone could give me some ideas. My daughter recently got a rabbit. But I’m not happy with the cage, as I feel its too small. It’s adequate, but that’s about it. I’m keeping an eye on Craigslist for something, but that is so hit or miss. Problem with the cube cages or Xpen, is that we have a cat, I need to close the top off some how. I know I could make  a top with cubes. But I used to use some of those as shelving, and they seemed so flimsy. I had trouble with them collapsing I’m not sure they could hold the weight of the cat. The bunny does get several hours of floor time a day, she is doing awesomly with litter training!!  For the most part her and the cat seem fine. She goes tearing accross the floor at full speed at the cat and the cat jumps straight up in the air! Or if she is bothering the cat too much, the cat just reaches and and smacks her ears!! (Claws are NOT out when he does this) But unsupervised I don’t want him to have access to her. She is a 3lb, Netherland Dwarf Mix, he is a 14 lb. Main Coon Mix. An idea of how big he is, he can put his front paws on the kitchen table and put his head up to table and beg like a dog!  So I’m afraid of him accidently hurting her.

How could I make a bigger cage and still keep it cat proof??

Thanks!!

[RabbitPam]

Welcome! We love seeing pix of your bunny (and cat) to get a good idea of who they are.

First, let me suggest you check out the Gallery of pix and videos on this site to get some great ideas of other habitats that folks have made.

My next thought is to go online and price out the XPens that come with covers. I have seen them for sale in several places, usually stores that sell them for dogs, and they have fitted plastic covers/floors that can be purchased. I would think that would be secure.

Another option you could make would be to take some screen or chicken wire and fit it to the top of your xpen shape, being sure to smooth or cover (duct tape?) the cut edges to avoid cutting either the cat or the bunny. The issue for all is getting yourself in and out of the cage once you have the top on – you’re limited to the door.

A sheet of thin, lightweight plywood might just set on the top with clamps that could be removed easily.

Big box pet stores are going to have sales now that the holidays are over, so before I go to Craigslist (used and risky) I would check out local stores for some of the bigger cages. You can have a hutch indoors, just don’t get anything with a wire floor as that is harmful for bunnies.

The favorite home remedy for an xpen cover is a sheet held with clamps. But I can easily picture a kitty squeezing under one, or tearing through it in a jiffy so it’s my last suggestion, not my first.

[mocha200]

I have five cats and two bunnies and all my cats are pretty large, So I know what you mean. This was my old setup. It was a condo me and my dad built.

It kept the bunnies in and the cats out. Now my setup is them free range in my room and I just don’t let the cats in their. Is their a room where you could put the bunny and the cats wouldn’t come in?

[Author]

Messages