# People with Cats AND Rabbits



## waterlilyold (Aug 28, 2009)

So many stupid questions, but I am considering having a rabbit or two after my rattys. 
Do your cats and rabbits get along, and how do you safely introduce them to the cats so they don't get eaten 
Is it true that rabbits need a friend or are they solitary.
Can they be toilet trained properly.
Would they be happy in a bedroom, and a outside area, and how often should they be outdoors.
Would it be able to hang out with us and the cats or is that a pipe dream, It is really the deciding factor whether I get rabbits or not. I want to spend every waking second almost with it/them. I don't want to have to have rabbit time, then cat time if that makes sense.
If anyone can help me then I'll rep ya


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

-Cats and rabbits can get along fine if introduced to each other, I'd monitor them for a few weeks to make sure all is ok. 
-It is true that rabbits need company of their own kind, an only rabbit is a lonely rabbit. Its best to keep them in a male/female pair. 
-Rabbits are happy either outside or in, I have two that run around the house quite happily like a dog or cat would and two that live in the garden together. With rabbits living indoors give them plenty of veg to make up for less grass. My two living indoors are confined to the kitchen at night and when we're out but the rest of the time they run loose.
-As long as introducing the cat and rabbits goes well theres no reason why they can't spent time together as long as both cat and rabbit has their own little hide away for when they get fed up of each other. 

I know both Frags and Crofty have cats and rabbits that all get on happily together so they'd be the best ones for advice.


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## waterlilyold (Aug 28, 2009)

Thanks heaps, I won't be getting them for a long time, I just want to make sure it would be possible and learn lots about them.
I have a large seven metre by three metre cat enclosure attached to the laundry with a cat door, and was going to let them go in and out as they wanted. Would they be smart enough to walk up the tunnel to the garden enclosure ?
I wouldn't leave them alone with my cats at all for a long long time if ever, I just wanted the rabbits to wander in and out of there bedroom, and have free range of the house when I'm home, but someone told me that cats will gut the rabbits 
I'll def get two, but wanted to get two baby girls, would they be bitchy if they were siblings ?


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## colliemerles (Nov 2, 2007)

my cats and rabbits get on fine,xxx so do the dogs !!!!


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## waterlilyold (Aug 28, 2009)

colliemerles said:


> my cats and rabbits get on fine,xxx so do the dogs !!!!


aw great, but what about baby rabbits, would the cats think they are edible 
And my girls have never even smelt rabbits before, would it still be ok.


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## Kat28 (Mar 19, 2008)

I have 3 cats and a rabbit. My persians ignore him not interested at all. My young cat plays with the rabbit they chase each other round garden then you find them laid together


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## waterlilyold (Aug 28, 2009)

Thanks, I'm not as nervous now


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## Nonnie (Apr 15, 2009)

I have 5 cats and 2 rabbits, the only time im wary is when the bun is a baby. Its the only time one of my cats has shown an interest and i think its due to the baby being more nervous and running off a lot, which kick starts the cats natural instincts.

Once they are larger and no longer fearful, ive never had a problem, and one of my cats spends about 75% of his time with my rabbits. He even eats hay, but he is an oddball. Will eat anything except cat food.


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## helebelina (Nov 11, 2009)

colliemerles said:


> my cats and rabbits get on fine,xxx so do the dogs !!!!


Aw, colliemerles, your pics are soooo cute! :thumbup1:


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

Two girls can get on but only if spayed. The two I have in the garden are both female but I got them at completely different times so not related. Sisters "should" get on better if kept together from babies and spayed but with same sex combinations they should never be separated so any vet trips should be done together. If they are separated for any period of time you may have to re-bond them.


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## waterlilyold (Aug 28, 2009)

Nonnie said:


> I have 5 cats and 2 rabbits, the only time im wary is when the bun is a baby. Its the only time one of my cats has shown an interest and i think its due to the baby being more nervous and running off a lot, which kick starts the cats natural instincts.
> 
> Once they are larger and no longer fearful, ive never had a problem, and one of my cats spends about 75% of his time with my rabbits. He even eats hay, but he is an oddball. Will eat anything except cat food.


Thanks  I was wondering about how to introduce them when the rabbits are bubs. I'll be extra careful as my cats are extremely naughty and playful


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## Nonnie (Apr 15, 2009)

waterlily said:


> Thanks  I was wondering about how to introduce them when the rabbits are bubs. I'll be extra careful as my cats are extremely naughty and playful


Id also get a larger breed. Doesnt have to be a giant, but dwarf ones like Nethies may be a bit too tempting for some cats. What i call a standard sized bun would be fine.

Plsu keep your cats claws trimmed.


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## waterlilyold (Aug 28, 2009)

Nonnie said:


> Id also get a larger breed. Doesnt have to be a giant, but dwarf ones like Nethies may be a bit too tempting for some cats. What i call a standard sized bun would be fine.
> 
> Plsu keep your cats claws trimmed.


Thanks, yeah there claws are always trimmed, and I was planning on the larger breed so they would be a fair size compared to my fattys, when they are grown a bit


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## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

Hi water lily, most rabbits and cats will get on fine. However if you have a cat that likes to bring you gifts including baby rabbits then I wouldnt advise ever leaving them alone, or getting a small rabbit. A friend of mines cat scratched her rabbits eye playing and it caused the rabbit to go blind in 1 eye and then it turned into an infection which eventually killed the rabbit, so be careful.

Also please please get a rabbit from a rescue center they do get baby rabbits in if thats whay you want, and there are thousands and thousands of rabbits in centres at the mo have a look at this website which lists so many of them. Rabbit Rehome - Adopt a unwanted bunny from a rescue centre I've recently rescued a second rabbit and hes got such a lovely gentile personality so dont let that put you off either


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## frags (Feb 5, 2009)

I have too many rabbits and 2 cats  my cats are the ones i worry about around my rabbits as the rabbits are bigger than the cats lol and my rabbits try to hump the cats!! which is a worry as rabbits tend to bite the neck of what there humping.


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## RobS (Nov 28, 2009)

I had rabbits when I was a kid, and they always got along with our cats no problems at all.


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## Kat28 (Mar 19, 2008)

Just looked on that site. I want this 1
Rabbit Rehome - Adopt a unwanted bunny from a rescue centre

I have a male same age and same colour. He isnt done though.


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## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

I love the yellow dutches they look so clean!


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## crofty (May 2, 2008)

You've had great advice already, i introduced my 3 year olf bengal to the buns, i had her on a harness to begin with (shes that kind of cat) and gradually got them used to eachother.

The only thing i will say is never ever leave them unsupervised no matter how well they get on.

My bengal with my beautiful bridge bunny Saffy


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## waterlilyold (Aug 28, 2009)

Wow so much great advice, I don't know how to multiquote, but the only gift my cats ever give me are Leaves, twigs and bugs  as they can't access birds, mice etc. so there hunting skills are a bit backward.
I would definately try my local rescue first, and I don't really care if they are babies. I just thought they would be easier as it's the first time I've had rabbits.
I would also def get them sterilised as I do with my cats, not enough good homes and too many cancer risks...
I am so relieved that others have cats and rabbits. My rattys even though I adore them, are hard for me to spend as much time as I should because of the cats.
Thanks heaps everyone and I'll rep ya's as promised  just be patient it won't let me hand em out like candy


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