Indoor house cats typically will peacefully coexist with pet rabbits if given proper introductions and supervision. Some even develop close friendships.
Exercise caution during introductions. If kitty is aggressive or rabbit is scared, stop the interaction. A majority of rabbit and cat introductions don’t run into any major issues.
Start with bunny in a large cage, one with bars too small for the cat to reach in. Bunny should have room to run around and stand up – movements kitty needs to become accustomed to. Provide a cardboard hidey box inside the cage so bunny can feel safe inside. When both are comfortable with each other’s movements and smells (this can take days, weeks or months), move forward with your introductions. Hold kitty on your lap and let bunny investigate at his own pace. Continue short sessions until everyone is feeling comfortable and peaceful together. If bunny is new in your home, don’t begin introductions until she is feeling confident and comfortable in her new environment.
Don’t be surprised if bunny is the dominant personality in the relationship. Rabbits can be bossy and territorial, sometimes causing a wary, defensive reaction from kitty. Ideally, kitty will leave if the bunny is being too bossy but watch out for defensive swipes — this is the most common way for a rabbit to be injured by a cat companion. Provide a safe place of retreat for each animal. A cat tree for kitty and a wooden hidey box for bunny work great.
Cat claws and mouths carry harmful bacteria. Even a playful swat or love bite to your rabbit can cause a serious abscess (infection). Trim claws monthly. Consider using claw covers.
Don’t use clumping cat litter. Clumping cat litter is dangerous to rabbits, as they are likely to ingest it and cause a deadly intestinal blockage.
Keeping a high-prey-drive cat or dog separated from a pet rabbit is critical but difficult and dangerous. A split-second accident can be fatal for the rabbit. If you think a cat or dog is not trustworthy with a small animal trust your gut. Trying to keep them forever separated in the same home is incredibly high risk, and this approach has failed many times.
By Amy Ramnaraine, House Rabbit Society Licensed Educator, MN
Very helpful read, thank you. I am a little worried about what you are saying with rabbits being territoral. We have two ragdolls that we would like to introduce to a little bunny soon (our daughter finally has convinced us). Our cats are both very dominant and, allthough they like each other, they sometimes have a little fight...I read this blog post https://thecasualcatblog.weebly.com/blog/how-to-introduce-an-animal-to-a-cat-the-truth that says you need to feed the cats before introducing them to another animal. This, seemingly, is good for putting the cat into a good mood. It sounds like gibberish to us but what do you think about it? Is it a legitimate approach/strategy to introducing all of them?
ReplyDeleteI can't see how feeding them before playdates would hurt. And food treats for good behavior could make a difference for some pets. If you give it a try, let us know if it helps!
ReplyDeleteReading this was so helpful.My question I have is it the same way to interact in meeting each other when my kitten is 7weeks old and my bunny I will have in one week will be 6weeks old.My kitten is a runt and very small.So do I still go about the same way as older ones?
ReplyDeletethe younger the easier. kitty may occasionally hop. very cute.
Deletethe younger the easier. kitty may occasionally hop. very cute.
Deletethe younger the easier. kitty may occasionally hop. very cute.
DeleteIntroducing juvenile pets is generally easier than adults, in my experience and from what I've read. Fewer hormones involved, less territorialness, not so much hunting instinct kicking in. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI have two female cats who are both about 14 years old. There was a dog who came to our house once, and it stayed outside while our cats were inside. The cats hissed at the dog and seemed to be afraid of it. Do you think that they would have the same reaction to a rabbit?
ReplyDeleteEvery animal is different. Their reaction to a bunny could be very different than to a dog.
ReplyDeleteThis is truly a great read for me. I have bookmarked it and I am looking forward to reading new articles. Keep up the good work!. How Old is My Cat In Cat Years
ReplyDeleteWe breed rabbits and I have decided to keep one of the new female bunnys. She is about 2 months old right now and I have decided to Introduc out 1 year old female house cat to the bunny. On the first in person interaction outside of the cage the cat began to clean the bunny as if it was her own kitten. It was so cute. Thing to not the cat is fixed and has never had kittens and has never been outside since we got her. She was raised by us from a kitten so she has never had the need to even try to hut unless you count catching bugs that get in to the house.
ReplyDeleteHey Unknown, email me at meetsbunny AT gmail.com if you'd like to be a guest poster!
ReplyDeleteI have a 1 year old Bombay cat and want a bunny. Cat is inside and on harness when outside. Is a bunny a good pet choice
ReplyDeleteYes! Bunnies and cats can get along just fine, but it depends on you taking the time to introduce them. You can see lots of examples of how to do that on this site.
ReplyDeleteBunnies shouldn't be outside, though, and do best with lots of free time to run around inside the house. Think about providing your bunny with a spacious pen instead of a too-small cage, and you'll be on the right track!
Bunnies should be outside at least one or two hours a day under close observation.
DeleteBunny & cat household: I have a 17 year old mellow red tabby mix. He had just lost his cat buddy to cancer when a neighbor “released” her pet rabbit. I ended up keeping the 1 1/2 year old bunny and adopting a kitten. The kitten is now 10 months old and the bunny is bonded to him. The 17 year old cat prefers to sleep and watch. I’m very happy with the results of slowing letting them spend longer times together. Now the bunny hops on the couch to sit and nap with both of the cats! I had litter trained the bunny, but I found out about Fresh Patch and the bunny is now trained to use the grass. BTW, my animals do not go outside for many reasons including fleas.
ReplyDeleteYikes … domesticated rabbits really cannot survive on their own in the wild! I'm so glad to hear you saved your neighbor bun. Thanks for sharing your story. :)
ReplyDelete