Mary Allen
Most cat owners have probably gotten used to their cat chasing mice and bringing them home. But what if suddenly there is a whole rabbit on the doorstep? Is it possible to break the velvet paws’ behavior and can cats and rabbits be kept together under one roof?
As cuddly and sweet as a cat can be, it’s easy to forget that it’s a predator. Especially the owners of velvet paws with free range are regularly reminded by appropriate souvenirs of their darlings that their Sofapuma likes to hunt. In addition to the usual mice and birds, some people are occasionally given larger animals such as rabbits. Can anything be done about it?
Why Do Cats Hunt Rabbits?
Your cat gets food, toys, and attention at home and still goes hunting. But why rabbits ? ? The answer is simple: for the same reason it hunts everything else. Chasing is an ingrained instinct that house cats haven’t lost. It’s not just about hunger and food, but also about pleasure. When cats play with their prey, it doesn’t serve any life-sustaining purpose either—it just pleases the kitties.
The hunting instinct can be stimulated by anything, for example, cat toys: the structure, the movements and the smell trigger the impulse to seek prey. Her cat hunts and kills her toys. When the house tigers jump at rustling paper and feathered balls, it is hardly surprising that a living rabbit is exciting for them. Anything that moves and is large enough to be prey will be killed if possible.
Should You Discourage Cats from Hunting Rabbits?
The first question is: why wouldn’t you want your cat to chase rabbits? You can’t explain to a cat that it can only kill certain animals. The division into animals that may be killed and animals that are worthy of protection is a deeply humane and completely arbitrary division. If you’re okay with your cat bringing home mice or birds, then wild rabbits shouldn’t make a difference either. On the other hand, you can feel sorry for small rodents and poultry just as much as cute fluffy tails.
It gets a bit more complicated at the latest when your darling turns the neighborhood children’s rabbit enclosure into his hunting ground. Killing rabbits is generally not a problem for your cat. Some Hopplers do defend themselves, but not to an extent that would be more dangerous than a scuffle among meowing fellow rabbits. Some cats stop touching their long ears once they stop moving, while others eat almost all of their prey.
This is not harmful to the kittens. Only if your darling mainly feeds on rabbits, you should make sure that you have an adequate supply of taurine, since rabbit meat contains relatively little of it. Even the small bones of the mummies are not a problem for the hunters. If you have an outdoor cat, you should always ensure adequate protection against parasites and comprehensive vaccination protection. If your pet enjoys hunting, health care is all the more important as prey animals can transmit diseases. Whether it’s mice, rats or rabbits doesn’t make much of a difference.
Collar with Bell Against Rabbit Hunting?
Basically, you can only be sure that your cat will not hunt down rodents, birds, and rabbits if you only keep it indoors. However, there are a few ways to at least reduce the success of the hunt in the case of outdoor cats. A collar with a bell sometimes warns the potential victims of the approaching hunter.
Ringing bells also irritate your cat’s sensitive hearing. In addition, collars can get caught in branches and fences and thus ensure that your darling strangles himself. Therefore, this method is not recommended, especially as cats often stalk so skillfully that the warning bell only sounds when it is already too late for the victim.
How Else Can You Keep Cats from Hunting?
A method with far fewer side effects: Bring your velvet paw inside, at least from dusk. Most small animals are active in the evening hours so that when it gets dark, there is a living buffet for cats. But if you’re not outside, you’re not hunting either. You cannot train the hunting behavior away and depend on the character, the drive varies from animal to animal.
But there are two things you can do to at least lessen the urge of your loved one a little. Number one: feed your cat well. Hunger may not be the main motivator, but it is an additional incentive – comparable to people who go shopping hungry. Number two, play with your furry friend daily, preferably in a way that mimics their preferred prey as closely as possible. So if their hunter is primarily after rabbits, they like to run and chase slightly larger things that swerve. Take this into account when playing together and hopefully the temptation to attack live long-eared bats outside will no longer be quite as great.
Can Cats & Rabbits Live Together?
Sometimes the most unusual combinations work, and there are actually households where cats and rabbits live together as pets. But this is more of toleration than a close friendship. If the hoppers tend to flee, the cat will usually chase them. If they tend to be more confrontational, keep the velvet paw at a distance.
However, even when living together is largely successful, a certain movement can suddenly trigger the urge to hunt and lead to serious injury or worse. This happens so suddenly and quickly that you can hardly intervene in time. Overall, keeping cats and rabbits together, where all the animals can move freely, is not really recommended.