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Cat brought home a wildie

sally1974

sally1974

Wise Old Thumper
My cat has just come home with a 4-5 week old (estimate) baby. It seems unhurt but I want to keep an eye on it, whats best to do? I have a run it can stay in or I can keep it in the house, whats best to do as with food etc?
 
that happened to my gran last year, except it was an older wildie, she was in a right panic, but her cat thought it was its baby :shock: :lol:

hope it will be ok
 
I'd be tempted to put it back outside. D'ya know where about you cat caught it. If so pop him back there. I really wouldn't put him in anything your buns use - fleas, worms, coccidiosis etc. Good luck!
 
Hiya,
Im not experienced in this in anyway, Im sure one of the rescues will be on here soon to advise better.
In the meantime Id think hes probably in shock, so Id keep him somewhere quite dark and very quiet. Keep him outside unless its raining or particularly cold, but make sure its in a sheltered area. Food wise Id put some hay and grass in for him to munch on, and of course offer him water.
Hope he makes it through xxxxxxxxxxx
 
Thank you everyone, I have put it in my spare run just for a hour or so to make sure it is ok, then I will release it back into the wild. Is it silly that I feel tearful that I am releasing it back into an unknown fate:cry: I know I probably sound silly I just wish I could look after it forever and make sure it never came to any harm.
 
Well I released it and it went straight into my neighbours garden, I knocked on his door for him to put it over his fence into the field and he was able to pick bun up without it hopping off. I have got baby back and it is fine but what do I do now? It is in a spare hutch at the moment.
 
you need to release in the same place as your cat found it, otherwise it stands no chance at all of surviving - do you know where it came from roughly? :(
 
elve_mk2 said:
you need to release in the same place as your cat found it, otherwise it stands no chance at all of surviving - do you know where it came from roughly? :(
Click to expand...

It was brought to my back door from the behind fields which is exactly where I released it to x
 
how far into the fields did you go? I'm guessing you'll be able to see signs of a rabbit warren round the edge of the field somewhere - probably over the other side away from the houses though as rabbits aren't likely to build a warren right next to a housing estate I don't think. If there are woods over the other side of the field then it may be there - something like that will attract them to build because of the tree roots.

If it's only 4wks old then it's a baby and needs to be with the warren, although the longer it's gone, the more likely they are to kill it when it returns anyway - knowing bunnies :(
 
elve_mk2 said:
how far into the fields did you go? I'm guessing you'll be able to see signs of a rabbit warren round the edge of the field somewhere - probably over the other side away from the houses though as rabbits aren't likely to build a warren right next to a housing estate I don't think. If there are woods over the other side of the field then it may be there - something like that will attract them to build because of the tree roots.

If it's only 4wks old then it's a baby and needs to be with the warren, although the longer it's gone, the more likely they are to kill it when it returns anyway - knowing bunnies :(
Click to expand...

There are warrens all over the place I don't live on a estate so behind my house it is just fields which then lead onto a nature reserve. I clambered over my fence and released it under a bush so it would have some cover. My next door neighbour has no fencing at the back of his house so it just hopped in there. When I knocked he came down the garden and was able to pick the baby up. It is unharmed completely but surely should be scared of being picked up?? I am worried now that you have said it could be killed if it goes back. should I keep it or do I try again?
 
I think realistically if there are warrens everywhere, you don't know which one its family live in. Its own family might reject it now it smells of cats and humans etc. and a warren of rabbits not related will more than likely reject it too, although with it being so young they might not. There is not even a tiny chance it will survive without the protection of a warren and older rabbits, especially as it's nightfall now. BUT if you keep it you are only going to make it harder for yourself, because rabbits live a long time - you're looking at several years commitment - or you will have to let it go tomorrow, when you will be even more attached to it. What a terrible situation you are in - I don't know what I'd do, although I did get slated for keeping a wild BUTTERFLY captive :roll: I was attached to that so I dread to think how you feel about this bunny. Really hard decision for you :(
 
Thanks Elve, I am trying to get some advice from people who have wildies, I am also aware people might slate me:cry: All I want to do is what is right for the bunny. I realize I could be in it for the long haul. I am prepared to do everything I can for it. I don't think I could sleep at night knowing I had released it and could be sending it to it's death. I have never been in this situation before it is difficult. Thanks again for your help Elve xxx
 
My cat brings baby rabbits in all the time. I just let them go in the woods/ fields behinde my house.

If you keep it it will most likely die. It will be terrified.
 
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