Rabbits living with cats with feline AIDS

Is allowing a pair of house bunnies to share a house (human house!) with a pair of cats that have feline AIDS, a recipe for disaster? Is there anything I should know in advance? :?

I'm sure FIV is only transmitted from cat to cat.

FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus) cannot be passed onto bunnies, it's transferable to other cats only! Make sure that the cats and rabbits aren't left alone together - the cats could hunt the bunnies or the bunnies if big could go after the cats!! I'm presuming the cats are house cats? Make sure that both sets of animals have their own space and everybody is kept amused!

Nicola

nicolar said:

FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus) cannot be passed onto bunnies, it's transferable to other cats only! Make sure that the cats and rabbits aren't left alone together - the cats could hunt the bunnies or the bunnies if big could go after the cats!! I'm presuming the cats are house cats? Make sure that both sets of animals have their own space and everybody is kept amused!

Nicola

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It obviously depends on the individual animals, but all 4 rabbits I have had get on with my cat. You just need to make sure you supervise them.

I think my cat views the rabbits as too big to be prey, but she was obsessed with the rats I used to have so we had to shut her out of the room they were in when we were out.

Assume you know all the basics about caring for an FIV cat- ie) that they should not be let outside etc?

To be honest, I'm not a cat fan at all!

My friend & I are moving in together. I have two bunnies, she has two cats with FIV. She knows all the details on looking after them. I was more worried about my two little angels!
Ludo (my little chap) grew up in a house with two cats & just ignores them! Where as Fizzgig (my little miss) is totally terrified of them.
At the moment the buns have free run of the downstairs & the garden when I'm there, which is most of the time as I work from home.

When we move, the buns will be housed in their three storey home with an all day run of my office (the same set up as I have now), with Mama for human company! The cats are having the run of the lounge, kitchen & my friends bedroom. To get to the garden I will have to carry the buns from my office & through the lounge. It's a pain but I'm not taking any chances. I don't trust cats at all!

Fizzgig gets scared by the smell of cats, let alone seeing one. She is quite nervous of other animals & people, in fact anything strange or noisy, but Ludo is super chilled! Hopefully she will calm down a little when she's had her op. I always know if a cat has been in the garden because she comes racing into the house like a fluffy blur & hides under the sofa! It's a blessing she so speedy but I hate seeing her so distressed.

You could try asking your friend for an old blanet/t-shirt or something the cats have slept on. Then leave it somewhere the buns have access e.g. a run but not in their bed. It will smell of cat but won't move like a cat so Fizzgig will have all the time she wants to sneak up on it, get used to it and learn that the smell isn't associated with anything that's going to do anything to her.

That way she won't have a new smell and a new place to get used to at the same time.

Tam