Cat sitting on top of rabbit hutch!

Hi!
I would be really grateful for any one who can advise me on cat behaviour.
I have recently moved to a new house and my rabbits are outdoors in a hutch attached to a secure run. I have seen a cat around the houses and I have seen it one or two times in the garden before my rabbits came to live with us, so I am assuming the garden is it's 'territory'. Now, I found to my horror the other day the cat was sitting on the rabbit run and walking around it and to the side of it, looking like it was trying to get in. The cat jumped from the fence on top of the hutch and my poor rabbit jumped out it's skin!!

I saw it again today and it was again sitting on the roof of the run. One of my rabbits was outside in the run and the rabbits didn't seem bothered by it. I have no idea how long the cat had been there.

Do you think the cat is trying to get in to eat the rabbits or do you think it is just curious? I don't know the temperament of the cat but some of you may own cats...
Sophie

Mine have a regular cat visitor, they are not bothered by him at all.

If a cat comes into our garden I scare the living daylights out of it. Most don't come back for a while after that. They think I'm horrid!

Our back garden is like a short cut for the lazy cats that won't walk around the houses. I haven't seen any in the garden but one was walking along the wall last week and fell off into my rabbits terriotry. Daisy scared the life out of the cat when she hopped over to investigate Dave was ot far behind. Since then tHis particular cat seems to be watching his step when walking along the top of the wall.

As long as the cat can't actually get in the run or hutch, or put its paws through the mesh to claw at the rabbit, there shouldn't be a problem. There's not much you can do about it. If they are not bothered by each other, this cat may actually be keeping others away from 'its' territory.

I have serious problems with cats and my rabbits are very scared by them.

My advice is to practice zero tolerance straight away, cats do not understand the softly softly approach.

Whenever you see a cat in your garden scare it away. Take a glass of water with you and if it doesn't run straight away throw the water at it. You may have to increase the amount of water you use. If you could have a sprinkler that's even better.

I have a security sensor to detect cats in my garden and an electric water pistol and jars of water dotted around.

My OH has taken great delight in rediscovering his Super Soaker from his childhood!!!!! My method is tearing out of the house doing a great fishwife impression!!

Bunnies don't mind cats, one ones to make friends and the other trys to 'chase' it away from within the hutch!

Cats n rabbits

I agree with those who say chase the cat, I'd do the same. However my 2 rabbits live in close contact with my 3 cats. If anything the cats are the scared ones. One cat sleeps under the tarpaulin on the rabbit hutch roof. They all often greet each other with a sniff. The rabbits chase the cats n the garden. Most cats are scared of rabbits but I,d never trust a cat i didn't know, cats will hurt and kill baby rabbits

My cats and my neighbour's cat often sleep on top of one of my hutches. A couple of times I managed to shut my Bridge Cat, Millie, in one of the hutches when I put my buns to bed in the dark. She was a bit fed-up in the morning but no harm had come to her or my buns.

Pippa and Moppet sleep in George and Gemma's litter tray (although I do try to discourage this).

I always chase my neighbours cat away, but he's a big fluffy wild beast who likes to stalk everything.

My sisters cat 'Snaps' loves small animals. My sister had a couple of indoor guinea pigs and she would often find Snaps curled up asleep cuddled up to them in the cage. Not sure how much the piggies liked her though. :lol:

Rabbits And cats

My rabbits rut is attached onto both my rabbits hutches and doesn’t have a Roof because I’m always watching them when they’re out. So whenever I want to put one of my rabbits out (they aren’t bonded because one of them bites the other when near each other) I just open the door and leave it open so thay can go in if they want. A few times I have looked inside a hutch and seen my cat sleeping in the hay,sometimes while my rabbit is in there 1 foot away from her, sleeping or just munching on hay. Today, I found my cat sleeping in the bedroom of Penny’s hutch. I don’t think my rabbits care that she is there. I think she just likes the company and maybe the smell? It really just depends on the cats personality, whether they are a calm lazy cat, or a hunter that tries to kill every small living thing , ect.
My cat spends most of her day sleeping on top of the hutches. :wave:

Oliveandpenny16 said:

My rabbits rut is attached onto both my rabbits hutches and doesn’t have a Roof because I’m always watching them when they’re out. So whenever I want to put one of my rabbits out (they aren’t bonded because one of them bites the other when near each other) I just open the door and leave it open so thay can go in if they want. A few times I have looked inside a hutch and seen my cat sleeping in the hay,sometimes while my rabbit is in there 1 foot away from her, sleeping or just munching on hay. Today, I found my cat sleeping in the bedroom of Penny’s hutch. I don’t think my rabbits care that she is there. I think she just likes the company and maybe the smell? It really just depends on the cats personality, whether they are a calm lazy cat, or a hunter that tries to kill every small living thing , ect.
My cat spends most of her day sleeping on top of the hutches. ����:wave:

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I am relieved to read that you are always watching your Rabbits when they are out in the run

I think with all inter-species interactions it is always best to be mindful of the fact that the animals are hard wired to their natural behaviour. IE a Cat is a predator, a Rabbit a prey species. Whilst they may usually get along in harmony it is our responsibility as their guardians to make sure that any interaction is supervised. Having seen what can happen we a Pet Cat and Pet Rabbit 'friendship' goes wrong and more recently when a 'friendly gentle' Pet dog turned against her 'friend' the family Pet Rabbit I personally would never take the risk of leaving a Cat/Dog with unsupervised direct contact with a Rabbit.

Oliveandpenny16 said:

My rabbits rut is attached onto both my rabbits hutches and doesn’t have a Roof because I’m always watching them when they’re out. So whenever I want to put one of my rabbits out (they aren’t bonded because one of them bites the other when near each other) I just open the door and leave it open so thay can go in if they want. A few times I have looked inside a hutch and seen my cat sleeping in the hay,sometimes while my rabbit is in there 1 foot away from her, sleeping or just munching on hay. Today, I found my cat sleeping in the bedroom of Penny’s hutch. I don’t think my rabbits care that she is there. I think she just likes the company and maybe the smell? It really just depends on the cats personality, whether they are a calm lazy cat, or a hunter that tries to kill every small living thing , ect.
My cat spends most of her day sleeping on top of the hutches. :wave:

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Hi there and welcome to the Forum :wave:

It sounds like you have a peace loving cat there who gets along with your rabbits

I was wondering whether you would consider bonding your rabbits? If this is done properly they will become an 'item' and not bite one another. You could then have one big run for the both of them, have a secure top to your run, and not have to watch them when they are out. Gets pretty cold and rainy to always have to keep an eye on them!

It would also keep any other cats out. As I say, your cat doesn't bother them but another neighbourhood cat might