Bonding Bunnies & Kitties

 I am often asked if bunnies and cats can peacefully coexist. The answer is yes. While bunnies are prey animals, meaning they spend their lives avoiding capture from other animals who hunt them for food and sport, and cats are predatory, meaning they are instinctually driven to hunt, kill, and consume prey animals, they can learn to live harmoniously. Each cat is different in terms of the amount of hard-wired prey drive they have. Each bunny is different in terms of the innate amount of timidity. Since cats have never been fully domesticated, they usually have some prey drive. House cats who can't chase mice, stalk birds, and hunt lizards outside must have that instinct satisfied daily in order to not look at bunnies as prey. The stalk-hunt-capture-kill cycle has to be replicated at least twice daily through specific play. Also, cats should not be free fed food and their diet should not include dry bits. Wet food closely resembles fresh kill which is what their body craves. Changing the way cats are fed (puzzles not bowls), the types of food( wet not dry), and how often (twice daily instead of constant supply), and the type of play activities they are engaged in will redirect their instinctual desire from hunting house bunnies to hunting the lure at the end of a wand toy. Once they no longer perceive bunnies as prey, trust can form between cats and rabbits, leading to great friendships. Food and activity are the most important ways to achieve this.