the right bunny for me

[bunnyornot]

Hello everyone!
My name is Jenn and I've been thinking about adopting a bunny for a long time so I came here to explore and ask lots of questions before I truely decide.

I really want a free rome inside bunny who is okay with a cat (and vise versa). I have no problem giving the bunny it's own room if Sass ends up not liking the bunny but I think she'll be okay. Sass has feline Leukemia and can't live with other cats because she could get them sick too. She was diagnosed at 10 months old and is 2 now. I'm hoping that sass will get companionship from a house bunny.

I'm really not picky when it comes to looks maybe just a very laid back breed or indiviual, and I know I will have to bunny proof the house too so I'll be checking out any tips anyone has. I have lots of time though. I'm certainly not in any rush but if you guys have any tips or otherwise I'll be happy to hear your advise.

 

[LakeCondo]

Welcome.

Many people get bunnies from breeders, but then have to go through puberty, which starts at about 3 months, & neutering. So I recommend finding one at a rescue/shelter. You can find which ones in your area have rabbits from petfinder.com or adoptapet.com. With a rabbit rather than a bunny, you can tell the personality better.

It doesn't happen often, but sometimes a cat swipes a rabbit's eye, the eye gets infected, & it has to be removed. So it might be a good idea to put caps on your cat's claws.

 

[agnesthelion]

Kudos to doing research before

Rabbits are unique little creatures that make excellent pets but do require some care specific to rabbits. They can be free run but keep in mind litterbox skills can vary greatly from bunny to bunny. Most rabbits will never be 100% with their poop, so expect to find poop pellets around and although buns can be 100% with pee (my two both are perfect with pee habits) there is no guarantee there either.

As you mentioned bunny proofing is a must as rabbits are chewers so they will chew wires and such almost always. In addition, rabbits often chew carpet, woodwork and furniture. Again, varies from rabbit to rabbit but it's something to keep in mind.

I would consider having some type of cage that bunny will consider home base/their safe spot that you can put them in if need be. Mine are caged at night only.

As far as cats and rabbits again no guarantee they will get along. Also, cats do carry a bacteria very dangerous to rabbits so supervision is required especially upon introduction at the beginning.

As far as breed/laid back bun again depends on individual rabbit and not really a breed trait. If you visit a shelter/rescue you can visit already grown rabbits that are neutered/spayed so their personality is already known. Getting a baby from a breeder is an option as well but you won't really know how baby's personality will turn out and in addition have to go through the hormonal stage and then to pay to have him/her fixed. It's a personal preference which you prefer.

I would encourage you to continue reading on here to get a better perspective about rabbit ownership lots more to it of course but that's just the basic.

Welcome to RO and let us know if you have any other questions

 

[bunnyornot]

Thanks for the replies!
I didn't know about cats carrying a bacteria or even the rabbits eye possibly having to be removed if cut I will definitely cap her claws if we decide to get a rabbit. I like the idea of adopting from a shelter I've read a lot about how much people neglect rabbit needs or buy them w/o really knowing their care and then just getting rid of them. That breaks my heart for all of the rabbits and any animal that has to go through that. I will definitely read through the forums and ask questions before making a decision. Thanks guys!

 

[MikeScone]

The general wisdom is that individual rabbits vary so much in personality that you can't generalize to breeds. That said, I'm not sure that means that you can't predict anything from the breed.

Certainly rabbit personalities vary widely. I've had two mini-Rexes, Natasha Rabbitova and my first rabbit Scone MacBunny - and while Natasha's very different from Scone, both still had certain personality traits that I've seen in other mini-Rexes I've known. Mini-Rexes are generally known for strong personalities, intelligence, and need to interact with people. That doesn't mean that every single mini-Rex will be smart or opinionated, any more than all people are, but it's an indicator that if you don't want that in a bunny you might be better off looking at another breed. My experience with other people's rabbits has been that Holland Lops and mini-Lops tend to be more laid back than, say, Netherlands Dwarfs. People who have Flemish Giants all seem to feel that they are particularly gentle - although as one told me, if you're going to have a 20+ pound bunny it had better be gentle, or you're in trouble.

If you're going to have a rabbit in a house with cats, you should make sure that the rabbit you're considering adopting doesn't have a phobia about them. Rabbits have been known to literally scare themselves to death when a predator threatens them. My Natasha is incredibly scared of dogs, even though she's never actually met one (to my knowledge, anyway). Natasha is very affectionate with me, but if I come home after petting and being close to a dog, Natasha will thump and run under my bed until I change my clothes and wash my hands in mechanic's solvent. She likes people, but she can instantly tell when one is a dog owner, and refuses to have anything to do with them.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

All very good points. We have a Checkered Giant that is over 19 pounds, and she's very active, especially for such a large bunny but she doesn't want any other animals around--she's really nice with us and is a snuggle bun, but she will go after all other animals.

 

[missyscove]

I would not get a rabbit expecting it to be a companion for the cat (have you considered getting another FeLV positive cat for her?) If you go the rescue/shelter route you may find a rabbit that has lived with a cat before and won't be absolutely petrified of one, but that doesn't mean that the rabbit and the cat will in anyway get along and I would never leave a rabbit and a cat alone together. Cats have been known to reach their paws through cage bars to scratch at rabbits, so you may require a pen with a finer mesh over it to keep kitty paws out. Cat bites are also particularly nasty, not just for rabbits but for us humans too!
I don't want to discourage you from adopting a rabbit, as the do make terrific pets, but I want you to get a rabbit because you want a rabbit, not because you're expecting it to be a companion for your kitty.

 

[bunnyornot]

I appreciate the tips on the breeds above Mike and Larry - I've peeked at a couple shelters just to peek and see what they say about their indviduals and there have been a couple listed who have lived with and do well with cats. If I do end up getting a rabbit I will definietly only choose one who has previously lived with a cat before because I don't want to risk one being scared to death by her. I have read about rabbits being like that.

And thank you Christina. i do want a rabbit it would just be a plus if they would get along because I love the idea of a free rome rabbit - my friend had one and it was such a happy guy! He had a cage but it was only for when he felt scared. I am very afraid of the interaction going bad on the cats part - girl cats especially are mean so that's why I thought I would gain some insight first. We have an extra room if we get a bad vibe and I would never leave them alone because I am a worry wart. We said if we ever loose Sass that we would get a rabbit but I've read about rabbits and cats being together so I was interested in what other people thought.

On Sass's part I have considered another FeLV positive cat but we have been really lucky with her health so far and I don't know if I would be strong enough to loose two to the ill effects of the disease. Sass is my baby. That's also why I don't know if I'll be able to do another cat after her for a while. But as for now she's a healthy girl.

I still want to read and hear others opinions but I think that if I do adopt a rabbit in the future, it will for one have lived with a cat previously and maybe just have it's own room and see Sass periodically with us being there to supervise. At the moment i'm going hold off i think though, but i will keep filling my brain with bunny knowledge.

 

[bunnyluvns]

Hi Bunnyornot, I'm new here also & was very interested to read you have an FeLV+ kitty! I used to have one too, he was a foster from a shelter & of course I ended up adopting him .

It was so funny because he was a huge, mean looking cat who had been living on the streets when he was brought to the shelter. He kind of bullied the other FeLV kitties he shared a room with. But when I brought him home he was SO terrified of my little 6 lb. bunbun, he would flee in panic whenever she hopped towards him!

He eventually overcame his fear of her & they co-existed peacefully, till he got a cancerous tumor & had to be put to sleep

I've had several other cats in the years I've had my 10 yr old mini rex - I've fostered several cats who were old and/or had health problems. But have never had any problems with any of them getting along with my bunn.

But as others have pointed out, each animal has his or her own personality. An attack from a cat could be a very serious matter for a bunn, even deadly. It's great that you're doing research before jumping right into it! You obviously love your kitty very much!!

 

[bunnyornot]

Aw thank you. I do love her very much and I like meeting people who have love for other sick kitties who need just as much love as healthy kitties! I'm sorry to hear about yours getting a tumor - even though they are sick they are very much worth the love. You're bunny gives me hope that maybe it would work. Sass is very much a spoiled little princess though and that's what's scary about her. I'm definitely in no rush, if sass has taught me anything it's that we need to just take things day by day.

 

[bunnyluvns]

Oh, I think Sass is one very lucky kitty to have you as a parent! . Some people would not be willing to care for a kitty who has FeLV. But you're right, they need just as much love as a perfectly healthy kitty. I was SO lucky to have had my little boy for the time I had him. He was sweetest most loving pet anyone could wish for. I hope & pray your little girl lives a very long, healthy life! They told me at the shelter some kittens who contract FeLV eventually "outgrow" it...? I guess their immune system kicks in. You might want to get her tested again just in case!

 

[bunnyluvns]

I uploaded a photo of my little FeLV+ boy, his name was Solove (that was the name they gave him at the shelter). Here he is on the bed with my bunny (her name is Bunny - that was my bright idea, haha). They're eating catnip together. Bunny LOVES catnip!

Anyway, Solove is up in heaven now where he can eat all the catnip he wants :innocent

 

[bunnyornot]

Awww it's so cute that they were friends and willing to share the nip! I'll have to see about Sass it would be a blessing if she out grew it. I'll have to try and upload a sass photo. I'm going to try down below.

 

[bunnyornot]

There she is. Did Solove live to be what's considered an old kitty?

 

[bunnyluvns]

Ooooooh, she is TOO PRECIOUS!!!! What a sweet little face! No wonder you love her so dearly

Solove was probably several years old when he was brought to the shelter. This shelter tests all the cats for leukemia & he tested positive. Still he lived a couple years at the shelter & over a year with me & most of that time was in good health. And who knows how long he'd had FeLV before being brought to the shelter.

So you know, they can live several years even with the disease. And I'm sure Sass is MUCH better cared for than Solove was for much of his life. He hadn't even been neutered when he was brought in & had tons of scars from fighting with other cats while living on the streets.

As young as Sass was when she tested positive, & with all the care I'm sure you lavish on her, it's possible her immune system was able to fight off the virus. That would be GREAT!!

 

[bunnyornot]

It would be great if it did go away. I'll have to check. She has been pretty healthy. One blood transfusion when we first found out because she was anemic. she's never had another one, and other than that she has had some liver problems she was jaundice and it turned out she had liver damage they think she has a sludgy liver but her liver levels are almost perfect now with the help of suppliments. I'll have to check it out!!!