New Cat, Bunny Peeing on Bed

[laruoff]

Hello,

We've had Stanley the bunny for about a year and a half. His cage is in our bedroom and he has always been litter-trained, and for the last 2 months, free to roam around the house (1-bedroom house). We got a cat, Owl, just over a month ago. Owl is about 6 months old. We were careful to introduce them slowly and they have been getting along great (both have free roam of the house, the cat is just not allowed in/too close to the bunny's cage). This last week, however, when the cat hops on our bed at night, so does the bunny (at first we think "aw how sweet...") and pees. He's peed just about every night for the last 4 nights, except when we locked him in his cage over-night to contain him (and he was furious).

I feel like there is a definite link between the cat's arrival and the bunny's (who, really, has only peed on the bed once ever before when he was a baby) accidents. These previous "accident" nights, the bunny has also woken me up with scratching and biting the covers of the bed--a bit aggressive. The cat has normally calmed down and attempted to sleep on the bed at these times too.

Any ideas? Bunny staking his "territory"? Traumatized? Comfortable? I don't know what it is, and the bunny and cat get along well (chase each other around the house, hang out near each other). I'm a little worried about Stanley and tired of doing laundry every day.

 

[Flashy]

It could be Stanley makring his territory. It could also be a sign of disgust or insecurity.

The other concern might be that the stress of the new addition has possibly caused something like cysitis?

How does Stanley act in himself?

 

[laruoff]

Well, he has not had an issue of peeing anywhere else (besides the bed), so I don't think it's a urinary problem.

Stan is, well, he was a tough-bunny at first but we paid a lot of attention to him and have coaxed him out of preferring to stay in his cage to being very sociable. He hangs out, tummy to the floor, legs kicked back, on the living room rug for a good portion of the day. He did this before the cat, and does it (possibly even more) still. Stan can be a little rude and fussy at times, but generally always lets us pet him and often hold him. When he's on the bed at night, I sometimes wake to him sniffing/licking me (then scratching the blankets), and now check to see if he's urinated (which he has, consistently).

Don't know if this additional behavior info helps! I find myself enamored with this rabbit, though I just don't at all know how to "read him".