This just goes to show what a wonderful strong loving bond rabbits and their owners can have.
I have a baby monitor on at virtually all times out in the backyard. It was originally meant to listen for bird and squirrel activity at their food station, but it gained another use starting a few months ago.
Early the past winter, a cat terrified my rabbit in her outdoor cage The monitor picked up the sound of her thumping and being frantic about her cage.
so I went out there, brought Felicity in and calmed her down. I kept her inside with me for a few nights until I was pretty sure the cat had given up. Plus that me and someone else really scared the heck out of the cat should've given it the message that it was not welcome here.
I took Felicity on my lap and loved her fear away, and she was just fine after that. No signs of trauma. Even back then, she seemed to know who to turn to for help once I had arrived to see what the matter was. Felicity had all but jumped into my arms, she was not hard to pick up.
The feeling of her calming down was very rewarding, too. This rabbit loves being petted, and can never get too much of it. She even likes it when I get into her fur with my face. So for her to be surrounded by a loving, calm, warm presence she knows will not hurt her, really seems to help when something like this happens.
Months later, to the other night, and the cat came around again. Felicity didn't panic as badly as the last time, but she was clearly upset and wouldn't settle until I took her inside. She showed me by hiding in her hut and thumping that she was scared of something, but here's the interesting bit. When I put my hands down into the cage, she came out of her hut and right toward them, like she was really wanting me to take her. So I did. I assume it was the cat, though it was gone by the time I ran out there.
It was the better part of an hour, very late at night, sitting in a chair, bunny on my lap, tons of stroking and mini-massaging, burying my hands in her fur, surrounding her with my arms, feeling the motion of her chattering jaw - she was not purring this time, there was no sound, and her head didn't vibrate the way it does with a tooth-purr. So, even though she was calming down, the rapid jaw-chatter that probably might not even be noticeable by sight, told me she was not yet ready to return to her cage. And cats are patient, determined creatures, if they think they might get a chance at a smaller animal, they aren't just going to go and stay away for good. Like last winter, the cat had to be given all the discouragement as possible. "Nothing to see or eat here, but a pan tossed at your butt if you don't vamoose...!"
I kept up the holding and loving until the chattering slowed and eventually stopped.
Felicity eventually gave me her usual licking kisses.
Just out of curiosity today, I felt her jaw again and it was not vibrating at all. It will when she purrs, but a purr is a calmer motion that can be felt slightly throughout the whole head. This fear chatter she had the other night, could not.
It isn't just that Felicity could be calmed like this, but that she ran to me for help when I went out there to see what the trouble was that amazes me.
She will come to meet my hand with her head when I do anything in her cage.
She will also jump on her platform, which is nearest to the lawn chair when I go sit outside in the evenings. One night, I just sat down and opened the top of the cage, and Felicity immediately jumped on her platform, then put her head out over the side to beg for attention. Aww! Too cute. Of course, I just couldn't resist. Felicity and I are very good for each other.
I have a baby monitor on at virtually all times out in the backyard. It was originally meant to listen for bird and squirrel activity at their food station, but it gained another use starting a few months ago.
Early the past winter, a cat terrified my rabbit in her outdoor cage The monitor picked up the sound of her thumping and being frantic about her cage.
so I went out there, brought Felicity in and calmed her down. I kept her inside with me for a few nights until I was pretty sure the cat had given up. Plus that me and someone else really scared the heck out of the cat should've given it the message that it was not welcome here.
I took Felicity on my lap and loved her fear away, and she was just fine after that. No signs of trauma. Even back then, she seemed to know who to turn to for help once I had arrived to see what the matter was. Felicity had all but jumped into my arms, she was not hard to pick up.
The feeling of her calming down was very rewarding, too. This rabbit loves being petted, and can never get too much of it. She even likes it when I get into her fur with my face. So for her to be surrounded by a loving, calm, warm presence she knows will not hurt her, really seems to help when something like this happens.
Months later, to the other night, and the cat came around again. Felicity didn't panic as badly as the last time, but she was clearly upset and wouldn't settle until I took her inside. She showed me by hiding in her hut and thumping that she was scared of something, but here's the interesting bit. When I put my hands down into the cage, she came out of her hut and right toward them, like she was really wanting me to take her. So I did. I assume it was the cat, though it was gone by the time I ran out there.
It was the better part of an hour, very late at night, sitting in a chair, bunny on my lap, tons of stroking and mini-massaging, burying my hands in her fur, surrounding her with my arms, feeling the motion of her chattering jaw - she was not purring this time, there was no sound, and her head didn't vibrate the way it does with a tooth-purr. So, even though she was calming down, the rapid jaw-chatter that probably might not even be noticeable by sight, told me she was not yet ready to return to her cage. And cats are patient, determined creatures, if they think they might get a chance at a smaller animal, they aren't just going to go and stay away for good. Like last winter, the cat had to be given all the discouragement as possible. "Nothing to see or eat here, but a pan tossed at your butt if you don't vamoose...!"
I kept up the holding and loving until the chattering slowed and eventually stopped.
Felicity eventually gave me her usual licking kisses.
Just out of curiosity today, I felt her jaw again and it was not vibrating at all. It will when she purrs, but a purr is a calmer motion that can be felt slightly throughout the whole head. This fear chatter she had the other night, could not.
It isn't just that Felicity could be calmed like this, but that she ran to me for help when I went out there to see what the trouble was that amazes me.
She will come to meet my hand with her head when I do anything in her cage.
She will also jump on her platform, which is nearest to the lawn chair when I go sit outside in the evenings. One night, I just sat down and opened the top of the cage, and Felicity immediately jumped on her platform, then put her head out over the side to beg for attention. Aww! Too cute. Of course, I just couldn't resist. Felicity and I are very good for each other.
