Could the rodents with the cutest ears in the world become friends with our cats? Of course! Given the nature of these two animals, it may sound very unlikely, but a viral video shows it is absolutely possible.
Most of you will be hard pressed to believe it: cats are predators and rabbits are preys, and it seems highly unlikely that they can get along peacefully.
To make them get along, you must first make sure your super cute bunny is in no danger, avoiding situations that stimulate the family cat to hunt and prey.
The context in which they’ll live will strongly influence their instincts. As rabbits are very social and gregarious animals by nature, hierarchy will play a large role in their relationship.
Things may be a little difficult if your rabbit is very tiny or particularly child and your cat is of the aggressive type, but arm yourself with patience and it may be possible to make friendship bloom between them. Don’t let yourself get discouraged, but remember to always make sure that the weakest side is always safe.
First of all, when we decide do bring a bunny rabbit home, it’s important to get them a cage whose bars are close to each other, so that our friend can’t get his paws trapped between them. He must also have a shelter or hole to hide in, where he can feel protected. Once his safety is ensured, let the two would-be friends get to know and study each other by sniffing the other, watching them move and familiarising themselves with the sounds they make.
It will naturally take a while for them to get used to each other – “a while” may mean months. It will all depend on their personalities. Don’t hurry, and don’t be pushy.
When you notice that your new friend is no longer hiding and your cat is calm and no longer giving signs of wanting to attack the bunny, you may give them the chance to meet without the cage bars between them. But keep an eye on them and be ready to intervene, if necessary.
If you want to make them become friends and play pals, you must learn to recognise their signs of stress and prevent any dangerous behaviour. Never force them to be together, and one day you may be presented with demonstrations of affection such as the one that The Dodo has allowed us to witness in this wonderful video. We felt our hearts melting a little while watching these two little cute guys becoming friends. Did you?