Keeping a rabbit outdoors

Hom3r · 13-09-2009, 22:00

My sister has a rabbit (12 wks old) that is kept outside an has a fenced run.

Her next door neighbour has a cat that sometimes goes in their house.

The other day the cat was showing a interest in the bunny, it was prowling on the wall by its hutch, My mum fired a water pistol at the cat and it scarpered.

Will the rabbit be OK or should they watch the cat like a hawk.

Halcyon · 13-09-2009, 22:13

If the rabbit is really young then it is important the cat does not get near (especially if the rabbit has not had all it's injections as yet). This is to stop the rabbit getting any nasty infections.

When I had a rabbit, I used tent pegs to hold down into the ground the chicken wire that was used for the run.

Aragorn · 13-09-2009, 22:14

Depends how secure the run is!
The cat is unlikely to be put off completely by the water pistol but if the run is secure there isn't much it can do.

Hom3r · 13-09-2009, 22:18

I believe he has had all his injections.

heres a picture of him and the type of fencing they have.

13-09-2009, 22:23

I am taking it forgrattened its totally enclosed ?

danielf · 13-09-2009, 22:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by zing

I am taking it for granted its totally enclosed ?

No. It's just the bit in front of the rabbit that's fenced off...

13-09-2009, 22:31

could be a square fence without a top and only used sometimes with a hutch as the rabbits main home

afterall to be pedantic a fence is not the same as a cage

Hom3r · 13-09-2009, 22:41

The fench does surround the hutch but there is no mesh on the roof it is open and you can just step over the fench and sit in the enclousre.

13-09-2009, 22:42

does it have a lock in hutch? I would not just leave a rabit in an enclosure like that and I would not leave the rabbit unsupervised unless it is locked up safe

See Dan no lid lol lol

joglynne · 13-09-2009, 22:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hom3r

The fench does surround the hutch but there is no mess on the roof it is open and you can just step over the fench and sit in the enclousre.

As could the cat. An adult rabbit may be able to hold it's own against a cat but a a small young rabbit could be at risk.

Hom3r · 13-09-2009, 22:48

The rabbit it let out when they are about and sent inside during the night and when they aren't about.

It is amazing how soft he is, and I heard him make a noise which sounded like a wheeking sound. He even licked my hand.

danielf · 13-09-2009, 22:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by zing

See Dan no lid lol lol

13-09-2009, 22:52

hehehehehehehe

---------- Post added at 22:52 ---------- Previous post was at 22:50 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hom3r

The rabbit it let out when they are about and sent inside during the night and when they aren't about.

It is amazing how soft he is, and I heard him make a noise which sounded like a wheeking sound. He even licked my hand.

well as long as it is supervised it will be ok as you just give the cat a swift kick if it comes near lol

moaningmags · 13-09-2009, 23:10

Watch out for foxes too, in the early evening.

Our back garden was secure in that the rabbit couldn't get out, on a Saturday at approx 5pm our rabbit was attacked by a fox that simply jumped over the fence into the garden.
Think he was attacked cos he didn't immediately take fright at the fox due to chasing next door's labrador on a regular basis.
Thankfully, he only slightly hurt his back leg and an injection from the vet for shock and antibiotics soon saw him right as rain.

**Maggy J** · 13-09-2009, 23:23

My ex next door neighbour had a huge black buck rabbit which she left to roam the garden with no fenced off enclosure.It never seemed to wander off or even come into my garden even through the bad fencing.

The local cats, including mine gave it a wide berth because it could take care of it's self.She did however put it in it's hutch in the evenings.

If the rabbit survives to adulthood and meets no foxes or dogs I don't see why it cannot survive the cat.