Look what the cat dragged in...

[Boerseun]

Sad story, man. And such a cute little one.

 

Anyways - if the cat decides to drag another one in, give Chacmool a shout - she's had bunnies for like forever, I'm sure she'll be happy to give you a rundown of the basics.

 

Another thing - don't be grossed out when the little bastard starts chowing down on his own poo. Bunnies weren't designed very 'Intelligently' (nudge nudge wink wink) and have to eat the same stuff twice in order to get any nutrients out of it. That's the one thing they don't tell you about the Easter Bunny... the stuff stuck in his teeth aint no bits from chocolate easter eggs, dude...

[Chacmool]

Ah, I only saw this thread now. What a cute little bunny, and how sad that it died! My guess is that it had sustained some internal injuries. Good on you for trying to save the litte creature, Drip Curl Magic! I'm sure you did your best and you couldn't have done anything more.

 

It seems like your cat is killing off an entire litter of bunnies somewhere. Can't you try and find them and try and protect them from your cat?

 

Rabbits actually aren't that fond of carrots. They prefer lettuce, celery and parsley. But actually the pellets you buy at the pet store is the best food for them. The greens should only be an additional treat.

[Drip Curl Magic]

Yeah, I felt bad about the little bugger dying, so I read up more on how to take care of orphaned bunnys. I think I'll be better prepared next time. yeah, unfortunately.... there will probably be a next time.... because most likely, my cat is gonna bring us back another tonight. I hope not.... but I'm gonna keep an eye on him. Maybe he'll lead me to the den... and maybe I'll be able to rescue multiple bunnys before my cat gets ahold of them!

 

I'd love to actually get the chance to raise some bunnys.

 

When do bunnys usually come out of their dens to feed? Evening?

[Cedars]

 

I don't wanna let it go, because my cat'll find it again. I don't know what I should do.... but it would be a pleasure for me to raise it. I just don't know if that would ultimately be good for an animal that came straight out of the wild.

 

Any help is much appreciated.:)

 

This has to be said.

 

Keep your cat indoors. Its killing wildlife for no reason other than its own predatory behavior. I know its in their nature to kill and thats why the owner has the responsiblity to prevent this. Its for your pets own good.

 

I dont know if you live in a city or in a suburb or what. Besides the risk to your pet from cars and such, you should be aware that pets end up being injured or dissapearing for behavior like this. I was talking to a policeman who, during the conversation said he had shot 17 cats that winter. We got on the subject because I saw cat prints on his trucks hood and I said "ooo you have kitties". Actually, he owned no cats.

 

If your lucky someone who is pissed about the carnage your pet is causing will only catch it and call animal control. At least then you can pay a hefty fine to get your animal out of pet jail.

 

I had a cat who loved to go outside. She wore a coller and was tied up on a brick. Cats, being how they are, will not spend alot of time dragging a brick around unless they have to. Of course, this cat could not be left outside when no one was home and such, but the opportunity to be outside for an hour or two each day was enough. And it prevented the killing of animals for the most part. Other people have built kennels for their cats. You can make alot of fun stuff for a cat to do in a kennel.

[Jay-qu]

maybe if it was killing native wildlife - but those bunnies are considered a pest.. just but a bell on your cat so they get a warning when its coming.

[Cedars]

maybe if it was killing native wildlife - but those bunnies are considered a pest.. just but a bell on your cat so they get a warning when its coming.

 

Yes in Australia, rabbits are imported but arent cats also imported into Australia? I do not know where Drip Curl is from. I didnt claim the rabbit was native, only that it was wildlife.

 

As far as being a pest, that is in the eye of the beholder. I know several native predators which feast on bunnies, such as fox, owls and hawks.

 

If this cat is catching baby bunnies, it is most likely going after other small animals too.

 

Sometimes it never enters a pet owners mind that there is alot more potenial for the demise of their pet than they had imagined. Many people consider cats pests which is why I posted my response as I did. It was just last summer when Wisconsin debated starting a cat hunting season.

[Queso]

This Just In:

 

The bunny died

[Racoon]

This Just In:

 

The bunny died

 

Dang! :cry:

 

Whens the funeral and burial?

[Queso]

Dang! :cry:

 

Whens the funeral and burial?

 

Midnight.

[Racoon]

Midnight.

 

I'll Genuflect a happy-hoppy thought...:cry:

[Drip Curl Magic]

This has to be said.

 

Keep your cat indoors. Its killing wildlife for no reason other than its own predatory behavior. I know its in their nature to kill and thats why the owner has the responsiblity to prevent this. Its for your pets own good.

 

I dont know if you live in a city or in a suburb or what. Besides the risk to your pet from cars and such, you should be aware that pets end up being injured or dissapearing for behavior like this. I was talking to a policeman who, during the conversation said he had shot 17 cats that winter. We got on the subject because I saw cat prints on his trucks hood and I said "ooo you have kitties". Actually, he owned no cats.

 

If your lucky someone who is pissed about the carnage your pet is causing will only catch it and call animal control. At least then you can pay a hefty fine to get your animal out of pet jail.

 

I had a cat who loved to go outside. She wore a coller and was tied up on a brick. Cats, being how they are, will not spend alot of time dragging a brick around unless they have to. Of course, this cat could not be left outside when no one was home and such, but the opportunity to be outside for an hour or two each day was enough. And it prevented the killing of animals for the most part. Other people have built kennels for their cats. You can make alot of fun stuff for a cat to do in a kennel.

 

I understand your point of view. But I disagree. Sure, I love bunnys and I wish my cat wouldn't kill the poor innocent things. But that's no reason for me to constrict my cat's freedom. The only reason we let him outside is because he's never been one to leave the property line. And when he does.... he never goes very far.... and is only gone for about 10 minutes or so. He likes to circle our property. Other than that... he just lays around.

 

I know he'll never get hit by a car.... being that the combination of very little traffic and my cat being a home-body, there is a very low chance of him getting run over.

 

And as for other people getting upset at my cat for the "carnage" he's creating.... I've had many outdoor cats in my lifetime(as well as many in-door cats) but none of them have ever been hurt or picked up by anyone. No matter how many mice, rats, rabbits, spider monkeys (yes, spider monkeys) they've killed.

 

And also. I think many people think they "own" their pets. but I really don't see it that way. I live with my pet. I give my pet a place to sleep, food to eat, and shelter to live under. But if he wants to go out and catch his own food... then I just won't feed him as much on that day. He's a conscious being. And if he wants to go outside.... I'm not gonna deny him. That's his choice. In the wild, no one would restrict him unless it be for territorial reasons. I've marked my house as my territory... but I'm not gonna limit anyone to live under just that roof.... unless I think the animal is in danger on it's own. in which case, I'd take it for walks.

 

Eh, I do think you have a good point for certain cats that live in certain areas. i just live in a really calm neighborhood where there are tons of bunnys running around in everyone's lawns.

[Cedars]

Sure, I love bunnys and I wish my cat wouldn't kill the poor innocent things. But that's no reason for me to constrict my cat's freedom. The only reason we let him outside is because he's never been one to leave the property line. And when he does.... he never goes very far.... and is only gone for about 10 minutes or so. He likes to circle our property.

I know he'll never get hit by a car.... being that the combination of very little traffic and my cat being a home-body, there is a very low chance of him getting run over.

 

And as for other people getting upset at my cat for the "carnage" he's creating.... I've had many outdoor cats in my lifetime(as well as many in-door cats) but none of them have ever been hurt or picked up by anyone. No matter how many mice, rats, rabbits, spider monkeys (yes, spider monkeys) they've killed.

 

And also. I think many people think they "own" their pets. but I really don't see it that way. I live with my pet. I give my pet a place to sleep, food to eat, and shelter to live under. But if he wants to go out and catch his own food... then I just won't feed him as much on that day. He's a conscious being. And if he wants to go outside.... I'm not gonna deny him. That's his choice. In the wild, no one would restrict him unless it be for territorial reasons. I've marked my house as my territory... but I'm not gonna limit anyone to live under just that roof.... unless I think the animal is in danger on it's own. in which case, I'd take it for walks.

 

Eh, I do think you have a good point for certain cats that live in certain areas. i just live in a really calm neighborhood where there are tons of bunnys running around in everyone's lawns.

 

So by your logic, dog owners are not responsible when their dogs attack animals either? Dog owners shouldnt constrain their pets? How would you feel if your cat was injured by someones dog, and the dogs owner just shrugged their shoulders and said, Hey, I dont own my dog, I just feed it, house it, etc. He likes to wander and I'm not gonna inhibit his natural desires.

 

Please dont try the "Oh but cats are different" argument. It wont hold water with me being as I have confined cats, have friends who have cat kennels and know several people (including my grandfather) who had cats trained to walk on leashes and took their pets for walks every night (weather permitting).

 

As far as how you feel about owning animals, your interpretation of domestic animals and the requirements by their owners run contrary to established guides for responsible pet ownership. Owning an animal is not much different than being a parent with the responsiblities that entails. Its not people living in certain areas that have a responsiblity, its the behavior of your animal and your responsiblity for it.

 

You cat is killing animals (and I appreciate your honesty about the wide variety its killing). By your post, its not killing the bunnies for food. So your tale of how you just cut down on the amount of food doesnt stand ground either. Cutting down on the food would encourage the animal to kill, yet you post that you wish it wouldnt kill the bunnies. But you dont want to take the extra effort to really prevent, or minimize the killing of these very same bunnies. Do you realize that if you had confined your cat for a lousy two weeks, those bunnies would have probably been able to evade your cat?

 

Does it eat the spider monkeys too? Dont you think those wild animals have adapted enough to the encroachment of humans into their territory? Dont you feel you have an obligation to protect them from your introduced (and intruding) predator?

 

How many cats have you owned? By your picture you dont seem to be very old so I wonder about this. You state many, so are they still alive? If not, what happened to them? I have owned 3 cats in the last 20 years and two of them are still alive. The one who died, died of cancer.

[CraigD]

I just hope it [the infant rabit the cat dragged in] wasn't my fault.

It’s not. It’s your kitty’s.

 

As anyone who’s had one can attest, a cat bite makes a terribly septic wound, against which the best cleaning with peroxide, unless moments after the bite, has little chance. IV antibiotics might have worked, but with such a small animal, even that wouldn’t be a sure thing.

 

I live in a suburb with a lot of squirrels. I’ve nursed 4 abandoned or orphaned infants. The first died, largely, I fear, due to my mistreatment. The 2 middle ones lived. The last one died, but I think had neurological damage, perhaps from birth, and was unsavable.

 

What I learned early on is that, for rescued wild infant animals, hydration is the most important first aid – often they are too dehydrated when you find them to take enough liquid by mouth to recover. I keep a bag of Ringer’s lactate around – it has a cool shelf life of 2 years, and in addition to water, is full of electrolytey goodness. Warm it to about body temperature, and put a good size lump of it between the wee beasty’s shoulders (about 10 cc for a baby squirrel). In my 2 that lived, they perked up within 30 minutes, and were ready to suck baby rabbit formula from a needleless syringe. (Incredibly cute)

 

I got my first Ringers and needles from a pharmacist friend, my last couple from my old cat’s vet. Getting needles could be a problem, as you’ve got to convince whoever has them you’re not gonna use them to shoot yourself full or recreational pharmaceuticals. You wouldn’t need many to be prepared for an animal rescue, and they can be cleaned (bleach, then flush with Ringer’s before using). A sympathetic vet or animal rescue person might help out.

[Racoon]

With respect for natural life, I disagree that its the cats fault or that the cat needs to be controlled...

 

You hate to see something dead in front of you,

But cats are miniture versions of panthers, jaguars, leopards, lions, cougars, and tigers.

 

To blame them , and killing them in response is very wrong. :evil:

The problem arises from people not spay and neutering. :hihi: which creates too many little monsters running around; killing sweet little bunnies and squirrels.

 

What about when cats kill Rats?

What about when you want mice in the home dead?

 

Do you blame the Bad-Kitty for killing those?

No -its good job Cat! - thats why you earn your keep, aside from being good company :lol:

 

So there are always Opportunity-Costs involved.

 

But I can see Cedar's and CraigD points as well;

 

Owners need to be more responsible: Spay and Neuter:

But the health of the Carnivore predators at the top of the food chain usually reflects the health of the surrounding eco-system

[CraigD]

With respect for natural life, I disagree that its the cats fault or that the cat needs to be controlled...

I didn’t mean to give the impression that I think the cat’s in some way bad – killing small animals is what cat’s do, if given the chance. I let my own 2 neutered male cats come and go for several years, and they killed quite a number of small, mostly helpless creatures. I brought them inside only when I started having problems with them getting bitten by a local tomcat – neutereds don’t stand much of a chance against a real tomcat, but seem to think they do, and cats are as susceptible to their own nasty bites as most animals, perhaps even somewhat more than most. They didn’t seem particularly unhappy being kept inside all the time, so I made the arrangement permanent.

 

Bad or not, the cat bite’s likely what led to Drip Curl’s little rabbit's unhappy end, though it may have been in a dire situation before the cat found it – one can rarely tell such things. Few infant rabbits live to be adults – the wild is a rough, compassionless place, for the most part. Drib Curl tried his best to nurse the wee thing, and isn’t, IMO, deserving of blame for its death.

[Cedars]

With respect for natural life, I disagree that its the cats fault or that the cat needs to be controlled...

 

You hate to see something dead in front of you,

But cats are miniture versions of panthers, jaguars, leopards, lions, cougars, and tigers.

 

To blame them , and killing them in response is very wrong. :singer:

The problem arises from people not spay and neutering. :hyper: which creates too many little monsters running around; killing sweet little bunnies and squirrels.

 

What about when cats kill Rats?

What about when you want mice in the home dead?

 

Do you blame the Bad-Kitty for killing those?

No -its good job Cat! - thats why you earn your keep, aside from being good company :eek2:

 

So there are always Opportunity-Costs involved.

 

But I can see Cedar's and CraigD points as well;

 

Owners need to be more responsible: Spay and Neuter:

But the health of the Carnivore predators at the top of the food chain usually reflects the health of the surrounding eco-system

 

I understand where both you and Drip Curl are comming from. I guess I was lucky to be brought up in an environment where these things were so ingrained in my life. I have no quarrel with cats killing mice in a persons house. But this is not what occured. 4 bunnies were killed by this one cat and none of this occured in the house. Drip Curl has added other species of animal this cat has killed. I am sure it was not an all inclusive list either.

 

It is definatly not the cats fault. I agree totally with you there. But it is the owners fault. One bunny? OK these things happen. But to ignore the history of this cat is to be irresponsible as a pet owner. Many people do not think about (or choose to ignore) the effects on the neighborhood that their one kitty does. Many people do not realize how many others do not like the neighbors cat coming over and killing things or peeing on the house, plants, etc (spraying). Many people do not realize how many people kill cats on sight.

 

You can call it wrong if you want, but the responsiblity lies with the owner who has allowed his/her pet to roam without thinking about the potential risks. I remember reading in a local paper a few years ago (probably about 10 years ago now) about cats showing up in the garbage, dead and stuffed into bird food bags. The article advised people to keep their cats indoors because someone seemed to be very angry. You would be surprised at how many letters to the editor followed with people complaining about roaming cats and what could they do.

 

Besides, you get in alot of trouble killing a pet owner, whereas you can just shoot, shovel and shut up with a cat.

 

As far as cats being teeny versions of lions, etc fine. So dogs fall under that arena also but you wont be arguing for their (dogs) unrestrained killing of wildlife will you?

[Racoon]

I understand where both you and Drip Curl are comming from.

 

As far as cats being teeny versions of lions, etc fine. So dogs fall under that arena also but you wont be arguing for their (dogs) unrestrained killing of wildlife will you?

 

I'm not completely disagreeing with you Cedars. We both enoy birdwatching. and small mammal observing..

 

My point being what about RATS and MICE???

You are upset when some animals are killed

, but maybe not another...Is killing rats and mice around your house a bad thing??

Cats kill those and therefore have benefitted humanity..

 

It was the Catholic condemnation of cats, for believed to be witches pets, and their subsequent killing of cats which perpetuated the spread of Bubonic plague..??!! :singer:

Dumb-*** Preaching of the time..

 

before they knew it was the mice and rats spreading it...

 

Mother Natures Revenge...:hyper:

 

which is one more reason I am disgusted with Catholicism.

 

That being said, the bottom line is Spay and Neuter!

Balance with everything is desired. :eek2:

 

Dogs usually lack the slyness and quiet of the pounce to kill other animals... which is why they make a poor comparison.

Wolves and other Packs of dogs usually work together to bring down larger prey., a different matter altogether when compared to domestic house cats.