Neighbours cats

[matt_london]

<PRE>I've got a bit of a problem with our neighbours cats. They keep coming into our garden and harrassing our two rabbits. Most days we let them out of their hutch for excersize and they love it, except when the cats come in and scare them back in. What can I do to prevent this happening? Imagine if it was the other way round and I allowed my dog to go in their garden and frighten their cats. I'm sure they would involve the police. Relations between us and the neighbours are ok, but this is becoming a bit of an issue as I'm forever having to shoo! the cats back over the fence. I don't think it will be long before I get a catapault!!</PRE>

[Maggie-Mae]

Yes, I have the same problem as I have two baby rabbits - but by the very nature of cats that they are just left to roam, Im not sure there is much you can do. I had been shoo-ing the cats away in my garden but one day I decided to actually watch what would happen if I left it (obviously I wouldnt have let my rabbits get hurt) and after the cat sat watching the rabbits for a while, it got up and left. I think alot of it is just curiosity on the part of the cat and I think full grown rabbits are quite good at defending themselves. Obviously they have teeth, claws and quite powerful back feet. If you are still worried, personally I would throw a bucket of water over the cats and hopefully they will eventually get the message - sorry to all the cat lovers out there!

[xanderma]

No need to apologise, Maggie - as a cat-lover, I think that's the kindest way of deterring a cat - they don't get hurt, and they soon learn.

I do agree, though, that if you can supervise the cats for a while, I think they will lose interest - we have cats and a rabbit, and the cats just like the rabbit's company, they don't try to harm him. As long as your bunnies are fully grown, you should be OK.

If they're still babies, you might have to get a large run for a while until they're grown - they shouldn't be deprived of their exercise and freedom. Ours spends most of his time in his run - he loves it, and when we bring him out, he just sits in one spot until we return him! So a run isn't necessarily a bad thing!

Let us know how you get on...

[parkesquay]

In the same way that most(but not all)cats love Catnip there is a plant that they hate and I think it is called Coloseus Cannina( you will have to check the spelling). Maybe you can put it in the area where the rabbits are.It may be a good idead first though to make sure the rabbits aren't put off by its smell.

[smurfchops]

I wouldn't trust all cats, matt. Mine would probably eat the rabbits, bones an' all. Just throw a bucket of water over the cats, ( you don't have to drown them, just scare them) or have one of those water pistols on the ready. Won't hurt the cat and will definitely save your lovely rabbits !

[noxlumos]

I agree with judiewudie watch your rabbits because we had a very small black she cat called Hecate that used to kill full grown wild rabbits and bring em back home, so please be careful, I'd hate to think anything unfortunate might happen.

[WendyS]

I suggest investing in a long range water pistol and using it. The cats will soon get the message. I wouldn't trust any cat not to harm baby rabbits - they are small enough for a cat to catch, injure and kill. We had a cat which even dived into the small river at the bottom of our garden to catch water rats and moorhens. Better safe than sorry!

[Adams1104]

Maybe try putting something in the garden that moves like a pinwheel, or something of that nature. Only problem is that the rabbits may be scared of it.