four young rabbits peak district

[Morph1]

Hi there
I live in the peak district, and last night I found one of my cats with a baby rabbit, but sadly it died overnight after I'd put it in a box filled with hay in a dark quiet room.

I have just been outside to feed the horses, and there were 3 more baby rabbits- 1 was dead (blood around mouth), and the other 2 were just sitting and shivering???

They didn't run away, which I thought was odd - they're both now in a box filled with hay in the back room

Any advice please? Should I put them back....?? Or is something wrong with them?
I did wonder about mixy, but they don't seem to have any symptoms they're in the same room as my pet rabbit at the moment, and he's been vaccinated.

I did have a mink break into my chicken house (chewed through the roof), when they were locked away for the night about 3 weeks ago and kill all of them, so do you think it's back, and has killed the mother - or if they're out of the nest, are they classed as able to fend for themselves?

Any help would be appreciated, as I was browsing the net looking for a wildlife rescue centre to try and get some advice

Thanks very much

[Dogghound]

Its far more likely your cat thats causing the damage to them. Are they feeding? how old are they roughly?

[Morph1]

Thanks for the response


I think I have found out what has happened, and I feel terrible, and so wasn't sure whether to post this......I hope I don't have everyone shouting at me, as I love all animals, and it's very difficult.

My cat came in with a rabbit (again), this afternoon. I took it off him, and he ran straight outside to the field shelter and up the bank - caught him with his paw in a burrow, so I think I know what's happened.

The rabbits I found (alive, but shivering), I think he pulled them out of the burrow, and they fell down the bank....so what do I do....put them back, or try and help them??

They're in the box still at the moment, and I can't see them (for the hay), but the dandilion I put in has gone now.

They're about 5 inches long - fully furred - basically mini rabbits. Not sure what to do for the best here. It's not nice seeing your cat flicking a baby bunny around the kitchen - especially with the thud its poor little head makes. God knows what Simon (by pet rabbit) would think if he saw it!!!

Such a dilema, and I'm very ashamed of the actions of my cat, but what do you do

[Morph1]

Damn, they're younger than I thought - still on the milk.....they were lying on the dandilion
Have fed them kitten milk with a syringe - hope that's right, and that they'll be ok!!

[dampflippers]

You could let your cat out less, especially at this time of year when baby anilmals and birds are very vulnerable. Unfortunately once it has found an easy meal/toy, it will keep going back
You could put a brick or 2 or a planting tub 6 inches in front of the rabbit hole to try to prevent it getting its paw in. This should still allow Mum in.

[Hedgehoggy]

Originally Posted by Morph1

Damn, they're younger than I thought - still on the milk.....they were lying on the dandilion
Have fed them kitten milk with a syringe - hope that's right, and that they'll be ok!!

Hi Morph1, this link on rearing wild rabbits might be helpful:

Rearing Rabbits

Good luck, and welcome to WAB!

[cara pace]

Morph1, how are the kits today?

That's a great link Hedgehoggy, with some very good advice.

One thing I would just like to add is that when you do feed them, take it really slowly. One of the main problems when hand-rearing rabbit kittens is inadvertently getting fluid into their lungs (aspiration pneumonia). They are notoriously difficult to hand-rear, but it's not impossible.

Best of luck and let us know how you get on. (And welcome to WAB by the way).

[Morph1]

Thanks for the link. It really was very useful

I tried so hard to feed them very slowly, only a dribble at a time....but I am afraid they didn't make it-so sad

Thanks for the advice though folks

As for keeping the cats in-well they have a flap and full freedom. One of the joys of this moving was that our cats would have total freedom. We moved in october and they didn't want to go out at all at first-scared of the sheep, the pig and the wind. Now they are out and about then I don't want to restrict their movements.
One was diagnosed with fiv just as we were moving, and I am relieved that we have no neighbours, and hence no other cats.
I just have to do what I can when I see something amiss

[Burko]

Just wondering. Is it legal to release rabbits back into the wild?

[Morph1]

Yes it's fine to release rabbits