My Cat Loves Me

[ArkRescue]

And brings me gifts..I wish he didn't damage them in the process...

My new resident for the next few weeks is absolutely adorable. Called hubs on phone and told him about our new resident. He was THRILLED and said, "Make sure it has a cage and a carrot patch and whatever else it needs. On second thought, how about we cook it on the grill and all we have to spend is money for BBQ sauce."
...

I doctored the baby bunny with betadine and nothing seems to be broken, just skinned. I didn't see any deep gashes either. After I moved him to the enclosure he jumped around a lot trying to escape. That's a good sign. Now to keep him fed, isolated, and watered until he heals enough to release him.

The bunny is adorable and the jumping and slamming into the enclosure isn't a good sign. Baby bunnies can kill themselves trying to escape. He will do better outside not inside. Not sure how to explain this but the short version is that most baby bunnies die in captivity because they usually either kill themselves by slamming their bodies into the enclosure, die of fright, or they starve/dehydrate because they don't eat/drink.

I saw this info. online:

" People who raise orphan cottontail rabbits loose them in three ways:

The earliest, die from trauma and harsh exposure before they were brought to rehabilitation centers. Baby bunnies do not have reserves to fall back on when they are deprived of food, warmth and shelter for more than a day. House cat-captured bunnies ,in particular, often die from infections and stress.

The second group of babies die due to lack of their mother’s protective antibodies passed on to them through natural rabbit milk.

The third and most common cause of death is failure to establish normal rabbit flora (bacteria) in their intestinal tract at the time they are weaning.

Of course, a lot of other things can go wrong. I have seen improper temperature, poorly concocted diets, over feeding, bad sanitation and stressful environment all do in baby cottontails. "

How To Care For Orphaned Wild Cottontail Bunnies Orphan Cotton Tail Rabbits

 

[Radiant1]

Umm yeah. I never had luck with wild bunnies when trying to rehab them. One died from dehydration and the other I don't know why, it just died. When my daughter came at me the other day with two abandoned babies, I told her to put them right back where she found them because I knew darn well they'd have a better chance in their own environment than ours. Of course, just a day later we saw the neighborhood hawk messing around in the same area she released them.

 

[ZARA]

The bunny is adorable and the jumping and slamming into the enclosure isn't a good sign. Baby bunnies can kill themselves trying to escape. He will do better outside not inside. Not sure how to explain this but the short version is that most baby bunnies die in captivity because they usually either kill themselves by slamming their bodies into the enclosure, die of fright, or they starve/dehydrate because they don't eat/drink.

I saw this info. online:

" People who raise orphan cottontail rabbits loose them in three ways:

The earliest, die from trauma and harsh exposure before they were brought to rehabilitation centers. Baby bunnies do not have reserves to fall back on when they are deprived of food, warmth and shelter for more than a day. House cat-captured bunnies ,in particular, often die from infections and stress.

The second group of babies die due to lack of their mother’s protective antibodies passed on to them through natural rabbit milk.

The third and most common cause of death is failure to establish normal rabbit flora (bacteria) in their intestinal tract at the time they are weaning.

Of course, a lot of other things can go wrong. I have seen improper temperature, poorly concocted diets, over feeding, bad sanitation and stressful environment all do in baby cottontails. "

How To Care For Orphaned Wild Cottontail Bunnies Orphan Cotton Tail Rabbits

Very true on some accounts, especially if the care giver does not have experience in rehabilitating wild animals. But if properly handled and placed in a limited stimulus to stimulus free stimulus environment they will calm, eat and drink when they are hungry/thirsty and their bodies will have time to heal. Some wounds, like the wound my resident bunny has, cannot be relied upon to actively heal on its own in the wild. Severe infection can (and most likely will) set in, killing the bunny in a painful and slow death.

If you look at the third pic above you will see dark matting surrounding the enclosure, this limits sight stimulus so the bunny cannot see anything going on around it. A towel is placed over the top screen cover as well. One of the most important things to do when rehabbing any wild animal is to limit all external stimuli (including sound!) so the animal is not on hyper-alert. I have a well insulated room dedicated to rehabbing animals for this reason.

The fastest and safest way to prevent a rabbit from “jumping and slamming into the enclosure” is to place a towel over it. The bunny will stop moving immediately. When doctoring wounds keep a towel lightly covering the bunny’s head and it will not move while you administer to it.

A novice probably shouldn’t be rehabbing wild animals. Luckily I am not a novice.

P.S. The bunny is at least 2 months old.

And this is fantastic information for the novices:
http://www.animaladvocates.us/bunnyrehabilitationmanual.pdf

 

[ArkRescue]

Very true on some accounts, especially if the care giver does not have experience in rehabilitating wild animals. But if properly handled and placed in a limited stimulus to stimulus free stimulus environment they will calm, eat and drink when they are hungry/thirsty and their bodies will have time to heal. Some wounds, like the wound my resident bunny has, cannot be relied upon to actively heal on its own in the wild. Severe infection can (and most likely will) set in, killing the bunny in a painful and slow death.

If you look at the third pic above you will see dark matting surrounding the enclosure, this limits sight stimulus so the bunny cannot see anything going on around it. A towel is placed over the top screen cover as well. One of the most important things to do when rehabbing any wild animal is to limit all external stimuli (including sound!) so the animal is not on hyper-alert. I have a well insulated room dedicated to rehabbing animals for this reason.

The fastest and safest way to prevent a rabbit from “jumping and slamming into the enclosure” is to place a towel over it. The bunny will stop moving immediately. When doctoring wounds keep a towel lightly covering the bunny’s head and it will not move while you administer to it.

A novice probably shouldn’t be rehabbing wild animals. Luckily I am not a novice.

Glad you know about them, I did not a few years ago when someone turned one over to me that their cat "found" in the yard. I took it home and for a day or so thought it just wasn't hungry until I looked up online about them. I THOUGHT this little one I had was too small to be alone, I was wrong so seeing no injuries, I immediately put it outside under a large mass of bushes to hide. I hope that little bunny survived. I assume you've heard a baby bunny scream too? Wow can they get loud!

 

[ZARA]

Glad you know about them, I did not a few years ago when someone turned one over to me that their cat "found" in the yard. I took it home and for a day or so thought it just wasn't hungry until I looked up online about them. I THOUGHT this little one I had was too small to be alone, I was wrong so seeing no injuries, I immediately put it outside under a large mass of bushes to hide. I hope that little bunny survived. I assume you've heard a baby bunny scream too? Wow can they get loud!

Yes, they sound like small children. The one I have screamed this morning when Fritz was bringing it to me. I always have my ears on high alert this time of year because of my cat! And I am off running at the first squeek.

 

[ArkRescue]

Yes, they sound like small children. The one I have screamed this morning when Fritz was bringing it to me. I always have my ears on high alert this time of year because of my cat! And I am off running at the first squeek.

I have a relative with indoor/outdoor cats that stay on their 3 acres, they never leave. BUT one of them is always catching wildlife! We don't know what to do - she put a bell collar on him and he gets it off, repeat of collar, he gets it off! Frustrating.

 

[Lilypad]

My cat bought me a flying squirrel; after close inspection-it wasn't injured (the 1st one the cat caught wasn't so lucky) I put it in a box, then inside a bird cage until early morning. By early morning's light it was clinging to the top of the cage; I released it and watched it run away into the woods. Just a FYI-I found out they are coming to the bird feeders; and hummingbird feeders.

 

[ZARA]

I have a relative with indoor/outdoor cats that stay on their 3 acres, they never leave. BUT one of them is always catching wildlife! We don't know what to do - she put a bell collar on him and he gets it off, repeat of collar, he gets it off! Frustrating.

It's instinctual. And it's a great trait to have even though it can be annoying. I don't have mice or moles because my cat digs them up and eats them. Sadly, he catches baby bunnies, squirrels, and birds too. I just rehab the ones I can, release the ones he doesn't hurt and wait for the next day of adventure to arrive.

Try using a harness instead of a collar if it's that bad. Bells can be placed on the harness and there isn't much chance of him/it getting the harness off.

BUT the relative would have to be wary of the cat geting stuck on something if he/it is an avid climber. I can't use collars or harnesses on Fritz because he is always in trees and on roofs. The risk is too great for me to even consider.

 

[ZARA]

My cat bought me a flying squirrel; after close inspection-it wasn't injured (the 1st one the cat caught wasn't so lucky) I put it in a box, then inside a bird cage until early morning. By early morning's light it was clinging to the top of the cage; I released it and watched it run away into the woods. Just a FYI-I found out they are coming to the bird feeders; and hummingbird feeders.

Beautiful, super soft, and those effers HURT when they bite.
DO NOT LET IT BITE YOU.

I'm glad it wasn't hurt. I think they are adorable.

 

[Radiant1]

Luckily I am not a novice.

I'm messaging you next time we have a bunny crisis.

 

[ZARA]

I'm messaging you next time we have a bunny crisis.

Any time! Any animal. It is one of the good things I learned from my bio-mother. She sucked but I did learn some very cool things from her so that makes her not all bad.

The only animal I have a hard time rehabing is birds. They are very fragile and I usually contact specialists for them.

 

[frequentflier]

My cat bought me a flying squirrel; after close inspection-it wasn't injured (the 1st one the cat caught wasn't so lucky) I put it in a box, then inside a bird cage until early morning. By early morning's light it was clinging to the top of the cage; I released it and watched it run away into the woods. Just a FYI-I found out they are coming to the bird feeders; and hummingbird feeders.

We get flying squirrels on our peanut butter suet at night during the warmer months. Haven't seen any yet this year. They may be pigging out on the cicadas!

 

[ZARA]

Sad news, bunny didn't make it through the night. After closer inspection there are four deep puntures around the spine that I could not see because it was covered with fur. I always hate waiting out the first 24 hours..

 

[ArkRescue]

I'm messaging you next time we have a bunny crisis.

me too since I have no clue who the nearest official bunny rehabber might be?

 

[mamatutu]

Sad news, bunny didn't make it through the night. After closer inspection there are four deep puntures around the spine that I could not see because it was covered with fur. I always hate waiting out the first 24 hours..

Sorry to hear that, but you tried. At least, he was safe from further torment. I am sure you are disappointed.

 

[ArkRescue]

Sad news, bunny didn't make it through the night. After closer inspection there are four deep puntures around the spine that I could not see because it was covered with fur. I always hate waiting out the first 24 hours..

so sorry - at least it was able to die peacefully with being finished off by some other critter outside.

 

[ZARA]

Basic rules: Save the ones you can and don't worry about the rest.

Sorry to hear that, but you tried. At least, he was safe from further torment. I am sure you are disappointed.

It's always disappointing when they die but at least I don't cry my eyes out like I used to.

But here is a pic of the last one I saved. This was the day I released him after caring for him for a month.

 

[ArkRescue]

Basic rules: Save the ones you can and don't worry about the rest.



It's always disappointing when they die but at least I don't cry my eyes out like I used to.

But here is a pic of the last one I saved. This was the day I released him after caring for him for a month.

AWWW what a cutie ! Yeah I rarely sob like I used to for the chicken deaths. I was a nutcase when Blondie died (Buff Laced Polish Hen) - it must have been that "emotional" part of my monthly hormone cycle? I was a basket case that day.

 

[Rt235]

Sad news, bunny didn't make it through the night. After closer inspection there are four deep puntures around the spine that I could not see because it was covered with fur. I always hate waiting out the first 24 hours..

Umm..Our Vet told us to take them( a nest of bunnies) to a rehabber .. there is one in California, the raccoon lady and the dude in the Ranch Club in Lusby. They are trained to do this. We were told a cat bite is really nasty and needs special medicine right away.
So we took it to the Ranch Club guy, gave him some $$$ and was told they would be ok.
Ya might look them up for the next time so it gets the specialized help it needs!

Nice try anyway.........

 

[ArkRescue]

Umm..Our Vet told us to take them( a nest of bunnies) to a rehabber .. there is one in California, the raccoon lady and the dude in the Ranch Club in Lusby. They are trained to do this. We were told a cat bite is really nasty and needs special medicine right away.
So we took it to the Ranch Club guy, gave him some $$$ and was told they would be ok.
Ya might look them up for the next time so it gets the specialized help it needs!

Nice try anyway.........

I think the person to whom you are referring is Ron at:

Orphaned Wildlife Rescue Center

http://www.orphaned-wildlife-rescue-center.com/index.html