[Herp Lover]

I am planing on breeding rats and maybe mice for snake food and was interested in feeding them to my cats. My concern is that I have 2 small rabbits that live with the cats so I am worried that the cats might start thinking that the rabbits are food.

 

[Herp Lover]

Thanks, I have another question how much of the cats diet can be made up of rats?

 

[Herp Lover]

Thanks.

 

[~Siameseifuplz~]

Are you going to be humanely killing the rodents prior to feeding? If you are offering dead mice/rats I would not be at all concerned about them changing their minds about the rabbits...though I'd be pretty nervous about that in the first place, all it takes is the rabbit to decide to run too fast and kitty's instinct will take control. But that depends on how much interaction you are allowing between kitty and rabbit.

 

[Herp Lover]

I will be using CO2 to kill the rodents. The rabbits have the run of my room so the cats interact with them all day. Indoor cats and indoor rabbits tend to be fine together.

 

[Arianwen]

You've answered my main concern. If you had been feeding the rodents live, I would have worried quite a lot (somewhat dependent on the size of your rabbits).

I ahve to admit to a weakness here, though. While one animal hunting another in the "wild" is something I accept - and with cats who have access to the outside it is hardly an unknown experience - I wouldn't cope with breeding for food. But I confess to be able to bond with almost anything - give me time and I could probably make friends with a cockroach!!!! Bit weird really for someone to whom it is not an unknown experience to find a whole lamb's liver left in a bag on the front seat of her car!

 

[JasonBond]

I am planing on breeding rats and maybe mice for snake food and was interested in feeding them to my cats. My concern is that I have 2 small rabbits that live with the cats so I am worried that the cats might start thinking that the rabbits are food.

I own a neutered rabbit and he and my cats play and snuggle together. I occasionally foster guinea pigs for our rescue facility (the director is highly allergic to them) and my cats would do anything to eat the lil pigs.. I think you'll be fine. Keep a spray bottle near the rabbit cage for the first week or two, if you think the cat's are stalking the rabbits then stop them with that or however you see fit to discipline them. Remember, positive reinforcement can go a long way. If your cats are being good to the rabbits then play with them or give them a treat.. Don't feed them in sight of the rabbits either, they might associate the rabbits with food, and with that prey drive you don't want the wrong associations to take place..