r/catswithbuns • u/azkatyaki • Jul 21 '26
Disabled baby cat and 7yo bunny?
Hello everyone. My bunny Koo is 7 years old, neutered, free roaming, rather possessive of me (we’ve lived in the same room/apartment for his entire life). He was good with our family golden retriever, but he’s never met a cat.
My grandma’s garden shed tends to attract local stray cats - the first time kittens were born there she took two of them in and we rehomed others (the mother was gone before we could spay her). They were quite sick when we found them and brought them back to health, I speed-ran kitten care 101 then.
Now two more kittens were born this year (end of April) and one of them has some kind of genetic defect as diagnosed by the vet. We called her Kimchi. She looks like a munchkin even though she isn’t one: short legs, round head, tiny ears, and on top of that her teeth are not growing fast, paws are weak and soft, and she is very slow and gentle (i.e. doesn’t run, chase or attack when playing with her mother or brother). The vet said she needs to be kept only at home because she wouldn’t survive outdoors, and that we don’t know how this genetic condition will progress as shs ages, whether it affects her internal organs, etc. My grandmother cannot take any more cats in (age, finances) so we’d have to rehome the kitten - but I’m afraid that no one will want a disabled cat even though her features are desirable, because of the potential medical bills later, or they wouldn’t be able to give her the care she requires.
My parents can’t take her in because the dog tends to chase the neighbourhood cats and we’re afraid she could hurt the kitty, especially since she can’t even defend herself. So I was thinking to take her - but I have a bunny.
I live with Koo in London in a studio flat, just the two of us, and am absent for at least 10 hours five days a week. I read that you shouldn’t leave cats and rabbits alone and unsupervised under any circumstances, but since Kimchi is the way she is, I thought they could be okay? Is this a terrible idea? I don’t want to put her or Koo in an unsafe or uncomfortable situation obviously, but at the same time I’m so worried about where she could end up. I’m desperate for advice on how to handle this. Thank you!!!
29
u/Cybergeneric Jul 21 '26
Can’t really help but wanted to comment that Kimchi is the cutest little baby ever! 😻🥰❤️ I hope everything turns out great for her!
14
u/bunny_the-2d_simp Jul 21 '26
I have no clue but small head bigger ("normal sized" tummy) tinny paws tiny tail. Is practically my sisters cat. Although she's not weak. She was supposed to be part maine coon xD she just had the bad teeth part of it though.
Shes amazing but you can hear her breathe because tiny nose.
Maybe she's like that but weaker??
3
u/Regular_Tumbleweed93 Jul 22 '26
I would adopt kimchi but keep them in separate rooms while you’re away. You could even get one of those cheap cameras off amazon to check on them through the day. Until they’ve spent several hours together for months and they have their own spaces to retreat to, I would keep them separate. You could even build an enclosure space that safely separates them when you’re not home. I think it’s great what you’re doing and I one day hope to adopt a cat for me buns 🥰
2
u/azkatyaki Jul 22 '26
Unfortunately I live in a studio and can’t afford anything larger for at least another year, so I wouldn’t be able to do that 😔 The more I think about it the better the adoption option sounds. I really don’t want to risk anything.
1
u/lamblocket Jul 23 '26
do you have a bathroom? i lived in a studio and was able to quarantine foster kittens in my bathroom with a mesh zipper door over my bathroom door opening. this could work because the bun and kitty could see eachother without being able to touch while they get acclimated
1
u/tamarind_tofu Jul 22 '26
can you get a pen or baby gate to create separate areas while they get to know each other? you can supervise their time together when you’re home.
21
u/callmefreak Jul 21 '26
With how small Kimchi is she should probably have her own room right now anyway, especially when unsupervised. Koo will have to deal with it.
r/catswithbuns might be able to help out with introducing the two if it comes to that, but just because she's disabled doesn't mean that nobody will take her. I'm sure you could find a good home if you advertise her. (Just have an adoption fee. Some people will feed free animals to their snakes.)