Cat brought in baby rabbit, not njured. Can’t find nest! Advice please!

[EIEIO_farm]

Our cat brought in a baby cottontail a couple hours ago. Well, actually I managed to get my cat away before she could run off with it. It seems to be ok, no punctures or blood. It’s still small, definitely belongs to a nest with its mama. But we live on 6 acres so finding the nest (or the correct nest) is pretty impossible. What should I do??

 

[SnapdragonQ]

That baby is big enough to fend for itself.
I had large gardens on my other farm and a gazillion bunnies. Some were so tame I could get within 2 feet and one mom in particular used to bring the babies right up to the house. Every litter, every year. It was if she was saying "Hey kiddos...see that human over there?? She's nice. Make sweet faces at her and she will toss you some goodies to eat."
Anyway, once the bunnies were this size mom was well past kicking them out on their own and went about the business of having another batch of kids.
There is a reason why people say -they multiply like rabbits.

Once you are certain the bunny is not injured you can let it go in some thick brush or somewhere it can find shelter from your cat.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

Adorable!

 

[silly4buttons]

my cats do that I can’t stand it. One time they decided to bring home 3 of them.

 

[Danny188]

Definitely old enough to be alone let it go it can fend for itself, mama rabbits havent even had their young yet its too early still. I have taken care of young rabbits in a nest after there mom was hit by a car I released them when they were way younger than that and found them weeks later ok and living fine.

 

[NightingaleJen]

@SnapdragonQ and @Danny188 are right, that very very cute rabbit is old enough to be on its own now. We live in the woods and I see them this size all of the time, all by themselves, scampering all over the place.

 

[CJLR]

It looks old enough to take care of its self i would let it go but maybe in a different spot so that the cat won't get it again
My old cat brought us a few baby rabbits one time but unfortunately they all died
Try not to hold it or cuddle it as cute as it may be it can stress the rabbit out too much if you think it is too young to go out on its own then call a wildlife rehabilitator to see if they can give you instructions on care or if they will raise it

 

[CJLR]

Any updates?

 

[AltonaAcres]

He's plenty old enough to live on his own.

 

[Aquatic_blue]

I agree, that bunny looks old enough to fend for itself.

I remember I had a cat that found a nest and brought 4 of them into our yard and they were tiny, barely old enough to hop. We ended up formula feeding them and weighing them until we were able to call our local Game & Fish who referred us to a lady that cares for little bunnies brought in by pets in the spring and then releases them at a local park.