Growing up, I had two cats, two dogs, two guinea pigs and several fish. I adored all of them. But upon entering my second year of college, I adopted my first rabbit. I have since adopted a second rabbit to keep the first company. Rabbits are an absolute joy and are by far my favorite species of pet I’ve had.
Amusingly enough, they have a delightful combination of all the fun traits dogs and cats have in that...
1. They’re very clean.
They don’t like being dirty, and they groom themselves several times a day. You never have to give them a bath.
2. They love to nap.
Constantly. They take about 17 mini naps a day, which is very similar to how a cat just loves to be comfy and relax.
3. They don’t bark.
OK, so this is a given. And granted, cats can meow when they want attention. But rabbits are silent. They won’t squeak like a guinea pig at night or bark when someone knocks on the door. If anything, they’ll yawn. Cats are mostly pretty quiet, too.
4. They’re very soft and love affection.
One of my rabbits loves to snuggle and take a nap with me. (But they absolutely hate being picked up. Something about feeling like they’re in the wild and a bird has swooped down and grabbed them.)
5. They use a litter box.
Rabbits love having one spot to go to the bathroom, and a litter box is something most rabbits learn how to use right away. So no, you don’t have to take bunny outside to pee. (But you can if you want. Bun might not like it.)
6. They sit like a duck.
Cats and rabbits like to sit like a loaf of bread, with their legs tucked in.
However, rabbits are also like dogs because...
1. They’re always awake when you wake up in the morning.
Just there to greet you and brighten your day. Sure, they want you to feed them, but they’re always ready to start the day when you are. (Cats do too, but I’ve never had my cats jump excitedly around the room when I wake up. Bunnies do, and they’re very dramatic about it.)
2. They can be taken for walks.
Now, not all bunnies will like this. But some like to play in the backyard or go to the beach and dig in the sand.
3. They like to chew on things.
Pups and buns like to chew on everything they shouldn’t. While this doesn’t seem ideal, you can give a rabbit cardboard and they will shred it to pieces.
4. They like to dig.
It’s very silly to watch. If I put a light blanket over my rabbit, she will dig the ground because she thinks she’s underground. Then she realizes she can just walk and eventually “be free.” Dogs love to dig too.
5. Some rabbit breeds look like a fluffy dog.
This is amusing to me because Lionheads also look like a bear cub. Or a little lion.
Fun Bonus: No pet rent.
For most apartments that allow pets, you have to pay about $30 a month per pet. However, my apartment doesn’t charge me for having rabbits since they’re similar to hamsters and fish, and you wouldn’t charge for a fish. So this is a joy, because I can get a cat/dog pet that doesn’t add to my rent. Ideal life!
Rabbits are incredibly therapeutic animals, and my life has improved so much since I adopted them. They are playful, silly and affectionate. Obviously, there's nothing wrong with have a cat, a dog, and a rabbit, though. That’s just triple the fluff and fun.
