The Connections Project

Rabbits

Rabbits and cats are about the same size, and they're both mammals, but the similarities pretty much end there. Whereas a cat's life is one of exploration and adventure, a rabbit never strays too far from the safety of its hole. Rabbits are more timid than cats. They have shorter tails, but make up for it with longer ears. Cats and rabbits generally ignore each other.

Left to themselves, dogs are generally predators of rabbits. The mere presence of a good-sized dog will spook rabbits and send them hiding. Besides both being mammals, rabbits and dogs have almost nothing in common.

Very large birds will hunt and eat rabbits, usually swooping in from above. Medium-sized birds like ducks might pick fights with rabbits, but the rabbits will actually win these encounters. Smaller birds will generally ignore rabbits. The biggest difference between these two animals is that one can fly and one is earthbound.

Humans often domesticate rabbits and make pets out of them. Historically, we hunted rabbits and ate them, but this is fairly rare nowadays. To some of us, such as farmers, rabbits are pests, eating our crops, a nuisance to be trapped or exterminated. Wild rabbits are terrified of humans and will run away in an instant.