Rabbits can coexist with dogs and cats in multi-species households, but supervision and careful introductions are essential to prevent predatory behavior and ensure rabbit welfare.
Multi-species households with rabbits require honest assessment of predatory drive in the companion dog or cat, and ongoing management that genuinely protects the rabbit from stress and injury. The rabbit's experience in a multi-species home may involve chronic fear if the dog or cat shows predatory interest - a stress that has measurable welfare implications even without physical injury. Welfare-positive multi-species management assesses each individual animal honestly rather than assuming coexistence is possible, provides the rabbit with escape routes and areas the dog cannot access, and never leaves animals unsupervised until coexistence is fully established over months.