Wiley and the Rabbit

I was taking photos of the hot air balloons the other day when I saw our cat, Wiley, coming across the yard with something in his mouth. I snapped this shot and was surprised it actually came out. At first I though it was one of the big rats that live around here. Wiley ran to the back porch and I followed him. It was at the door when he put the creature down that I realized it was a young cottontail rabbit. I grabbed Wiley so he couldn't get the rabbit again and the little rabbit ran off the porch and Wiley slipped out of my yards and the chase was on again while I yelled at the cat to leave the rabbit alone and the dogs chased after the cat. (Wish someone had filmed it with a video). In seconds the rabbit had gone through the fence to the neighbors side. I caught Wiley and put him in the house then went back out to check on the rabbit. I hadn't seen any blood on it and it hadn't acted as if it was hurt by being hauled around by the cat for which I was thankful.

The dog at the neighbors had been barking at the hot air balloons and never noticed the cat or rabbit or me. The one little dog, a healer cross, sort of danced around the rabbit which had 'froze' once he was on the other side of the fence. That dog never seemed to notice the rabbit was there at all. I was able to take the second photo of the little rabbit through the fence, then I decided it should leave before one of the dogs did realize it was there. I shook the fence and it scooted off out through the fence to where it was in the couple of acres that are behind mine and my neighbors houses which is like native New Mexico desert which is why it is full of rabbits, rats, ground squirrels, lizards, song birds, doves, quail, and there used to be a large bull snake that lived there.

I told my neighbor about the experence and she wished someone had filmed it too. I just hope Wiley learns I don't want his 'gifts' of lizards, birds, and rabbits. He had given a live, un-injured bird to my husband a few days before.