cat brought in baby rabbit

Question
Last night 30/5/06 my cat brought in a wild baby rabbit through the cat flap, I would love to take it back to where it belongs but don't know where to put her. We have a field at the bottom of our road, but dont know where the nest is.
What should i do and what should i feed her she only had a little bit of milk. Wouldn't take water and hasn't eaten anything. She semms to have found comfort in my chiuhahua at the moment.
I have her in a glass tank with a biscit barrel for a bed in newspaper.
Please help!!!!!!!!

Answer
Dear Sharon,

Aw, poor bunny!  One of the many "cat gifts" of wild rabbits we hear about at this time of year.  I really doubt you'll be able to find the nest, so it might be up to you to try to raise this baby.  It won't be easy, but the fact that your sweet chihuahua has adopted the baby might make it special and worth the trouble!

Please download this:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/wildbabies.pdf

for instructions on proper care and feeding of the baby, or for links to wildlife rehabilitator web sites where you can bring the baby if they do take in baby cottontails (CAUTION:  some rehabbers will take the baby and just feed it to a bird of prey or a snake.  So if you don't know and trust the rehabber, err on the side of caution.).

Note that if the cat gave the baby even a small scratch, the baby should be put on Baytril or ciprofloxacin IMMEDIATELY to prevent systemic infection by the Pasteurella bacteria all over your cat's claws and teeth.  We usually put baby cotties on Baytril if they have been handled by a cat, even if we can't see physical evidence of injury.  Even the tiniest scratch can be fatal.

I hope this helps get you started, and I hope the baby survives.  You will at least know you tried.  Give your sweet pup a good head scritch from me!  :)

Please write back if you have any other questions.

Dana