Can Rabbits Miss You?

Rabbits can definitely miss you. Like you as a person, not just the Bringer of Food.

It’s just that mine don’t. They literally dgaf. In fact, we got them during lockdown – March 2021 – and i think they were relieved when we returned to work three months later.

Do rabbits recognise their owners?

Yes, and pretty quickly too.

My rabbits have also all been friendly straight away with my parents, probably because I look 50% like my mum and 50% like my dad. It’s unmistakable.

I think it’s weird that people think rabbit’s wouldn’t recognise someone that literally lives in their house with them.

I mean, we have an aquarium and the fish 100% know the difference between my boyfriend and I. They get super excited when he walks by (he Food Man) and don’t react when i go by because I rarely feed them.

They know. They just might not care.

Some rabbits miss you more than others

We’ve had rabbits that ran up to us when we’ve been away, and rabbit that never looked up.

I think Daisy missed us when we were away because when we were handed her back, we were told she was just staying at the back of her box, but when I was sat in the car with her she came to the front and sat by my hand.

I mean, she probably didn’t miss me, so much as she missed knowing her surroundings, but it felt nice knowing I was providing some comfort to her.

Daisy seemed glad to see me because I was me, but other rabbits (Isobel, I mean you) 100% was only glad to see me in the vets because I was her ride home.

I can’t describe how I know that, but if you’d had rabbits you’ll probably know what I mean.

Rabbits miss you for different reasons

Some rabbits just miss having a familiar face giving them food, but others miss having someone to cuddle up with and climb on.

I’ve seen too many videos of rabbits waiting for kids to get up in the morning or get back from school to think that they only miss us because we feed them.

Rabbits are just as capable of missing you as dogs or cats

I don’t think rabbits are any less intelligent than dogs, I think they’re just less interested in pleasing us. They’re definitely more like cats in that way.

Some rabbits won’t leave your side when you’ve been away because they missed you. Your smell, your personality, your pets, you.

Other rabbits miss you, but they miss you being there because when you’re not there, it’s different. If you only leave them once or twice a year, you not being there is weird and unsettling.

Rabbits do not like feeling weird and unsettled, so prefer it when you’re there.

Cats are the same – some miss you, the person, others miss you, the meat block that eats crisps and drinks wine on the sofa.

Dogs always miss the person.

My parents went away for one night, leaving me to look after their geriatric dog and cat (combined age of 35). We had a swell time – I drank their wine and read all their books, the dog and cat slept peacefully, without being bounced on by my parents much smaller, younger dogs.

But Emma (dog, whippet, 16) was so excited when my parents got home. She knows me well, likes me, and I bought her a pasty that my parents wouldn’t have and yet still, she was so excited for their return.

The cat didn’t care. Why would she? I fed her, opened the door ten thousand times, and if she squint in the right way, she could pretend I was either my mum or dad. To the cat, there was nothing amiss.

Rabbits thrive on routine

I mean realistically, don’t we all?

Some pets miss you, and others don’t, but if it makes you better, you can pretend they all miss us, but they’re just playing it cool.