I like cats a lot, but domestic cats can be very skilled hunters and the last thing I want is cats being the extinction cause of the New England Cottontail because I love native wildlife more. (there is no way to know whether this is a New England Cottontail or an introduced Eastern Cottontail)
The bunny is very close to the trap camera so the cat looks much smaller than it is. From other pictures and seeing that cat IRL, I know it is large enough to take down a rabbit. Fortunately the next shot a few minutes later shows the cat walking away so I believe the bunny escaped this close call.
Another reason I’m pretty sure this rabbit escaped is because it dens under my porch and yesterday I nearly stepped on two baby bunnies in my yard. Based on the season I’m guessing they were just heading out on their own from the years first litter.
Paul Hutchinson's Blog 