How do rabbits respond to the feces of carnivorous mammals?

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A fluffy gray cat clings to the trunk of a tree, looking upward as it climbs to escape. — Avoidance behaviour Cat fleeing by upward climbing.

In the context of avoidance behaviour, rabbits utilize chemoreception to detect the presence of potential threats in their environment. When rabbits encounter the feces of carnivorous mammals, they respond by moving considerable distances away from the source of the odor.1

This reaction is an adaptive survival mechanism, as it allows the prey to avoid areas where predators may be present or active. While the exact physiological mechanisms of how these chemical cues are detected remain a subject of study, this behavior serves as a clear example of how animals use sensory information to mitigate the risk of predation.1