How can I get my cat to stop scratching my kids as well as myself?

Question

I think he wants to play so when we walk by he attacks by jumping up almost like a pounce. Help

Answer 1

Kick him in his head a couple of times that usually breaks that habit.

Answer 2

That is exactly what he wants - to play. As his human companions, you can take the initiative and offer to play first, in an acceptable way for you. They need to be taught what is acceptable in your house, just like children. There are all kinds of toys you can get that involve a person at one end and a cat at the other. This will give your cat exercise, give you some amusement, and tire him out so that he doesn't want to pounce on your feet anymore. Just don't overdo it. If the cat starts to pant, it needs to take a break.

When the cat pounces a firm "no" is appropriate, and give the cat no reaction other than that. I tend to talk to my cats, and if they do something wrong, I ask them, just as if they were a child, "Now why did you do that?" ... in my most disappointed voice. It seems to work.

Praise and love with appropriate play ... no benefit from behavior you don't welcome. They are rather intelligent creatures. You should soon see a difference if the cat gets the right guidance.

Answer 3

You dont say how old he is...this is natural cat behaviour but can be modified with training. He does want to play you need to set limits on what he does.

Do not declaw him. I did this to my cats and regretted it ever since. They actually remove part of the bone for each talon...once the anesthetic wears off, they are in agony and have to relearn how they jump and move around.

The best way to deal with this is to get the advice of a vet. Kittens will scratch and pounce...it is natural to them....if you start early enough, saying NO loudly when they do this, they will learn their limits.

Answer 4

Get another cat! He's playful and needs to get that pouncing energy out of him and onto a better target. No animal should be alone, or humans pay for it!

I had a cat who use to dart out from under the table at me and trip me almost everynight. Got him a buddy and they have fun chasing each other. I would still play with them, but I didn't have to fear walking in the kitchen anymore!

Answer 5

Use a spray bottle on him each time he stalks or attacks. You might also get him a furry friend to pounce on. Two cats are really easier than one. You can also get nail slips (Soft Paws) to put on his claws that will take the scratch out of them.

Answer 6

I am a pet owner and I got my cat to stop scratching by showing him that it hurts. Animals learn behavior by reaction. Next time he scratches try squeezing his paw a little or you can buy caps for him. De-clawing is painful and there may be worse side effects such as the nail growing back, infection, etc. Check into surgery before performing it on your animal.

Answer 7

Your cat is being playful and NOT aggresive. Cats are instinctive hunters and pounce on their prey like that. Clipping his claws with a toenail clipper will prevent you guys from getting hurt. Also, give him some toys to play with, live stuffed toy mice, and get him a string-on-a-wand toy to play with him. When he pounces at you guys, just say "No" in a firm voice.

Answer 8

Instead of declawing the cat (which would be equivalent to removing the fingernail down to the top knuckle) you might just want to clip his/her nails. Get regular nail clippers and just snip of the sharp tip. Becareful not to go to low or you will hit the "quick" and cause pain and bleeding. You can usually see the "quick" as it gets darker on the nail lower down. If this does not sound like something you would be interested in doing then you could try squirting him/her with a squirt gun or spray bottle with water when he/she scratches you. Good Luck!!!

Answer 9

My cat did this too - until I bought the kids water pistols from the dollar shop. Every time he did this he got sprayed. Big time. I had to tell the kids to ONLY do it when he scratched them - they kind of enjoyed it! Armed and dangerous!
Also make sure the kids are giving him TONS of attention. It really is an attention thing.
All the best.

Answer 10

First of all, please realize that you cat is trying to get attention - it wants to play!

When my cat scratches, I spray him with a water bottle and say "No" firmly, then ignore him.

You can do several other things to lessen the risk, but declawing is inhumane and isn't advised. Don't believe me? Check out these sites: http://www.declawing.com/htmls/declawing.htm and http://www.thepetcenter.com/sur/catdc.html (GRAPHIC PICTURES). Not only is declaing painful (equivelent to removing your finger nail and finger down the first knuckle), but it also robs your cat of it's ability to defend itself, should it ever get outdoors.

Your kitty probably is a bit lonely and just wants to play, consider getting another cat. Also make sure your kitty has plenty of food, fresh water, and toys to keep him occupied - and play with him!

Try Soft Paws nail caps - you put them on over your cats nail. http://www.softpaws.com/

You can also trim your cats claws - using cat claw clippers. Do not cut below the quick. Buy some Quick-Stop for just in case (it's a powder that stops bleeding).

Also, try checking out this site, written by a vet, to get more ideas on how to get your kitty to stop scratching: http://www.catscratching.com/

Answer 11

the age of the cat should be considered, kitten to two years it is to be expected, older than that, get a water spray bottle and give the kitty a shot when it acts in a manner that is not acceptable. also make sure that you give the cat plenty of love because it may feel that that he/she is competing for attention.
i know this stuff because i can't even rub my wife's neck without the 3 cats that i live with coming up and waiting in line to get their heads rubbed.