Cat scratching AAHH!?

Question

I need help with my orange tabby. He is distroying the house he is constaly scratching at the walls and doors. I have to sand and paint 5 doors and numerous moldings. How do i get him to stop scratching? I have tried that no scratch spray that you get at patsmart. But obviously it did not work.Everyone is getting angry and if i dont figure out something to do ill have to get rid of him. I dont want to do that. Also summer is coming so i was wondering i could shave him to like a regular cats hair length(he has wild long orange hair.)I was wondering if that would be mean or not. Not sure if i would tempt it or not though. Anyways if anyone could help on the scratching subject that would be awsome-Thanks

Im not getting his claws remove. Thats just mean how would you like to have your nails removed?

HE IS NOT GETTING DECLAWED! He indoor/outdoor, fixed, and has a scratch post. already tried the water bottle thing. But since he like to jump in the shower i dont think thats gonna do any good

Answer 1

First of all, thank you for not wanting to declaw him. It is the absolute right thing to do. Already you are showing signs of a responsible pet owner, so good for you!

A little patience should be all it takes for you to get this squared away.

First thing to do is get him on a good nail cutting schedule, even if you have to take him to the vet once a month (I think it costs like 8 bucks).

Then make sure you have lots of things that he CAN scratch on. I took brillo pad type wooly welcome mats that I got for 4 bucks at Wal Mart and screwed them onto the door frame. My cats love it and they climb up and down it all day long.

Also, when I got my oldest cat, he was a furniture scratcher, so I taped aluminum foil onto the areas of the couch that he would scratch on. Most cats don't like the way the foil feels under their nails, and this will deter them.

The water bottle business never worked for me because my cats love the water, get bathed every few weeks and they just consider it playtime. But the water may work for you.

Also, there are claw caps that are almost like acrylic nails that get glued onto the cats natural nails. I haven't used them personally, but my aunt has hot pink ones for her cat and they're working out rather well for everyone.

Just be diligent and once he starts scratching on things he's not supposed to be, shout a firm 'no' and take him right to something he is allowed to scratch on. Also, offer a treat once he's scratching on the 'good' areas.

As for the hair thing, if you don't have air conditioning and he's a strictly indoor cat, you could shave him if you'd like. But if you can get him on a regular grooming schedule (baths and brushing), that will naturally thin out his coat and make him more comfortable once the weather gets hotter and he won't have to go through the stress of a visit to the groomer.

And it may seem like a bit of an extreme, but you can also get cooled pet beds (I think they plug into an outlet) as a place for him to relax if he gets too uncomfortable in the heat.

Mine lie down in the bathtub if they get too hot and play in the left over water from when we're done with our showers. It's very cute actually.

Let me know how it goes and if I can be of any further help. Good luck to you and your little guy :-)

Answer 2

You could get him declawed, which is basically the easiest option. When a cat is declawed the front claws are usually the only things removed so tha they still have the back claws for defense. Since it souinds like your cat is an indoor cat anyway, I don't think he has any dire need to keep his claws. He may also be acting out because of hormones. Either he's just worked up and hyper or trying to get out of the house. You can get him a scratching post at a pet store if you plan to keep his claws in(where you can also get him trimmed), but in addition to that, get him neutered(sp?) if he isn't already.

Answer 3

Try Soft Paws, also called Soft Claws. They're plastic covers that go on the claws. They're glued on with a non-toxic glue and naturally fall off when the top layer of the cats claw sheds. Below are the product websites and they can be purchased at PetSmart and Petco. Good luck!

www.softclaws.com
www.softpaws.com

Answer 4

Like the girl says, get the front claws removed ONLY if he is to be an indoor cat. The only other alternative is get a spray bottle filled with water (very cold icy) and when you see your furry friend doing the unthinkable spray him. It will take some time and consistancy but it does work. Cats hate water and using cold water will make it work even better.

Answer 5

Cats like to scratch on surfaces to sharpen their nails, you could get a scratching post or try using cardboard boxes, my cat scratches them instead of the furnuture. Try cliping the tips of his nails if he doesn't stop, you can use a regular nail clipper, try to cut mostly where the nail is white, you don't want to take out blood. If a pice of his nail peels of I suggest don't try pulling it, either cut it with the nail clipper or just wait for it to fall off. Or just be careful, try to sort of twist the peeled of part of his claw around then try to cut it with you finger nails. Well good luck and I hope this helped you!!!

Answer 6

Get his front claws removed and take him to a groomer to get hair trimmed. Good Luck