2007-04-25 04:42:38 · 24 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Cats
Declawing a cat is never a good idea, especially if it's a grown adult. It's a very painful surgery and may cause permanent physical and mental harm to the cat. My mother's cats were declawed as adults, and they were visibly in pain for months afterward - one became extremely timid after the surgery and has never been the same since.
If you're considering declawing, please read these pages first:
http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?action=library&act=show&item=002
http://www.declawing.com
I would suggest using softpaws caps on its nails to protect the sofa while you teach it to use scratching posts instead. http://www.softpaws.com has the caps & info, and you can usually find them at pet supply stores. If you're not used to handling your cat's paws, you can call around to find a vet or groomer to apply them for you and show you how. If you apply them, make sure to distract the cat for 10 minutes after applying the caps to give the glue time to set. If any come off, just replace them as they fall off. If the cat is very determined to remove them, you can apply a dab of bitter apple spray or cream (from the pet store) to the caps to discourage it from chewing on them. Most cats adjust within a week or so - some adjust even more quickly. The caps usually last about 4-6 weeks per application - they will gradually fall off as the nails grow out. You can reapply them as they come off. If they don't come off on their own & you notice the nails growing long, you can trim the tips off the caps, and then flex the remaining part over the nail to break up the glue so you can remove it.
http://www.catscratching.com has excellent info for training a cat to scratch designated scratching posts, and suggestions for training the cat to leave the furniture alone.
Once the cat has learned not to scratch the sofa, you may choose to discontinue the softpaws - but if she is allowed to climb on the sofa, it's probably a good idea to trim her nails blunt, to prevent accidental damage to the leather. http://www.catscratching.com/htmls/article.htm has instructions for trimming the claws. If the leather is easily penetrated or marred, you may want to continue using the softpaws on her back claws to prevent damage from when the cat presses in with her feet when she jumps or runs.
Hope this helps!
2007-04-25 05:23:32 · answer #1 · answered by Bess2002 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋
The absolute 100% effective way is to keep him out of the room that the sofa is in!
Get a scratch post, and cover it with some old leather from somewhere if that's what your cat likes to dig his claws into. Everytime you see him go to scratch your sofa, take him away with a sharp NO to make him jump, and put his paws on the scratch post. He should get the message.
I hear soft paws work, but once they start coming off you may have problems if you don't catch them in time.
Chalice
2007-04-25 05:09:33 · answer #2 · answered by Chalice 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Cover the sofa forever. Keep the claws trimmed and get a sprayer with only water in it. Spray the cat when it touches the sofa.
In my experience, you have either nice cats or a nice sofa. Never both.
2007-04-25 04:48:13 · answer #3 · answered by grapeshenry 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
go and buy a scratching post, spray bottle for water, and a pair of nail clippers for cats. cats scratch all the time so give it something it can scratch on. the spray bottle doesn't work for all cats, but most don't like it. If the nails are kept short without hooks or sharp ends it is harder for them to actually get into the material. and as inhumane as it is,, if you've tried everything else and nothing is helping then you can always front declaw.
2007-04-25 05:02:39 · answer #4 · answered by nicole 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
There are quite a few options.
1.Double sided sticky tape
2. Soft paws
3. They have sprays that supposedly make that cat not come near where you spray it
4. Declaw the cat
5. Get him a few of those cardboard scratcher things with the cat nip inside it.
2007-04-25 05:20:03 · answer #5 · answered by Kari R 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Bitter Apple Spray
Soft Paws (nail caps)
Double stick tape (put it where the cat scratches and his hands will stick to it and he won't like the way it feels)
Declawing (I only approve of this if its done with a laser because some vets cut off the cats finger to his first joint which is really wrong. Lasers are much more humane)
*Please do not spray your cat in the face with water...That's MEAN!
2007-04-25 05:01:01 · answer #6 · answered by mrb1017 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
It is what cats do. You need to buy (or make) a scratching post for him and somehow encourage him to begin using it. Once he has gotten the idea, he will like it more than any soft furniture
2007-04-25 04:46:14 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Have it de-clawed.
If this is not an option. Stand guard with a squirt bottle and give it a spray every time you catch it clawing the sofa. However, keep in mind that cats are rather independent by nature and don't train well.
2007-04-25 04:46:57 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 4⤋
Go to the pet store and buy some sort of spray to deter her. Then buy a scratcher box. It's a cardbord box made of corrageted cardboard. You sprinkle cat nip on it and they really go for it. Worked with both my cats.
2007-04-25 04:46:46 · answer #9 · answered by sweet sue 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I'm not to sure but I've heard a little spray of water from a spray bottle is suppose to help with discipline.
2007-04-25 04:48:11 · answer #10 · answered by jacaueline p 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋