I do not believe in declawing cats. However, my 14 lb. cat just clawed my 5 lb. dog in the eye. What do I do

Question

I have another cat and they often bat at each other, but never extend their claws. The dog tries to play with the cat, she gets mad and bats at him. I *really* don't want to declaw her, but is there any other way to prevent her from injuring the dog again?

b/c declawing is basically chopping off the entire first "joint" of our finger - it's amputation, not just removal of claws :(

dog is 1 yr - we got him at 9 mos. isn't the first time she's batted at him, just the first time she's made contact. he doesn't seem to get it, even though he's *usually* smart.

I already clip their claws on my own. Soft Paws don't stay for more than 3 days so that has already been tried. Good idea though

We had the cats first. The dog is the new member of the family :) He does get walked daily, he is just hyper and puppy-ish and playful. We have a very small house in a city with no yard. Thanks for all of the great answers so far, it is quite a predicament!

Oh and the dog's retina is punctured and scratched. He is okay, on pain meds and antibiotics. Nothing permanent (well, probably a scar) but nothing I want to happen to him again!

Answer 1

Dear Asker,
Please see the links below to read about declawing and alternatives. I know that it's a lot of information, but please opt to be informed for the sake of your kitty. Thanks!

You people who are suggesting declawing should feel ashamed. I can't believe that y'all are so ill informed that you actually believe only the claws are removed and that there are no negative effects on the cat.

With the soft paws--- Sometimes you have to waste a bit of money trying to find just the right size. Did you try the adhesive?

Answer 2

Well, I'm glad to hear that you don't agree declawing cats! I was told that it's like cutting a humans fingers up to the knuckle, would you be able to function...I wouldn't! Anyway, the only thing you can do to protect your furniture is to clip it's nails and to have a good scratching post. Some scratching posts are made out of just carpet and cats get sick of them pretty quickly. You need to find one that has rope wrapped around the pole or I've also seen a scratching board that you put catnip inside that seems to work. Also, if you see your cat scratching furniture make sure that you clap your hands very loud to let it know that it is bad. Good luck!

Answer 3

Your dog is still very young and you don't mention whether you had the cats first. Was the dog used to living with cats before you adopted him? Had your cats ever lived with a dog before? A lot will depend on which animals you had first and how you introduced them to each other.

The usual problem is a clash of body language. When a cat runs, the dog's instinct to chase often takes over. When a cat raises a fore-paw it is to swipe another cat, but to a dog it is a sign of play. When a cat waves its tail it is a sign of high excitement, frequently anger, but to a dog it is a sign of friendliness. The two species misinterpret each others body language until they learn it.

Does your dog get a lot of exercise? Most likely he's trying to play with the cat, but his attempts are not well received by the cat who may feel she is being threatened by him. As you say your cats don't extend their claws when playing with each other, she probably doesn't understand that the dog just wants join in the fun too. Perhaps you need to find a way of helping the dog burn off his energy so that he's less excitable around the cats.

I've posted a link below that will give you practical advice on your pets' situation which may help you to resolve it. See the section on Meeting Dogs;

http://www.messybeast.com/first-impressions.htm

In the UK and many other countries declawing is illegal and lots of people who own cats and dogs do find a way to help them get along with each other without having to resort to declawing the cat. Bear in mind that your cat is lashing out with her claws because she feels threatened and if she feels the same way without claws, she might resort to biting the dog instead as a form of defence.

I hope your dog wasn't badly injured and that you can find a happy solution for all your pets.

Good luck.

Answer 4

I am glad your dog will be OK.

everyone has opinions about declawing and how bad it is.
I think declawing your cat will not harm it I had a cat who was declawed (front paws only) she could catch mice and everything She has since passed away of old age.
I also have a cat that is front paws are declawed and he loves being outside he catches mice,moles.chipmunks and other small rodents. He is a great cat and had no ill effects from being declawed.
Go with a good Vet and you will not be sorry.

Answer 5

Have you ever heard of softpaws? I got them for my cat when i first got my dog because i was afriad of this sort of thing happening. I got them from petco actually and they were cheap. basically, they are this little soft plastic mold sorta thing that you individually glue onto each of your cats nails. she will still be able to extend her claws like normal, and make a healthy scratching motion on a post or whatever, but she wont be able to actually harm your furniture or your dog. They fall off after a period of time, for my cat it was like three weeks, but then you just replace them as needed. They are really useful and easy to put on if your cat doesnt mind having her paws touched. I found them really helpful. Eventually i learned that the dog and the cat are just friends, and she stopped extended her claws at him so i stopped using them, but i highly suggest at least trying them, especially before doing something as extreme as declawing her, which i also disagree with. Also, you should know that not only on is declawing similar to removing the first joint in a human finger, but the trauma of having it done can actually cause a cat to alter her behavior, so you might never get your sweet little cat back once you do it. I wouldnt ever have my cat declawed, but to each their own. Anyways, seriously, try softpaws, Like i said i got them at petco, they were relatively inexpensive and came with enough for a few months supply. I got them in clear, but you can even get the in funky colors!

Answer 6

well.. i cut my kittens nails quite often. although u are against declawing, u need to figure lout which of these 2 things u want to do.

1, declaw ur kitten for the safety of u, ur family, and dog,

or 2, try to explain to ur kitten that clawing the dog is a big no-no.

I hope it works out! I hope i helped! Good luck!

Answer 7

Ok there are these little rubber tips you can glue on your cats nails! They come in all different colors and sizes. They also work great to keep a cat from scratching on the furniture too!
They are really nice to and they shouldn't give your cat any pain at all!
Hope this helps!!!!

Answer 8

Cats and dogs can't be good friends. Cats don't like dog and the same as dogs. Just put away you cat or your dog when they are getting near to each other. Because even though how hard you try to make them be friends they can't still do that... Hope this will help you. :D

Answer 9

I would never declaw my cats, its like cutting off their fingers, they do sell things that are like....a manicure for cats, they cover up the nail so the cat can't cause damage to anything or anyone, of course you do have to put them on about once a week, but its better then cutting off all their fingers...
Good luck to you and your animals

Answer 10

Having a hurt eye and possibly losing eyesight from that eye is more cruel than declawing a cat! specially w all the advances in surgery and pain medication these days. Sounds like most ppl against the procedure never had a declawed cat..... I have three and they did not change at all after the procedure and no risk of scratched corneas from them