I swore I would never do this, but these cats are tearing up everything. My husband wants to get rid of them if we don't get them declawed. After my mom got her cat declawed, the cat started hiding from everyone. He is 6 now and still is very frighty over everyone. Any advice?
2007-12-17 05:28:41 · 42 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Cats
Yes. Use declaw as the last resort.
I have a cat that kept clawing the good couch and chair in the formal living room. Use a combination of these things to stop the cat. My cat is very hard headed and a bit stupid and it finally worked on him. He's 17 pounds of orange and white handsome, cute, lazy slug. I love him.
1) Invest in some more scratching posts and encourage the cat to use them and treat him when he does and praise him. Place the scratching posts close to what he's scratching. When he scratches the post, praise him and treat him. This first step is VERY important.
2) Squirt bottle with water. If you catch the cat scratching, give him a quick squirt. I'm not talking about drenching the poor kitty, just a quick squirt so he associates scratching furniture and such with something he hates. And it doesn't hurt them. This actually works as a great training tool and rarely do I use the squirt bottle now. sometimes just the threat of it stops them.
3) Theres an organic spray at pet smart and petco (usa) that's called kitty no scratch. use that on the places kitty scratches, but remember to use it everyday.
4.) Aluminum foil. They HATE that. Looks stupid until the cat learns, but you get to keep your cat intact without performing a potentially harmful surgery (and painful) and you're have nicer furniture.
5) You can also purchase claw covers but I prefer training the cat not to do the unwanted behavior.
6. Same pet store carries a clear protective coating like tape that goes on the furniture. Keeps the claws from going into the furniture, but again, doesn't stop the behavior and he/she may scratch on something else, which is why the scratching posts are SO important.
7) If you CATCH the cat scratching where he's not supposed to, take him to the scratching post and put is paws on it, in a scratching motion and praise him. This may or may not work but worth a try. This way you are showing him WHERE to scratch.
8) persistance. keep doing this all the time, everyday, don't let any scratch go without performing a corrrective action.
Good Luck!
2007-12-17 05:59:17 · answer #1 · answered by The Cat 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
No, they are not too old...however I am against declawing. It is a painful and most often botched surgery. Worked as a vet tech for 12 years and never got used to participating in the declaws and saw MANY of them go wrong with cats that ended up limping or having tender paws for the rest of their lives. Make sure the vet doing it has done this procedures hundreds of times in the past. Have you tried other alternatives? Soft paws? Scratching posts, or squirting the cats with water from a spray bottle when they scratch? Getting the nails trimmed regularly? I would try these things first before declawing. Remember, these cats should NEVER be allowed outdoors once declawed.
2007-12-17 06:13:16 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
I so understand your problem. When I was a teen, my step dad also forced me to make the same decision. Being young and dumb, I declawed my cats and reget it now. Declawing is not a good idea - cats usually learn to BITE when the claws are removed. And that's not to mention the serious possibility of infection and the big vet bill you will incur. Some vets that are willing to do it, don't do it right leaving a cat with sensitive paws and life time agony. I would suggest talking to your local vet about plastic nail covers. They are really easy for your or the vet to glue on and last several months before needing to be replaced. For example: take a look at Soft Paws (link listed below), which is the non-surgical alternative to declawing. And of course, invest in a nail clipper and nail file.
2007-12-17 05:38:58 · answer #3 · answered by nbt95337 3 · 6⤊ 0⤋
De-clawing is extremely cruel and brutal. Do you realize that it would be like having your fingertips cut off from the first joint nearest to your nail? I can barely type that, it is so revolting to me.
Make sure that your cats have lots of cat toys to play with and several scratching posts to use so that they don't destroy the furniture. Use a spray bottle with plain water in it to gently spray the cats when they start clawing the furniture. There is also a product called Feliway that you can get through your vet or at pet stores. It is a spray that contains natural pheromones that stop cats from marking or clawing items.
When our cats were kittens, we trained them in this manner and now if any of them misbehave all we have to do is say, "spray bottle," and the behavior stops instantly.
Another reason not to declaw is the fact that is one of your cats natural defences, and if they ever go outside, or get outside; they cannot defend themselves against other predatory animals.
Having your fingertips removed would make you very afraid of everyone, right? I am not trying to lecture here, but really think about it and you will know that it is beyond cruel.
My family and I have chosen to care more about the living creatures than furniture, and we keep better pieces covered with easily cleaned slipcovers so that we don't have to worry so much.
Good luck, I hope you can find a good solution for this, and your kitties have long and healthy lives. You could consider rehoming them with someone that you know that is not worried about furniture so much, and you can still visit them.
Merry Christmas.
2007-12-17 05:43:41 · answer #4 · answered by Sue F 7 · 6⤊ 0⤋
I declawed my oldest cat (now 12 years old) when she was younger because of a problem similar to yours. I did not know at the time that declawing involves removing the first joint of the cat's "finger." My cat had to have three additional surgeries because rogue claws would start growing out of the top of her toes. She also became an agressive biter. Declawing is a psychological trauma that some cats never get over as they know that they can no longer defend themselves. I swore to NEVER do it again.
Sometimes it is the humans that need the training not the pets. So bear with me...
My 9 year old cat is a Maine Coon and has 1/2 inch long claws. I trained him to not scratch my providing a scratching post and using a water gun. I also have a 5 year old Maine Coon female who loves her cardboard scratching pad. Neither of these cats regularly scratch inappropriately but I do use Sticky Paws in strategic places and they have a rather large kitty condo to scratch on (worth the investment). So my suggestions:
1) buy a product called Sticky Paws which is double sided tape and stick it on whatever is being clawed. It works! Cats hate to touch it. It is relatively inexpensive at pet stores.
2) Be firm and reprimand with a loud no or "aaaa" sound (kind of like "at" without the "t"). They hate that noise. But yelling or spanking never works. Besides, spanking can cause serious injury to a cat.
3) Also at pet stores and Wal Mart, buy a cardboard scratching board that is on an incline. My cats love it.
4) Get a water gun and use it discretely. I have a pump action water gun. I just have to pump it and they all scatter. It even works to round up the cats when they are reluctant to come in from the back yard (privacy fenced and only under supervision). You should see them run. I seldom have to use it.
5) Work on training your cats. Most cats will actually learn commands. Mine understand and most of the time respond to "stop," "come here," "want a bite," "want to go out," "I see you...you better hide," "see that bird," etc. Keep in mind that they are cats...and view dogs as ridiculous creatures willing to do anything...how stupid of them...but yet cats are willing to do things within reason.
Also keep in mind that although they are animals, they form bonds to their humans and suffer from detachment and change i.e. pets have feelings, too. Has there been any change in your household? Consider this before just giving them away.
2007-12-17 07:26:36 · answer #5 · answered by Granny G 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Definetely try the claw caps, they may be hard to get on though but if yo can get them on it will save your furniture and her claws. In the meantime keep trying to train her. Feed her near/on her scratching post and spray her with water from a spray bottle whenever she is scratching somewhere else you don't want her to. Get her some toys, maybe some with catnip in them and try to keep her distracted. Also I'm not entirely sure with this with females, but is she spayed? Sometimes cat will scratch to mark their territory, so spaying her could help if she isn't spayed already. Honestly I'd rather put up with stuff been scratched rather than get a cat declawed, whether its inside or outside, there are reasons why it's illegal in so many places.
2016-04-10 04:24:10 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can at least find a different home for them. Never get cats declawed, it always depresses them. Do you know what they do when they declaw a cat? They amputate the flesh that connects the nails to the paws. That would be like a human getting all there fingers cut off. Please do not do that. It is very inhumane. Trust me you will not be happy with yourself if you do that
2007-12-17 05:34:01 · answer #7 · answered by Yuzuki 4 · 8⤊ 0⤋
DON'T DECLAW YOUR CATS!!!
It is cruel and is equivalent to someone ripping your fingernails off your hand. This procedure is very painful. It's no wonder your mom's cat hides from everyone now. It thinks everyone is going to hurt it.
Get your cats a scratching post!!! Cats scratch things. I's what they do!!!
You can also get some double sided tape like material they sell in pet stores to put on areas they scratch. The cats don't like the sticky feeling on their paws and won't scratch it anymore.
2007-12-17 05:56:33 · answer #8 · answered by Joe B. 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Just a quick word of advice about Soft Paws. I tried them and they are not for every cat. My cat hated them and worked and worked at chewing them off every time I put them on her. They are not a magic pill that immediately works to stop the cats from damaging your furniture. And, yes, I tried the Soft Paws for several months. Faithfully trimming her nails and gluing the caps back on.
I realize this makes me unpopular here, but both my cats are declawed (exclusive indoor cats) and they suffered no behavioral problems whatsoever. Never gone outside the litter box, don't bite me, and are still incredibly loving and happy. Could declawing be a painful procedure - yes, but not so much when the cat is completly doped up. I can promise you my cats were feeling no pain.
2007-12-17 06:16:35 · answer #9 · answered by suntrap 1 · 3⤊ 2⤋
Do NOT declaw your cats. Spend some time training them to scratch on scratching posts. You can sprinkle some catnip on the post to attract them to it. If they scratch the furniture, shake a can of coins or rocks to scare them. They are not that hard to train. You can also hang tin foil over the areas of furniture they are scratching to deter them until they learn to use the posts.
I had my cat declawed years ago & it ruined my poor cat. She was so nervous after, was afraid of everything & everyone. It is very cruel & I regretted it & would never do it again.
Oh yes, and trim their nails regularly, like every 2 weeks. Makes a big difference.
2007-12-17 05:36:48 · answer #10 · answered by Pogo peeps 6 · 7⤊ 0⤋