Kitty advice, please

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  • katismiles
    katismiles Posts: 96 Member
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    Cut it's nails and buy a TON of scratching posts and put cat nip in the scratching posts. I don't even trim my cat's nails and they never scratch anything but their posts.
  • lizdavis07
    lizdavis07 Posts: 766 Member
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    I say do what you feel you should do. You're going to get mixed opinions here, which might make the decision tougher.
  • puggleperson
    puggleperson Posts: 740 Member
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    ABSOLUTLEY NOT! I would rather see him declaw himself over the kitty. It is extremly cruel and painful and should be banned. If he can't handle what comes with a cat then he shouldn't have gotten one. I am really sorry to be harsh but how would you feel if someone pulled out all your finger nails? There are many options. One poster showed you soft paws which cover the nail, there are also sprays and good old fashion scratching posts... Cats need them anyways so it's a good idea to purchase one. Try Craigslist for cheap pre owned ones and then show them how to use it. cats are freakin smart amazing animals.. You can teach them anything and they will learn! Good luck and please don't go this inhumane route!
  • djkshdfd
    djkshdfd Posts: 443 Member
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    Softpaws really work. My sister used them for years on her cats. Just make sure to replace any that fall off. She ended up giving in a declawing her cats but regrets it. Just some personal experience.

    Also, growing up I had a cat of my own and I would punish him anytime he laid his claws on the furniture. It really minimized how much he scratched at it. I would not hurt him, just push him off lightly and shoo him from a young age.
  • melizerd
    melizerd Posts: 870 Member
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    I was a tech tech for 5 years and often worked in surgery. I have 4 cats and they have all their claws because I saw how horrible it was.

    Spaying/neutering is completely different than declawing.

    I also own fabulous furniture and have no clawing issues. We have several scratching posts throughout the house (2500 sq feet with 4 cats means I need a couple of them).

    Soft paws are also a great option for many cats!!

    Declawing would be my LAST option and something that I would have to really have no other option to do at this point. I have had cats in the past that we did it for but now I know better, and when we know better we do better.
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
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    I agree with the soft nail-covers.

    Also, check out PetSmart, we found a spray there that discourages cats from scratching on the surfaces you spray it on (I can't tell you how well it works, we couldn't buy it because my husband was allergic to something in it - it uses natural ingredients like cloves). And a bit of catnip on the places you want kitty to scratch might help, too.
  • alohabrie
    alohabrie Posts: 204
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    Also - we trim kitty claws every two weeks. Boyfriend holds, I cut. If you start while they are young - it helps keep the claws healthy and not get stuck on blankets etc.
  • Gratzi
    Gratzi Posts: 21 Member
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    My friends have two cats indoors at all times and they do not claw the furniture. My friends provide them with lots of rough toys to scratch their claws on.

    I have three cats and all are declawed but I won't ever do it again.
  • peteb79
    peteb79 Posts: 386
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    My wife fosters cats so we always have cats in the house, we only have one that is declawed and she came to us that way. None of them have ever ruined our furniture. As long as you have a scratching post they should be fine, ours have always naturally preferred the posts.
  • KyliAnnHobson
    KyliAnnHobson Posts: 551 Member
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    I'm really not a fan of declawing. I think it's cruel and very unnecessary. We keep our cat's nails trimmed and he has scratching posts and boards, so he doesn't mess with the furniture. I know a lot of people who use the Soft Paws and love them!
  • tattooedtwiin
    tattooedtwiin Posts: 246
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    Since it will be an indoor cat, it won't need it's claws. I would de-claw the cat. You and the cat will be happier in the long run.
    Really? Happier how? Let's not talk about how it would feel to pull your fingernails out..
    I had my cat for 19 years, and he was indoor only...He had a scratching post that we taught him was his, no clawing the furniture.
    If your cat ever gets out accidently, and it DOES happen, he will need to defend himself if attacked.
    Please do not declaw your cat, that is not the answer.
  • ethompso0105
    ethompso0105 Posts: 418 Member
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    I work in the pet care industry. There are positives and negatives to declawing.

    For some cats, it's no big deal--I dated a guy who had a declawed cat and Cobalt (the cat) was just fine. It was nice knowing that I wasn't going to get scratched when he batted at me.

    More often than not, however, declawing can cause arthritis later in life. While your cat may experience little to no pain due to the surgery, I would be sure to consider the consequences (both good and bad) for the cat's entire life.

    I've spoken with many "experts" in my 5+ years in the pet care industry that are on both sides of the argument. Personally, I would never declaw a cat knowing what I know now. That being said, I completely understand why people do it. Just as with any kind of surgery, you have to weigh the positives and negatives.

    There are TONS of ingenious products out there to help cats stop scratching (or that reduces the impact). I'm a dog person, so I don't know of many *specific* products, but I know they're out there! :)

    Good luck!
  • jeni_Giedd
    jeni_Giedd Posts: 61
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    My dad is a vet and we have had declawed cats as long as I can remember. #1. Ask your vet what kind of surgery technique he uses. My dad just took out the claws and the cats never got soft paws. #2. Do the front ones only. If your cat ever gets outside and has to fight, they use their back claws, not their front ones. #3. You'll be so much happier that you did this, because you won't have to worry about "accidental clawing" either. Sometimes cats get scared and they will lash out. You'll be protecting yourself and your friends and family. #4. Do it while she/he is small. The longer you wait, the harder it is on them. Definitely do it before they realize they can climb the curtains - and they do!
  • MaximalLife
    MaximalLife Posts: 2,447 Member
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    My husband surprised me with a new kitty for Christmas. I love this cat already. But my husband wants me to declaw her as we have very pricey furniture in the house. Now I realize declawing is very inhumane but I will kill this cat if it messes up my furniture. Can any of you cat owners offer me alternatives and do they really work? Ive heard about soft paws. Does anyone use them and more importantly do they work?

    PS. This cat will be an indoor cat only!
    Declaw that thing before you regret it.

    We have 2 cats, and they have no need of claws. I catch and kill anything they need.
  • puggleperson
    puggleperson Posts: 740 Member
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    It's not just the claw that is removed people. Do your research. How dare you say it is inhumane and why would the OP just automatically jump to teh conclusion of declawing. There is no need when they can use a scratching post. Have some common sense!!!!!!! Man this pisses me off! Sorry agian .. END RANT
  • BodyRockerVT
    BodyRockerVT Posts: 323 Member
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    PLEASE don't declaw. I could provide you with a link to what the surgery looks like but I won't unless you ask for it. It is NOT a pretty thing and it isn't taking off nails...it takes off the whole first joint...take the top of all your fingers off...that is what it is.

    Cats that are declawed also tend to have trouble with the litterbox because when the surgery is done it hurts to scratch around in the litterbox so they associate box with pain. It is not uncommon. Also, if you take away the claws a cat is left without it's first line of defense if it feels threatened and is more like to bite, and bite hard...

    Alternatives are clipping the nails every week or so. If you start them young they get used to it and it isn't hard at all. You can get proper clippers at a pet store for like $5 tops.

    You can use softpaws too but honestly clipping the nails is quicker and easier..and much more cost effective.

    Get a squirt bottle and fill it with water...if cat starts to scratch furniture spray with water...it won't take many times for them to realize couch = water...

    The important thing is to give the kitty a place it CAN scratch. Mine like the front door mat...I have no issue with that. They also have a cat house they can scratch...again, no issue with that.

    I have THREE cats one is about to turn 7, one is 5.5, and one is 5 months...none of them have EVER tried to scratch my furniture...not even once.
  • christinad95
    christinad95 Posts: 201 Member
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    Training the cat to use a scratching post is very effective. How do you do that? The most effective training tool I have ever seen and used everytime is the squirt bottle. I have one of those cheap small bottles from wal-mart. You just adjust the nozzle to stream and keep it with you for about a week. Whenever you see kittly scratching on something that you don't want them scratching on, you squirt a shot of water at them. It doesn't take them long to connect what they are doing with the stream of water. If you see the kitty scratching in one specific area place the post in that area. Do this even if it means moving the post to several different areas. But remember to give a shot of water when the cat is scratching where you do not want him scratching. This method also works with training kitty to keep off or out of the Christmas tree and away from plugs, cables and chords.
  • soontobeskinnysara
    soontobeskinnysara Posts: 177 Member
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    I have 2 indoor cats, and both have claws. I would never consider declawing them. It's inhumane, cruel, and painful. If you absolutely MUST declaw your cat, see if you can find a vet that will do the laser surgery instead of pulling the claws out.

    Pet stores have many items that you can put around your house to deter clawing and shredding. It's in the cats nature to claw and pull, and it can certainly be destructive, but that's what happens when you have pets!
  • iamstaceywood
    iamstaceywood Posts: 383 Member
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    people are insane. i can't believe people who are so pet dumb and feel like they need to have pets. Insane.
  • boneyEm
    boneyEm Posts: 34
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    First, there are several ways to train cats not to claw furniture, and many never do, regardless.

    Second, WHY would you get a pet whose instinct is to claw if you're that worried about your furniture????

    Declawing is painful and cruel. That's like getting a dog and saying, "I love it to death, but the barking must go."

    Second this.

    I third this- its really cruel and my cat is an indoor cat- we have trainned it not to stractch by using stractch posts.
    Cats repond to the word-NO very well and its ok to shout that if the cat is doing something wrong.

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