My Cat Scratched My Baby...I Need Advice

AlongCame_Molly

My cat scratched my 14-month old toddler in the face last night, narrowly missing his EYE. She has never liked children, and we knew that, but last night the door to where she hides from our boy when he tries to play with her was closed. This can never happen again. One half of an inch higher, and my son would be in the hospital right now, being fitted with an eye patch. His life would be ruined forever.

My options as I see them:

*Give her away. I don't know of anyone who would want a cranky old brat cat that hates children, so that would probably mean a no-kill shelter for her. That would break my heart.

*Make her an outdoor cat. SHe has little to NO outdoor skills, and between her yowling outside the door to get back in, and joining the pack of wild cats that infests our apartment complex, this option seems pretty irresponsible. Plus, it wouldn't solve the problem; what if she just went and scratched somebody ELSE'S kid and blinded them? :noway:

*Declawing her. I've always been sort of against this procedure, as I feel it's inhumane and usually unnecessary, and putting my six-year old adult cat through a painful and whoppingly traumatic surgery (that is usually only done on small babies) that could very well depress her and alter her personalty for the rest of her life, well, that also breaks my heart.

If we get rid of her, we will get a replacement baby kitten, that we will raise to be comfortable around small children. The cost of vaccinating spaying/neutering it will be probably more than what we'll be charged for declawing Elphaba. So cost isn't really a factor in our decision.

Has anyone been in a similar situation, and had to make this decision? What did you do? Your thoughts? (Please no douche or smart-alec comments, like "I'll taker her, my snake needs food" or "just get a dog". I have enough on my plate right now without dealing with internet jerks. I'm not in the mood. Serious advice, only please.) Thanks!

redraidergirl2009

Declawing is sick.

You can file your cats claws down and have those soft paws put on. They are rubber claw caps. You will need to it once a month but it works and doesn't bother the cat.

redraidergirl2009

Here's the claw caps. We just do this to front paws but you can do all four. If you just do the front this contains enough to do it 4 times.

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4033287&f=PAD/psNotAvailInUS/No

sbbhbm

I had a four year old cat that I had to get declawed in order to move into an apartment. She handled it okay- but every now and then when she was cleaning her feet, she'd just stare at them with a bewildered look in her eyes. It didn't really change her personality or temperament at all, but if you're worried about that with your cat- it almost sounds like she could use an attitude adjustment anyway.

lisapisa81

i'm not really a cat person so maybe i'm suggesting something impossible, but could another option be to talk to a vet or some kind of animal trainer, to determine if there's a way you could gradually get your cat to warm up to your little boy? or maybe this suggestion is even crazier, but i think they do have medication now that you can get for your pets for anxiety (through the vet)...maybe that would make her a little less scared of him.

NancyStree

would your cat abject to a kitten in the house? You might give that a try and maybe your son will leave the cranky cat alone. I watch my 3yr old granddaughter and I have 4 cats and one is cranky and she scratched her in the face also. So now she knows to stay away but she can play with the other cats...

weliveaswedream

Have you tried clipping her claws? I do this with my cat. I just make sure to do it pretty routinely, every 3 - 4 weeks.

There are also claw caps. http://www.softpaws.com/ I have friends who use and highly recommend them. The caps only last a couple weeks so you have to keep your eye on when they need to be replaced but it's a great alternative to clipping.

Lone_Wolf70

declaw the cat. I am an animal lover and have rescued stray dogs and cats just in case ppl start flaming me.

Jacwhite22

declaw the cat. I am an animal lover and have rescued stray dogs and cats just in case ppl start flaming me.

I would do this.

Lisa1971

Declawing is sick.

You can file your cats claws down and have those soft paws put on. They are rubber claw caps. You will need to it once a month but it works and doesn't bother the cat.

Agreed!!!!!!!!!:drinker:

darkguardian419

If our cat ever did that, he would be dinner.

elleru

I'd install a cat door to your cat's hidey hole. That way, closed or not, your cat has an escape route from the toddler. Also, keep in mind, you won't have a toddler forever. This too shall pass.

Jacwhite22

declaw the cat. I am an animal lover and have rescued stray dogs and cats just in case ppl start flaming me.

I would do this.

I would also suggest monitoring both more closely and having separate spaces that each can go to. Baby gates work wonders. We have a puppy and even though I know he would not intentionally do anything I don't leave him alone with my 3 year old because he could easily accidentally scratch/bite her.

Alex_is_Hawks

between declawing or putting her down...

declaw....

while I love animals and I rescue (I have a rescued pitty currently), I feel that our first responsibility is to our human children's safety, then the animals.

iulia_maddie

I clip my cat’s claws regularly so he doesn’t scratch me when we play. Try that. Teach your kid not to be rough with the cat, if the cat was hiding, she was probably scared. I find declawing cruel.

All that being said, as much as I love cats, your kid comes first. If you really can’t find a solution to keep this from happening until the cat warms up to him.. the cat needs to go.

Jacwhite22

Declawing is sick.

You can file your cats claws down and have those soft paws put on. They are rubber claw caps. You will need to it once a month but it works and doesn't bother the cat.

I have 3 cats......they are all indoor cats......they are all declawed. It does not bother them. They still "sharpen their claws" on furniture and everything.

Mia_RagazzaTosta

declaw the cat. I am an animal lover and have rescued stray dogs and cats just in case ppl start flaming me.

I would do this.

thirded. Every cat I've ever owned has been declawed & spayed. They were indoor cats.

TigressPat

you can teach an old cat new tricks.

vtmoon

If it's a territory issue isn't it a risk to have her around the baby, declawed or not?

lorcart

They sell the claw caps at Petco and Petsmart as well. I personally would never declaw a cat,but my cat is a rescue and he was already declawed. Just so you know, when you declaw, they use their next defense, which is biting. I always thought he was playing, but learned from a trainer that since he doesn't have claws that the next defense is biting and he's not breaking skin or hurting us, but he's saying "back off, don't pet me there...or I'm not in the mood, so back the hell off". I don't think declawing is going to be an answer as a small child wouldn't understand the "back off" nibble and the cat would then proceed to actually breaking the skin.
I would try the claw caps as suggested and the doggie door to the hiding spot to let the cat know he's always got a way out.

DEgal99

Declawing is sick.

You can file your cats claws down and have those soft paws put on. They are rubber claw caps. You will need to it once a month but it works and doesn't bother the cat.

Agreed!!!!!!!!!:drinker:

Yep, this!