My Cat Scratched My Baby...I Need Advice

rugbyphreak

My older cat is declawed in the front and she never really recovered. The procedure went well according to the vet, but they made her stay overnight so she chewed out most of her fur from being stressed out away from home. When I got her home, her paws opened up and she bled everywhere, called the vet and they said it was normal, just apply pressure until it stops. Well now she refuses to run. She doesn't stretch out like a normal cat. She won't clean her paws, so I have to wipe them down gently with a wash cloth a few times a week. Her life sucks and it's my fault.

When I got another cat, a cute little kitten, I opted for nail caps. They're adorable, such cute colors, and they're pretty easy to put on.

Now I have a 15 pound declawed, miserable cat and a 5 pound nail capped, loving life cat.

Do the nail caps!

parys1

We had a very cranky, older cat before we had children and the kids pretty much learned that they couldn't touch her. Mind you, we made sure she always had an escape route because, let's face it, kids can be rough.

If the choice is death or declawing, I'd go with declawing, but be aware that sometimes this makes an aggressive cat more aggressive. Also, is your cat overweight? That has bearing on the surgical recovery. After all, it is an amputation of the toes to the first knuckle joint.

Keep your cat's nails trimmed. Try Soft Paws (as have been mentioned already). Allow your cat its space and teach your child to respect the animal. Do not allow your child and your cat to be together unsupervised.

Also, please note that just because a kitten is brought up with kids, it does not mean that it will not scratch. If you want a guarantee of no scratching, particularly if kids do what kids are wont to do, and pet the cat with abandon, you would be better served with a webkin until your child is older.

Edited to add: I agree with the above few posters about this not seeming like an aggressive, malicious move on your cat's part. More fear related.

nicoleashley_24

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!

I have two cats that have scratched my daughter before too. Close to the eye too, which makes me sick to think of what had happened if it were on her eye. Anyways, our cats are part of our family so our solution involves trimming the cats nails weekly (the same time I trim my daughter's nails) and teaching my daughter how to handle the cats properly.

One of our cats is a cat we got as a kitten when my daughter was younger and that has made no difference in her getting scratched, so don't believe that replacing your cat with a kitten will solve anything. I'm not trying to be a jerk, btw, just speaking from experience.

redraidergirl2009

How about de-facing the baby? No more scratches on the face.

I'm sorry but it's cruel to mutilate an animal. I would suggest getting claw caps or finding it a loving home oppose to declawing it...how much can you really love something to harm it like that? Also declawed cats poop all over the house because the litter hurts their paws.

Gianna5587

Firstly I'd try the option of trimming the claws a little or the claw cap thingys... But you might find your son stays well away from the cat after recent events! Problem solved.

If your cats happiness is important to you then of the options you outlined I'd find it a new loving new home for it over giving it to a shelter/de-clawing/making it an outdoors cat.

nicoleashley_24

Edited to add that declawed cats especially when declawed later in their years will want to protect themselves in other ways and may start biting. If this cat does not like your child then I don't think there are that many options.

This is very true. My oldest cat was a rescue who was de-clawed when I got her and she actually bit me once, which led to me being hospitalized overnight because the infection had caused cellulitis in my hand and they were considering surgery to remove the infection.

rachey121

Dont declaw! It's painful, they do not just take out the nail they cut off the first knuckle of the toe and the healing process is miserable. Try the rubber nail caps, I've heard from many people that they work great. You can always try restricting your cat to one room of the house while your kid is around, baby-gates always work for that to keep them separated. I work at a no-kill shelter myself and trust me all the old cranky cats do not get looked at very often. Your cat is used to living in a home, surrendering it to a shelter is going to make the cat worse and lessen the chances of it getting adopted. Don't blame the cat since you knew it didn't like children.

Capt_Apollo

Good news! Your toddler now knows not to mess with the cat.

AlongCame_Molly

Cats are evil. Get a dog

Please refer to the last paragraph of my original post. Reading comprehension is a wonderful thing, you might want to look into it.

MightyDomo

I definitely think it will be time to rehome your cat if you have some worries like this. If you cat doesn't like children you can find a home that doesn't have kids and that can spend time with her to help improve her 'grumpiness' that would be the best option and there are a lot of homes like this out there. So this would definitely be a good first option.

Soft Paws would be another good alternative but this does not solve the problem in it's entirety but allows you to feel that your babe is more safe. It is a nail cover and it comes in different colors, can be applied by yourself or your vetrinarian on a schedule and reduces claw related injuries in the home and less occurences of scratched walls/furniture.

I think these would be the best and most humane options. If you do get a cat do research the breed. You'd think all breeds would be the same but then you'd be wrong, they are similar but not the same and certain breeds are more likely to like big groups and children so they would be a better option for the home. I wish you luck in your deicison, it's a hard one to make.

JDMPWR

Sell them both. Problem solved.

maab_connor

ok - firstly the problem has most likely resolved itself right now. your kid is old enough to have the logic of "mess with cat: cat hurts me" so, i say give it a week or three before you do anything.

secondly - and i know i'm going to get flamed, i don't care - this is where you can also try that crazy thing called "being a parent". TEACH your kid not to touch the cat. or to be GENTLE with the cat when they start to warm up to each other. toddlers are loud and they grab and they hurt - the cat isn't gonna like that (shocking i know). so sit down and TEACH THE KID to be gentle and to be quiet. teach your kid how to interact with the cat.

in the mean time, trim the cat's claws. this is a process for everyone involved, but it is YOUR responsablity as the parent and the human to teach everyone what to do.

BrettPGH

Toss the cat.

What do you want to tell your child when they grow up without an eye? Declawing would have been mean to the cat?? Gee thanks mom.

I've always felt that people who own animals remind of abused spouses. "Oh it's not their fault, they're usually really sweet, the baby did something to set the cat off..."

Be a parent. Take care of your kid.

Capt_Apollo

76tech

A declawed, nasty cat will still be a nasty cat. With teeth. And the surgery kind of sucks for the animal. So I'll repeat what others have said - cap the claws.

Or you could try kitten mittens. Look at how happy this feline is!

coe28

Toss the cat.

What do you want to tell your child when they grow up without an eye? Declawing would have been mean to the cat?? Gee thanks mom.

I've always felt that people who own animals remind of abused spouses. "Oh it's not their fault, they're usually really sweet, the baby did something to set the cat off..."

Be a parent. Take care of your kid.

:flowerforyou:

odusgolp

Also declawed cats poop all over the house because the litter hurts their paws.

???? Seriously. I demand evidence.

This might be the most absurd claim I've read in the last 20 minutes.

1two3four

Clip your kitties nails and teach him/her to tolerate your baby. If that doesn't work after a few months I would rethink options. Two kitties (9-ish and 5-ish years) and two babies here (infant and 17-month old), one super friendly guy that LOVES his babies (though was super skeptical of the first running and screaming weeks right around 13/14-months) and one that tolerates the babes daily and might seek them out on her own once a month.

HeelsAndBoxingGloves

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

This. Our cat tears up our carpet like no ones business and these are awesome! I take find it's best to take the cat to a groomer to get her nails done since she doesn't like it so we can't get them on as good as they should be.

odusgolp

A declawed, nasty cat will still be a nasty cat. With teeth. And the surgery kind of sucks for the animal. So I'll repeat what others have said - cap the claws.

Or you could try kitten mittens. Look at how happy this feline is!

Problem solved.