Ok so maybe Iv lived a sheltered life. But I havent heard of it. But just read up on it....HOW could any loving cat owner consider this without a very valid reasion (if there is one)!!!!!!!!
Ok iv had lots of probs with my cats over the years with scratching. but to me you get a cat you have to expect there to be scratches on things...
I will admit imreally feeling sorry for my leather sofa at the mo. Tabby loves it as a scratching post.
She has a scratch post and tree but will not use them YET!!! I am going to look through your site for other solutions, she is still only a baby and she is only doing what is instinktive to her.
She has taken a fancy to some carpit tiles I still have of my walls from my previous cat. they are behind a unit tho which I can not move (no where else for it) I have decided im going to buy some more carpet tiles and carpet a door as she also loves to climb anything. especialymy curtains...Im hoping if i give her somewhere she can use she will leave the sofa and cutains alone. Iv beentold to get catnip and put that on the tiles. her sctrach post and tree have it on, but hasnt entised her yet.
My living room walls are wrecked already (not even had her 2 weeks yet lol) im laughing as I know cats scratch. so its part and parcel. already decided the livingroom needs redecorating. Im going to do what mymother did when she had her cats. she got some wod veniered laminate and stuck that to the bottom half of the walls. looked like really nice panneling but cats claws can not penatrate it. then ill just paint the top half. will minimumise the damage she can do.
I could never even consider declawing a kitty. i mean (when I was with my husband) i use to scratch him in my sleep, but i would not want my toes amputationg to stopme scratching him NO THANK YOU. i just worse socks on a night lol....
Oh iv read about snipping there claws. does that actualy prevent them from scratching. well i would imagin it would actualy lessen the damage as there nails arent as sharp.
I have worked in a vets, and seen them snipping nails in the past (long time ago tho) I also cut my rabbits nails so not nervous of doing this. although rabbits are easy as he has white nails and can see the vains. so easy to see where to cut. Tabby nails however are dark gray so cant see vains. would i just literaly trip a couple mm off to take the sharp bit off...
Also is this ok to do to a cat. would it cause any distress. Id rather have a tip for a house from tabby screatching everything then cause her any distress...

Sorry for the long post.

Hello Shirley!

Yes, declawing is some shocking thing for people in most of the world to hear about, since it is illegal and just not done in so many other countries.

The big problem is that the vets in the US make it seem like it is no big deal, and many even encourage people to do it, like it is of course a normal thing to do to a cat! Many vets do NOT tell people about clipping the cat's claws instead or other ways to deal with cat claws, such as providing scratching posts!

Often when people make an appointment to get a cat spayed or neutered, they are asked casually, "Do you want the cat declawed too at the same time?" Some people who never thought to do that just agree, not knowing and not being told that it means the ends of the toes get amputated! Then when those people find out what declawing really is, they are upset.

It is just a way for vets to make extra money. They often don't explain the procedure fully, since if they did, most people would then say NO!

For more information on what declawing (Onychectomy) actually is, see:

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Info on declawing and what you can do instead:

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Quote:

Tabby nails however are dark gray so cant see vains. would i just literaly trip a couple mm off to take the sharp bit off... Also is this ok to do to a cat. would it cause any distress. Id rather have a tip for a house from tabby screatching everything then cause her any distress...

It is fine to clip off the sharp tips of a cat's claws. If you do not wind up cutting into the vein, it won't hurt the cat. It is hard when a cat has dark claws, but if you just do close the end, only getting the very tip off, you won't wind up getting the vein. Like you said, just a few mm would be ok. Not centimeters!

As to distress, well, many cats don't like thier paws being held firmly while the human has some strange thing in their hand and is "doing something" to the claws.

It is best to first get a cat used to you just holding a paw firmly, and exposing the claws, without clipping. Act as if you are going to clip the claw, but with not really doing it for a few days. If you just suddenly hold a cat and try to start clipping with cat not being used to having it's toes touched, the cat will let you know it is upset!

Then, when the cat is used to you holding them that way and maniputating their paws, try the clipping. At that point, the cat likely will be startled and get upset, so you usually just get one or two done at that time. That's ok. Just get the other claws later on, one or two every few hours or even over a period of days!

It is often best to try it when a cat is sleepy. You can sneak in a few clips before the cat is fully alert to protest and run off.

Quote:

Sorry for the long post.

There is nothing wrong with long posts!

I just thought of this - are "Soft Paws" available where you live? They are soft plastic caps that you glue to the cat's nails to prevent the kitty from causing Damage. They have to be replaced every so often as the nails grow out and they will fall off or be chewed off much like fake nails on a human. They even come in colors now so it looks like your cats claws are polished!!!!

Here's the link so you can see what they look like:

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You wouldn't have to clip the nails with these things....

I didn't realize that you still had to clip the claws to put on the soft paws. My mistake. I thought the nails on the kitty in the photo looked rather short!!!!

A quick note on soft paws....

While Little Bit was relatively new to the household, he had not learned good “claw manors” with people. I think he was taken from his kitty mother when he was only 5 or 6 weeks old, which is before kittens learn proper social skills.

I used soft paws to help train Little Bit. I only had to use them once. He now knows to keep his claws sheathed when playing with me.

The soft paws application lasted about a month. Of course, some fell off earlier and some later.

I’m sure it has been mentioned, but having several scratching, “posts” throughout the house helps. I have several of the cardboard types, including the turbo scratcher. I have two standup models, both with rope wrapped around the pyramid or pole for the cats to scratch. Putting catnip on the cardboard or rubbing it on the rope encourages the cats to scratch there.

I also trim my cats nails monthly. I’ll be honest; it is a two person job. I hold and Jane cuts. Jane is so good at it that one of my coworkers has her come out every month or so to trim her 4 cats.

Of my five cats, only two have to be wrapped. Ranger and Evan are the easiest to do. Pippin and Little Bit usually have to be wrapped, although Little Bit is becoming much better in accepting the trimmings. Dusty just sounds very upset, but it is more because she does not like to be held than the trimming

Mark

Mark, I'm sure you've had problems 'rubbing' catnip on the upright stands.... I know I have. So, the thought occurred to me to search out SPRAY catnip. Next trip to PetSmart I'm going to look to see if they have any (if it exists). I think it would be much easier and I wanted to share that thought.

Michelle:

I think I have seen "spray on" catnip before, somewhere.

Mark

PS: Feliway now has a dog version. Might that be something that could help Snowball?

Yes, Mark, as you said, there needs to be several scratchers for the cats spread throughout the house, not just one in only one room. The cats are not going to go all the way to one end of the house to get to the only one scratcher available if they are in the opposite end of the house, or on a different floor of the house.

Scratching posts also need to be very stable, with no tipping when the cats scratch on them. If they tip, the cats will fear the post will fall on them, so they will stop using it. Some adult cats really scratch with a lot of strength, pulling more than scratching so they can work off the old outer layers of their claws. So what was fine when they were a kitten, sometimes no longer is when they are adults. If one has a post that tips, one can nail or screw on a wider wooden base to make it no longer tip.

Also, with posts, the taller the better, since adult cats like to stretch up high to do their scratching. Sisal rope wrapped posts are preferred by most cats.

Most cats do also love those flat on the floor corrugated cardboard scratchers. Those are great since they don't cost much and are widely available, even in many grocery stores.

There are so many kinds of scratching posts, some as part of cat furniture. Some of the best wind up needing to be ordered online, since many pet stores don't have much. The only pet store by me has almost nothing in the way of scratching posts.

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