alternatives to declawing cat?

[jerseygirl1]

Cardboard cat scratchers they sell at pet stores, about $20 each, my cats love them!!!!!!!!

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11147461

 

[patandchickens]

It sounds (if I'm understanding correctly) like he is sort of trying to *climb* the wall? A large percentage of cats really love a wide, sturdily-mounted floor-to-ceiling post (carpeted or sisal-wrapped) that they can both scratch on and climb up. Do-it-yourself tends to produce a better product (and MUCH more affordably!) than trying to buy something, IME. Seriously, TALL is the thing, storeboughten ones are almost always way too short. It is good to have furniture or a sturdy shelf located somewhere to help the cat get back down, as most cats are not geniuses at climbing *down*

But they LOVE this sort of arrangement!

You might want to temporarily put something hard adn smooth over the damaged drywall area (like for 6 months or so) while the cat forgets about his previous hobby and gets used to using his new climbing post. An $18 sheet of the cheap corrugated pvc plastic roofing (like people use for coops although the pvc stuff doesn't last well outdoors), bent around the end of the wall and screwed securely in place, should do it. Wouldn't have to be forever, just long enough for the cat to get solid in better habits.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[bagendhens]

im with white mountains on this one in terms of the declawing itself...*shudder*

in terms of getting him to prefer his scratching posts...try steeping catnip in water, put it in a squit bottle and spray a fine mist on his scratching posts regularly...belive me, he'll start paying alot more attention to them LOL.

also if the posts arnt tall enough most cats wont use them, you ideally want something at least twice his height when he stretches up, or something flat on the ground, it sounds though that he likes to mark vertically (clawing is also a way of marking territory) so if you dont alreayd try getting him a TALL scratching/climbing post.

when i got tempi she had a little scratching post but by the time she hit 12 weeks she lost interest no matter what i did, so i picked up one of those tall floor to ceiling ones with 3 little platforms (got it form walmart for under $40) and it was an imediate difference, it became her absolute favorite thing, she claws it, climbs it sleeps on the higest platform, she actually uses this one even if i dont spritz it with catnip.

 

[cheri222]

You guys/girls are great! Never thought I would get so many responses. I just got back from walmart so I will have to go later in the week and look. My sons will just love fake nails for the cat! I have tried the squirt bottle also as he seems to like my orchids. Just walks all over them and breaks off the buds! That works, but with the wall it is a magnet for him. Actually im going to look on line right now. Thanks so much.

 

[crtrlovr]

yes, you've gotten some very good advice here. Also remember that cats will continue to stretch and mark their favorite places even without their claws. Cats have scent glands in their paws and cheeks, and will rub objects (or people!) to leave their own scent on that place, leaving a message for other cats that either "I've been here" or "this is MINE!" that's how you KNOW your kitty really loves you -- all that winding around your feet, head-butting you, rubbing his or her cheek against your calf, ... you've been claimed as PROPERTY!

Gotta love the kitties!

 

[cheri222]

Amazon is great. Ordered the soft claws 12.99 with 2day free shipping. Do they try to chew them off? Black cat with purple nails, this should be cute. I really hate to say this, if you had a house chicken wouldn't it be funny...No I would never but I am sure someone else has thought of it. Sorry thats just wrong, thinking of fluffy silkies with neon pink nails.

 

[cheri222]

Well they came and you guys didn't tell me how mad the cat would get while trying to get them on. 3 on each foot and I'm taking a break for awhile. It was a 2 person job the first time. Please tell me it gets better.

 

[LindsayB]

you might try wrapping him in a blanket and covering his face. It will help to calm him down.

 

[aubreynoramarie]

Please don't declaw kitty

I've seen cases of cats getting declawed and not having use of their lower front legs due to nerve damage. Not worth causing an animal to not be able to walk again in my opinion, I could not live with the guilt.

Good for you for trying the caps! I was also going to suggest the no- scratch spray. I used it on my couch when my two decided it was better than a post. You have to spray it every 24 hours and it just has an unpleasent smell to them so they just stay away from the general area. I only had to buy one bottle too! By the time it wasgone they had forgotten all about that bad habit. I think it's like 12 bucks at the petstore.

As the caps are really cool and a humane way to keep your drywall intact, I think the spray is a better step toward stopping the behavior alltogether so he won't have to wear the caps his whole life.

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

Yep, wrap him in a towel and have someone hold his scruff. It's definitely a two person job doing anything nail-wise with most cats. I'm pretty good at holding the little buggers and doing stuff on them at the same time, but that has come from years of practice! Towel is a good place to start though. Just be sure to give him some treats or goodies after the whole ordeal. That way it isn't too terrible for him!