alternatives to declawing cat?

[bgelber]

We tried the soft paws on our cat, they stayed on her all of ten minutes. We ended up getting her de-clawed when we had her spayed.

The rest where de-clawed when we rescued them.

 

[gritsar]

So glad to see this thread. I have been thinking about soft paws for our older cat. Scratching posts galore, squirt bottles. sticky paws on all the furniture and door jams she likes to scratch on; nothing works.

I wonder - could a vet apply them after giving Kitty a sedative? Both DH and I have been ripped to shreds dealing with this kitty before. She's a former feral and none too happy about life indoors.

 

[mom2jedi]

Quote:
I don't see why not gritty. I haven't used them but have seen them in the store. They look like you would have to have a very mellow cat or be very coordinated to do it by yourself. I trim my kittens' nails and have had to do so about once a week since starting. They get sharp again pretty quickly with all the scratching they do.

 

[cheri222]

Wore very heavy leather gloves and used a towel. We now have them all on. Maybe I'll forget how traumatic this was in 4 weeks. We also made the catnip tea that someone suggested and sprayed it on things. Worked like a charm. Although when my son's wrap counselors came today they commented on the smell (I had just made it) and we decided that it sorta smelled like pot. Of course I haven't smelled pot in many years. I can see us trying to tell childrens services that it was just catnip tea.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

If its the same spots all the time then hang carpet there.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
We bought these things, look like foot long sections of carpet. that hang by a short loop of rope and have a pocket to add catnip in the back. Hung them on the corners that Kitty likes best. She simply moved to a different location. Same thing with the "Sticky Paws". I cover one area, she moves to another. We keep fresh catnip and catnip spray on hand and refresh the scratching devices regularly. KiKi the siamese loves em, Kitty ignores them.
Kitty is just a bizarre cat. We won't be trying the towel, heavy gloves, holding tight thing again. My DH is a strong man and nearly 300 lbs. He couldn't hold onto her.
We have to take the boys to the vet soon for their yearly shots/heartworm meds. I'll ask them about sedating the little....monster.

 

[There a chick...]

How to prevent CATS from SCRATCHING in Undesirable Areas

Written by the American Association of Feline Practitioners (2004)

Scratching is normal cat behavior, serving to groom the front claws and leave markers of the cat’s presence.

Cats may also scratch to stretch their muscles.

Proper training to scratch on appropriate surfaces, combined with nail care, can prevent damage in the home. The following information is pertinent in choosing a scratching post:

Many cats prefer vertical scratching posts; some prefer horizontal ones.

Vertical scratching posts must be sturdy and preferably tall enough for the cat to have a good stretch.

Scratching materials preferred by most cats are wood, sisal rope, and rough fabric.

Locate scratching posts near areas favored by cats, such as windows or sleeping areas since cats often stretch and scratch upon awakening.

Start training your new kitten or cat to use scratching posts when first introduced to your home.

Cats return to favorite or chosen scratching sites, so motivate them to use the scratching post you select and avoid letting them use the furniture. This can be done by enticing your cat to the post upon awakening, rubbing catnip on the post, and holding treats or toys partway up the post to encourage stretching and scratching. You can secure an appealing toy, such as feathers, at the top of the post. Rewards can be given at each step—as the cat approaches the post, touches it, and finally scratches it. Never yell at or punish the cat.

If your cat already scratches in an undesirable area, talk to your veterinarian or a veterinary staff member. They will help determine your cat’s likely preferences—for a vertical or horizontal scratching post, for the type of material that will draw the cat to the post, for the location of the post. You can then make or purchase posts of similar fabrics.

Place double-sided sticky tape on inappropriate areas and reward use of the post. This helps direct the cat to the post. If necessary, the cat can be confined to an area where the scratching post is the only available scratching outlet. This establishes use of the scratching post and prevents inadvertent reinforcement for scratching off-limits household items.

Trim the tips of the nails every one or two weeks. If done correctly, this procedure is well accepted by most cats. Introduce nail trimming as part of routine handling to kittens.

Plastic nail caps, applied every 4-6 weeks, are an option for cats that are easy to handle. After trimming nail tips, fill the cap about a third of the way with adhesive, and fit the cap over the nail. The soft plastic covers prevents furniture damage when the cat scratches.

Declawing remains controversial but does stop furniture destruction. For more information, consult your veterinarian. Both the American Association of Feline Practitioners and the American Veterinary Medical Association promote training to use the scratching post and discourage declawing as a surgical procedure. You can read their position statements and acquire additional information at their websites, http://www.aafponline.org/positionstate.htm
and http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/apr03/030415c.asp

 

[redhen]

Some of my cats are declawed and some arent.... let me tell you.. i WILL get ALL my cats declawed from now on!
I cant get these guys declawed now ,cause they are too old. But man... next time i will!
I have 2 HUGE scratching cat trees.. cat posts and EVERYTHING...
Nope..they want to claw my expensive new sofa and the corners to my new $2000 mattress too...
Gah!!

Declaw fan here! I will try those soft paw things though... but i've heard they just chew them off anyways...
well see..

 

[There a chick...]

You can use counter-conditioning and desensitization for working with cats (trimming nails, applying the caps, etc.). Dr. Sophia Yin has some great videos on YouTube...

This is a dog getting it's nails trimmed: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWZUcLfHXLE

Teaching cats simple behaviors:

 

[bagendhens]

lol, i never even thought of the smell, ive never been around pot, no interest, but i kinda like the smell of catnip tea (and makes a very good colic relif, and can be very relaxing)
glad its working for you

catnip oil is very volitile so i respray about once a week as being a volitile oil it evaporates quite quickly.

also as a benefit, bugs dont like catnip much

i spray it on the door and window sils in the spring when the garden ants are looking for new teritory and we havent had a problem with ants since!

i just cant accept removing the tip of a cats "finger" or "toe" as a good idea or humane, plus declawing tends to result in behavioural issues later in life and muscular problems...but my dad would throw a real fit if tempi started on the furniture, so ive done alot of looking into options...the catnip definatly re-ignites interest in scratching posts lol