I'm so upset
Last night I saw the people who adopted one of Boots' littermates. They
mentioned that they were just now making arrangements to get "Midnight" neutered ........... and declawed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sometime in the last month he started clawing the furniture, screens etc. They said they have a large sisal scratching post or tree (I'm not sure which), have tried the sticky backed tape and "everything else". Well I'm not sure what everything else entails and frankly was so upset that I wasn't thinking straight. They said they have had many cats and never contemplated declawing before but Midnight is really causing trouble. I've got to get my thoughts together and present them with a good argument and alternatives. I can't let them go through with this. I didn't spend all that time bottle feeding this sweet guy (he was the sweetest guy in the litter) to see them risk ruining him. Because of the timing I'm thinking that some of this behavior might have been triggered by his getting his hormones. He's 9 months old. If Boots is any indication Midnight has had his hormones now for a month or two. Boots was scratching where he shouldn't right before he was neutered and has stopped since, so I'm thinking that getting Midnight neutered ASAP might take care of the majority of the problem. I'm also thinking that a Feliway diffuser might help. They haven't been clipping his claws so I showed them (on Isabelle) how to do that. I'll have to mention softpaws as well. I've also got to make sure they understand exactly what is involved - that it is an amputation not nail removal. I mentioned the risk of peeing outside the box but forgot to mention the potential for turning the cat into a biter. I'll have to take care of that omission. Am I forgetting anything. I want to make a good, logical (not emotional) case and hope I can convince them to not do this. Wendy |
In article ,
enlightened us with... Am I forgetting anything. I want to make a good, logical (not emotional) case and hope I can convince them to not do this. Some wonderful, logical arguments against declawing can be found here. http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.ph...brary&show=002 This is a list of countries where the procedure is illegal. http://www.declawing.com/list.html This page lists the things that can go wrong during a traditional (guillotine/scalpel cuts last half of bone that has claw) declaw surgery. http://www.moggies.co.uk/stories/declaw.html The things that can go wrong are multitude. If they choose to declaw despite all you've said, they need an experienced vet who can perform the amputation of the full last bone with a laser. This is the newest technology and the newest procedure; it costs more, but has far less complications and pain than the traditional mutilation, as it doesn't actually cut bone - it separates the bones at the joint. This eliminates the possibility of bone/claw regrowth sometimes seen in traditional declaws. It is still the equivalent of getting your toes cut off and trying to walk around, though. A cat doesn't get a wheelchair. It has to walk around on the amputated ends of its toes the very day after surgery. And my favorite quote. Quote:
-- ~kaeli~ Is it true that cannibals don't eat clowns because they taste funny? http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart http://www.ipwebdesign.net/kaelisSpace |
In article ,
enlightened us with... Am I forgetting anything. I want to make a good, logical (not emotional) case and hope I can convince them to not do this. Some wonderful, logical arguments against declawing can be found here. http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.ph...brary&show=002 This is a list of countries where the procedure is illegal. http://www.declawing.com/list.html This page lists the things that can go wrong during a traditional (guillotine/scalpel cuts last half of bone that has claw) declaw surgery. http://www.moggies.co.uk/stories/declaw.html The things that can go wrong are multitude. If they choose to declaw despite all you've said, they need an experienced vet who can perform the amputation of the full last bone with a laser. This is the newest technology and the newest procedure; it costs more, but has far less complications and pain than the traditional mutilation, as it doesn't actually cut bone - it separates the bones at the joint. This eliminates the possibility of bone/claw regrowth sometimes seen in traditional declaws. It is still the equivalent of getting your toes cut off and trying to walk around, though. A cat doesn't get a wheelchair. It has to walk around on the amputated ends of its toes the very day after surgery. And my favorite quote. Quote:
-- ~kaeli~ Is it true that cannibals don't eat clowns because they taste funny? http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart http://www.ipwebdesign.net/kaelisSpace |
Am I forgetting anything. I want to make a good, logical (not emotional)
case and hope I can convince them to not do this. Here are some tips I collected to help them scratch properly 1. Hopefully he likes catnip. If so, rub it all over the scratching post. Scratch the post yourself, if he still doesn't use it, take his little paws and scratch the post with them and tell him he's a good kitty. Remember to associate positive things with acceptable clawing and negative things with unacceptable clawing. 2. Try a scratching mat. Some prefer horizontal over vetical surfaces. 3. Try sisal, rug, cardboard, fabric... covered trees or mat. You can get cheap thin door mats and staple gun them to a cat tree. Use canvas if he really likes fabric. Be sure the stapes go vertical like this "|" and not horizontal like this "--" so they don't get their claws stuck in there. 4. Put double sided tape where he likes to scratch. They won't like the stickiness. They may then scratch a few inches over from the tape so be prepared to add more. Keep no. 5 in mind when using the tape. 5. Don't let him in that room where he scratches when you're not around. When you're around stand gaurd with a squirt gun and squirt him from a distance when he scratches the furniture. If he's real persistent, put a little bit of vinegar in the squirt gun. You can also yell "NO!" when he scratches there. I also like to take him away from that area instantly and take him to the scratchy tree, hold his paws and help him scratch while praising him. Make it a fun experience, don't hold him forcefully or he'll fear the kitty tree. Make everything associated with the kitty tree positive. I sometimes will put a scratchy tree close to the furniture they are clawing so they have a nearby alternative. 6. Put vinegar where he scratches. They don't like the smell. 7. Try some of that cat away spray. 8. Try a scat mat where he is scratching. 9. Get rid of fabric furniture with vertical fabric sides. Get THICK leather or wood sofa and chairs. 10. Try soft paws. 11. Try trimming his claws every ten days. Some do once a week. 12. Whenever you see him clawing appropriately, praise and reward him lavishly. Continue to praise him forever or he may get lazy. 13. Try Feliway to calm them down. 14. Make sure your cat tree is tall and heavy enough. Big kitties will topple a small light one with a small base. I put weights on the bottom of mine. I get the big ones. I also have a multi-tier cat tree they like to rip up. 15. Try this product, a cat tree that attaches to the side of your couch. http://www.birminghamind.com/Scratchaway/index.html |
Am I forgetting anything. I want to make a good, logical (not emotional)
case and hope I can convince them to not do this. Here are some tips I collected to help them scratch properly 1. Hopefully he likes catnip. If so, rub it all over the scratching post. Scratch the post yourself, if he still doesn't use it, take his little paws and scratch the post with them and tell him he's a good kitty. Remember to associate positive things with acceptable clawing and negative things with unacceptable clawing. 2. Try a scratching mat. Some prefer horizontal over vetical surfaces. 3. Try sisal, rug, cardboard, fabric... covered trees or mat. You can get cheap thin door mats and staple gun them to a cat tree. Use canvas if he really likes fabric. Be sure the stapes go vertical like this "|" and not horizontal like this "--" so they don't get their claws stuck in there. 4. Put double sided tape where he likes to scratch. They won't like the stickiness. They may then scratch a few inches over from the tape so be prepared to add more. Keep no. 5 in mind when using the tape. 5. Don't let him in that room where he scratches when you're not around. When you're around stand gaurd with a squirt gun and squirt him from a distance when he scratches the furniture. If he's real persistent, put a little bit of vinegar in the squirt gun. You can also yell "NO!" when he scratches there. I also like to take him away from that area instantly and take him to the scratchy tree, hold his paws and help him scratch while praising him. Make it a fun experience, don't hold him forcefully or he'll fear the kitty tree. Make everything associated with the kitty tree positive. I sometimes will put a scratchy tree close to the furniture they are clawing so they have a nearby alternative. 6. Put vinegar where he scratches. They don't like the smell. 7. Try some of that cat away spray. 8. Try a scat mat where he is scratching. 9. Get rid of fabric furniture with vertical fabric sides. Get THICK leather or wood sofa and chairs. 10. Try soft paws. 11. Try trimming his claws every ten days. Some do once a week. 12. Whenever you see him clawing appropriately, praise and reward him lavishly. Continue to praise him forever or he may get lazy. 13. Try Feliway to calm them down. 14. Make sure your cat tree is tall and heavy enough. Big kitties will topple a small light one with a small base. I put weights on the bottom of mine. I get the big ones. I also have a multi-tier cat tree they like to rip up. 15. Try this product, a cat tree that attaches to the side of your couch. http://www.birminghamind.com/Scratchaway/index.html |
"Mary" wrote in message ... You can also yell "NO!" when he scratches there. I also like to take him away from that area instantly and take him to the scratchy tree, hold his paws and help him scratch while praising him. Make it a fun experience, I would add one thing to underscore the last line. Have your emotions in control. Do NOT make a hasty run directly from the scene of the negative scratching to the scratchy tree. Make a clear transition from scolding/removing the cat from the bad scratch behavior to one of loving reassurance. Pause on the way to the scratchy tree if need be for a brief period so your cat knows the chastisement phase is done. Rushing from a negative behavior into one you find acceptable may register in the cat's mind as a continuation of your disapproval if carried out too swiftly. |
"Mary" wrote in message ... You can also yell "NO!" when he scratches there. I also like to take him away from that area instantly and take him to the scratchy tree, hold his paws and help him scratch while praising him. Make it a fun experience, I would add one thing to underscore the last line. Have your emotions in control. Do NOT make a hasty run directly from the scene of the negative scratching to the scratchy tree. Make a clear transition from scolding/removing the cat from the bad scratch behavior to one of loving reassurance. Pause on the way to the scratchy tree if need be for a brief period so your cat knows the chastisement phase is done. Rushing from a negative behavior into one you find acceptable may register in the cat's mind as a continuation of your disapproval if carried out too swiftly. |
From: "Wendy"
Am I forgetting anything. I want to make a good, logical (not emotional) case and hope I can convince them to not do this. I have a good article link in my signature. Did you have this people sign any kind of contract when they adopted the cat? If you didn't, for future reference you should always include a clause that the cat is not to be declawed. That way you could have taken him back. But I know we don't always think of these things beforehand. I really hope you can convince these people not to declaw the poor kitty :( Lauren ________ See my cats: http://community.webshots.com/album/56955940rWhxAe Raw Diet Info: http://www.holisticat.com/drjletter.html http://www.geocities.com/rawfeeders/ForCatsOnly.html Declawing Info: http://www.wholecat.com/articles/claws.htm |
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