New Adult Cat Adoption

From: "Kay"
Date: 8/7/03 12:21 AM Eastern

Hi Everyone,
I took in a stray about 9 months ago, she is doing great. I also adopted a 2
year old Male cat 2 days ago.


Congrats on your new kitty, Kay

The next topic is claws. I bought a scratching post for both. and he does
not seem to be interested in it. He likes my chairs for that. I know its
only been 2 days, but is there any sujestions on how to gently get the cat
to scratch on the post? One is wood and the other rope tied. So far Persia
is the only one having problems with the cat, my 14 year old dog does not
seem to mind and wags his tail when he walks by.

Some cats like to scratch vertically while others like to scratch horizontally.
I have a couple of tall sturdy scratching posts, one covered in carpet, the
other in sisal rope. I also have a few of those cardboard scratching pads. Is
the post you have tall and sturdy? Do you place it near the chair where the
cat likes to scratch? I also place them near where the cat sleeps as cats like
a good scratch when they wake up. You may want to throw a cover over the chair
while you're training the cat too. When you catch him scratching the chair,
firmly say no and bring him to his scratching post. You might want to rub
catnip on the post too. Praise him when he uses the post and reward him with a
treat. You can also learn to clip his claws so that when he does scratch, the
damage is minimal. Those floor to ceiling cat trees are great too. My cats
love theirs.

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

From: "Kay"
Date: 8/7/03 12:21 AM Eastern

Hi Everyone,
I took in a stray about 9 months ago, she is doing great. I also adopted a 2
year old Male cat 2 days ago.


Congrats on your new kitty, Kay

The next topic is claws. I bought a scratching post for both. and he does
not seem to be interested in it. He likes my chairs for that. I know its
only been 2 days, but is there any sujestions on how to gently get the cat
to scratch on the post? One is wood and the other rope tied. So far Persia
is the only one having problems with the cat, my 14 year old dog does not
seem to mind and wags his tail when he walks by.

Some cats like to scratch vertically while others like to scratch horizontally.
I have a couple of tall sturdy scratching posts, one covered in carpet, the
other in sisal rope. I also have a few of those cardboard scratching pads. Is
the post you have tall and sturdy? Do you place it near the chair where the
cat likes to scratch? I also place them near where the cat sleeps as cats like
a good scratch when they wake up. You may want to throw a cover over the chair
while you're training the cat too. When you catch him scratching the chair,
firmly say no and bring him to his scratching post. You might want to rub
catnip on the post too. Praise him when he uses the post and reward him with a
treat. You can also learn to clip his claws so that when he does scratch, the
damage is minimal. Those floor to ceiling cat trees are great too. My cats
love theirs.

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

Thanks everyone for the great ideas. I picked up a few more types of
scratching posts. Catnip, Catnip mist. This group really helped me with my
first cat, she was 22 when she passed on. Got some bad information from a
vet and her ear infection went to her brain. She stopped eating, lost half
her body weight. this newsgroup gave me some excellent advice and it started
to help, but the body weight was to low. she was an unclaimed stray. I
thought that I would never own a cat again. Cause of the pain, but Persia
sought us out in parking lot. And this Cat Skeeter, well was suposed to be
adopted by a family member, and even promised to the children, then in a bad
mood, that person said no. Kids were crying, It was heart breaking after
visiting him and everything. Well I was in the car to my husband, who said
before Persia, We will never have another cat! He said in the cat "Lets get
Skeeter right now!"
That day, all the paperwork was process and aproved and we came home with
him! There is this wonderful happiness in the house and when Persia gets on
board it will be awesome!


Update on thier fights, so far its only been when my husband comes home, all
day they sat on the two chairs looking at each other, but when he comes home
it starts. Since I lost some sleep. I fell asleep eairler on the couch ,
when my husband was at work. I woke up and saw no cats. I looked in my
bedroom and both cats were laying on the bed maybe 3 feet apart, just
looking at each other.

Is that a good sign? Persia is really attached to my husband more than me.
My late cat was attached to me more than him. I'm wondering if Persia being
attached to my husband is why the fights breaks out when he come home?

Kay

Thanks everyone for the great ideas. I picked up a few more types of
scratching posts. Catnip, Catnip mist. This group really helped me with my
first cat, she was 22 when she passed on. Got some bad information from a
vet and her ear infection went to her brain. She stopped eating, lost half
her body weight. this newsgroup gave me some excellent advice and it started
to help, but the body weight was to low. she was an unclaimed stray. I
thought that I would never own a cat again. Cause of the pain, but Persia
sought us out in parking lot. And this Cat Skeeter, well was suposed to be
adopted by a family member, and even promised to the children, then in a bad
mood, that person said no. Kids were crying, It was heart breaking after
visiting him and everything. Well I was in the car to my husband, who said
before Persia, We will never have another cat! He said in the cat "Lets get
Skeeter right now!"
That day, all the paperwork was process and aproved and we came home with
him! There is this wonderful happiness in the house and when Persia gets on
board it will be awesome!


Update on thier fights, so far its only been when my husband comes home, all
day they sat on the two chairs looking at each other, but when he comes home
it starts. Since I lost some sleep. I fell asleep eairler on the couch ,
when my husband was at work. I woke up and saw no cats. I looked in my
bedroom and both cats were laying on the bed maybe 3 feet apart, just
looking at each other.

Is that a good sign? Persia is really attached to my husband more than me.
My late cat was attached to me more than him. I'm wondering if Persia being
attached to my husband is why the fights breaks out when he come home?

Kay

Joe,
Wow I went to the site, and Skeeter looks to me like he might be a
horizontal scratcher! Thanks for the great site!

Kay

Joe,
Wow I went to the site, and Skeeter looks to me like he might be a
horizontal scratcher! Thanks for the great site!

Kay

in article , Kay at
wrote on 8/8/03 12:09 AM:

Joe,
Wow I went to the site, and Skeeter looks to me like he might be a
horizontal scratcher! Thanks for the great site!

Kay



My Pearl loves to horizontal scratch. We got a board at the pet store with
sisal in the middle and faux sheep skin on the ends. It has a handle to hang
on the door. I snipped the handle and lay it on the floor she loves it.

Karen

in article , Kay at
wrote on 8/8/03 12:09 AM:

Joe,
Wow I went to the site, and Skeeter looks to me like he might be a
horizontal scratcher! Thanks for the great site!

Kay



My Pearl loves to horizontal scratch. We got a board at the pet store with
sisal in the middle and faux sheep skin on the ends. It has a handle to hang
on the door. I snipped the handle and lay it on the floor she loves it.

Karen

I just thought I would get back to you all that have helped me. the advise
has been working smoothly. Skeeter is a horzontal scratcher for sure. For
every skeeter scratcing post or board I have one for persia. Even though she
has no claw previous owners She loves it also. She sleeps on it. I bought
them the cat mats with catnip. also 2 scratch/play centers. Persia is slowly
warming up to him.

Persis plays with string toys while Skeeter prefers balls and bouncy toys.

Kay

I just thought I would get back to you all that have helped me. the advise
has been working smoothly. Skeeter is a horzontal scratcher for sure. For
every skeeter scratcing post or board I have one for persia. Even though she
has no claw previous owners She loves it also. She sleeps on it. I bought
them the cat mats with catnip. also 2 scratch/play centers. Persia is slowly
warming up to him.

Persis plays with string toys while Skeeter prefers balls and bouncy toys.

Kay