Lambchop: Update

Well, it was just a week ago that I brought Lambchop to her new home.
I told the guy that I'd call in a week to touch base and see how it
was going, so I called him today, and he's happy with her! He doesn't
mind that she's not cuddly, he said that after being alone for so long,
he's not so sure he'd want someone all over him, so he can understand
how she feels. But she hangs out with him wherever he is, and he was
very charmed by her "somersaults" that she does whenever she's excited
about something.

But he did mention that when she gets tired of being petted, she swats
him and draws blood. So he said that when he had some more money, he
was going to get her declawed. (!!!) So I told him all about why declawing
is a terrible thing to do to a cat, and I told him about Softpaws and
said he should call his vet and ask about it. And then I volunteered to
come over and show him how to clip her claws. Because of the kind of cat
she is, this is a 2-person job. She's extremely feisty and hardly allows
people to touch her, let alone clip her claws, but she does have one
achilles heel: if you grab her by the scruff of the neck, the way you'd
pick up a kitten, she becomes completely docile and passive. So I'm going
to work with him, have him hold her by the scruff of her neck while I clip
the razorblades, and hopefully in the future, he can get his home-care
assistant to do it with him. (Or he can get the Softpaws.) He was very
sweet about it - said that he'd had no idea declawing was cruel, but now
that I'd told him, he wasn't going to do it.

Now I'm going to look for some sites that have info about declawing I can
give him, so I can be sure he's really convinced about it. If anyone has
any favorites they'd like to recommend, feel free. Something that's not
too technical or complex - I don't think this guy's concentration is all
that good. Also, I'm not sure his computer is working right now, so I'd
like something I can print out to bring with me when I go to visit.

Anyway, other than that, it sounds like he's pretty happy with her. Yay!!

Joyce

"MaryL" wrote in message
...

wrote in message
....

But he did mention that when she gets tired of being petted, she swats
him and draws blood. So he said that when he had some more money, he
was going to get her declawed. (!!!) So I told him all about why
declawing
is a terrible thing to do to a cat, and I told him about Softpaws and
said he should call his vet and ask about it. And then I volunteered to
come over and show him how to clip her claws.
He was very
sweet about it - said that he'd had no idea declawing was cruel, but now
that I'd told him, he wasn't going to do it.

Now I'm going to look for some sites that have info about declawing I
can
give him, so I can be sure he's really convinced about it. If anyone has
any favorites they'd like to recommend, feel free.

Joyce

Here are a few declaw sites:

http://www.wholecat.com/articles/claws.htm
http://www.stopdeclaw.com
http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/declaw.html

MaryL



Joyce,

I sent a few links to declaw sites a few minutes ago, but I think I should
also have made a comment. It sounds to me like this may be as simple as
learning to recognize the signs when Lampchop "has had enough." For
example, you included this statement: "But he did mention that when she
gets tired of being petted, she swats him and draws blood." From that
statement, it would appear that Lampchop is being overstimulated. Tell his
new caretaker not to try to force a cat into a situation. It has only been
a week, and it takes time with some cats to work into a good relationship.
If the cat doesn't want to be petted, stop immediately. Watch for the
position of the ears and for tension in the muscles or the tail that may be
tell-tale signs (no pun intended!) that it's time to stop.

MaryL

MaryL wrote:

It sounds to me like this may be as simple as
learning to recognize the signs when Lampchop "has had enough." For
example, you included this statement: "But he did mention that when she
gets tired of being petted, she swats him and draws blood." From that
statement, it would appear that Lampchop is being overstimulated.

That's exactly it. And when I had her, I learned to become attentive to
her signals so I could avoid being swatted. I also learned to pet her
much more slowly and gently, and only in certain places (she prefers to
be touched around the head and sides of her jaw). I didn't have the chance
to demonstrate that for her new human because as soon as I let her out of
the carrier at his place, she ran under the bed and I didn't see her again.
When I go over there to help with claw-clipping, she'll be settled in and
I'm sure will be out and around, and - I hope - will recognize me and come
to greet me. At that time, I can talk more about how to touch her without
overstimulating her.

Thanks!
Joyce

wrote in message
...
Well, it was just a week ago that I brought Lambchop to her new home.
I told the guy that I'd call in a week to touch base and see how it
was going, so I called him today, and he's happy with her! He doesn't
mind that she's not cuddly, he said that after being alone for so long,
he's not so sure he'd want someone all over him, so he can understand
how she feels. But she hangs out with him wherever he is, and he was
very charmed by her "somersaults" that she does whenever she's excited
about something.

But he did mention that when she gets tired of being petted, she swats
him and draws blood. So he said that when he had some more money, he
was going to get her declawed. (!!!) So I told him all about why declawing
is a terrible thing to do to a cat, and I told him about Softpaws and
said he should call his vet and ask about it. And then I volunteered to
come over and show him how to clip her claws. Because of the kind of cat
she is, this is a 2-person job. She's extremely feisty and hardly allows
people to touch her, let alone clip her claws, but she does have one
achilles heel: if you grab her by the scruff of the neck, the way you'd
pick up a kitten, she becomes completely docile and passive. So I'm going
to work with him, have him hold her by the scruff of her neck while I clip
the razorblades, and hopefully in the future, he can get his home-care
assistant to do it with him. (Or he can get the Softpaws.) He was very
sweet about it - said that he'd had no idea declawing was cruel, but now
that I'd told him, he wasn't going to do it.

Now I'm going to look for some sites that have info about declawing I can
give him, so I can be sure he's really convinced about it. If anyone has
any favorites they'd like to recommend, feel free. Something that's not
too technical or complex - I don't think this guy's concentration is all
that good. Also, I'm not sure his computer is working right now, so I'd
like something I can print out to bring with me when I go to visit.

Anyway, other than that, it sounds like he's pretty happy with her. Yay!!

Joyce

you might also mention that declawed cats are very likely to become biters.
Brenda