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#1
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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 |
#2
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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 |
#3
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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 |
#4
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"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. |
#5
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"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. |
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#9
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"Wendy" wrote in message
... 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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! snip for space 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 For people who argue that they can't train the cat not to scratch, I recommend Soft Paws. If they are able to trim his nails, they can put them on. The Soft Paws website also has a lot of info about declawing. I agree, it's best to remain calm and collected when presenting the declawing info to them. They sound like the type of people who may be able to be turned around on it. They probably have no idea what's involved. -- -Kelly kelly at farringtons dot net Check out www.snittens.com |
#10
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"KellyH" wrote in message news:4QQsc.7715$eT4.1646@attbi_s54... "Wendy" wrote in message ... 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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! snip for space 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 For people who argue that they can't train the cat not to scratch, I recommend Soft Paws. If they are able to trim his nails, they can put them on. The Soft Paws website also has a lot of info about declawing. I agree, it's best to remain calm and collected when presenting the declawing info to them. They sound like the type of people who may be able to be turned around on it. They probably have no idea what's involved. -- -Kelly kelly at farringtons dot net Check out www.snittens.com The dh saw the husband outside and stopped to chat. He mentioned that his wife had said she was considering having the cat declawed and the husband said NO WAY! Apparently after she was here the other night and I told her to clip Midnight's claws, they did and he hasn't been a problem since (I knew he was a good boy). The dh also mentioned that they really need to get him fixed and if their vet insists on waiting till the cat is 11 mos. old maybe they could check with other vets in the area, most of whom would recommend neutering much earlier than that. The dh also made sure that they understood that declawing is an amputation (they didn't know that). I don't think I have to worry about Midnight losing his claws. I don't understand how a vet could talk to people about this procedure without telling them what it actually is. I suspect a lot of people (who haven't researched it on their own) figure it's no more serious than having a toenail removed. W |
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