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#1
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myMSN says declawing is an option...
.... if your cat keeps on scratching things. Oh, and that they "removes only
the nails". Is this ever true? Doesn't it always take toe and cartiledge? OK, I don't want to start anything, but I was disgusted by this article: http://family.msn.com/tool/article.a...03_d eclawing And I wrote a letter to voice my strong feelings of disgust he http://www.msn.com/feedback.armx Probably overreacted, but it doesn't help the battle to end this horrible act. Sure it gives "alternatives", but calling it a *viable option* on the big MSN site is not cool in my humble opinion. Jen. PS: please forward to whatever animal welfare socities, other newsgroups, people, blah blah that might want to send feedback. |
#3
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And I wrote a letter to voice my strong feelings of disgust he
I wrote a letter and submitted it. Here's a copy. I just read the below article http://family.msn.com/tool/article.a...&name=msn_1001 03_declawing Declawing is illegal in many countries as it is inhumane. It is also illegal in a few cities in the US with more making it illegal every day. It's easy to teach your cat how to scratch and sharpen his claws in an acceptable manner. It just takes a tiny bit of patience. Your article makes declawing seem like nothing, "just taking off the nail." They don't just take off the nail. They chop off the entire last digit of each "toe." Then the kitty must try to walk with the last digits of his "toes" cut off. They also cut the tendon to the claws which can also cause pain and irritation. There can also be medical complications. Perhaps you should have offered your readers some suggestions on how to stop inappropriate clawing instead of giving them the easy, lazy, uneducated way out. If they are truly too lazy to train their kitty, they shouldn't have one in the first place and should find an acceptable new home for the kitty. If they are truly determind to have a declawed cat, they can go to the shelter and adopt one already declawed instead of mutilating another. Please print this letter because your article was very one sided. |
#4
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I forgot. My cat scratching tips.
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. |
#5
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I have a couple to add to your suggestions that worked with Sammy.
When she was a kitten she liked the raw wood that frames my doorways and the edge of the fabric furniture. I sprayed a vinegar water mix on the wood, and put a siscal post next to her favorite corner of the couch. She's not a big fan of catnip, but I was able to get her interested in the new scratch post by occassionally putting a cat treat on the top of the post. I still have to spray the raw wood trim about once a week, but she's forgotten all about the furniture, even though it's been ages since I put any treats on top. On 08 Nov 2003 03:58:11 GMT, pam (Mary) wrote: I forgot. My cat scratching tips. 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. -- Steve Touchstone, faithful servant of Sammy, Little Bit and Rocky remove Junk for email |
#6
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Karen wrote:
I guess what makes me the most mad is that it is always advised at three or four months, which,of course, DOES make the surgery quicker to heal BUT that is not a time to decide whether the cat can be trained!!!!!! It's far too young~ It is a catch 22 to advise this. It's very troubling. That's a good point, Karen. It doesn't seem like a very well thought out article. |
#7
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On Sat, 08 Nov 2003 02:33:27 GMT, "jen.d" wrote:
... if your cat keeps on scratching things. Oh, and that they "removes only the nails". Is this ever true? Doesn't it always take toe and cartiledge? OK, I don't want to start anything, but I was disgusted by this article: http://family.msn.com/tool/article.a...03_d eclawing Keep in mind what the source is: Microsoft - any advice from Microsoft is either untrue or useless. Or both. Almost always. T.E.D. - e-mail must contain "T.E.D." or my .sig in the body) |
#8
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Karen wrote: in article XBYqb.337931$6C4.216599@pd7tw1no, jen.d at ITTER wrote on 11/7/03 8:33 PM: ... if your cat keeps on scratching things. Oh, and that they "removes only the nails". Is this ever true? Doesn't it always take toe and cartiledge? OK, I don't want to start anything, but I was disgusted by this article: http://family.msn.com/tool/article.a...sn_100103_d e clawing And I wrote a letter to voice my strong feelings of disgust he http://www.msn.com/feedback.armx Probably overreacted, but it doesn't help the battle to end this horrible act. Sure it gives "alternatives", but calling it a *viable option* on the big MSN site is not cool in my humble opinion. Jen. PS: please forward to whatever animal welfare socities, other newsgroups, people, blah blah that might want to send feedback. I guess what makes me the most mad is that it is always advised at three or four months, which,of course, DOES make the surgery quicker to heal BUT that is not a time to decide whether the cat can be trained!!!!!! It's far too young~ It is a catch 22 to advise this. It's very troubling. I finally stopped taking my cats to their old vet, partly because of the distance to Pasadena from where I am now living, but also because he began advertising laser surgery for declawing. (Before that, I had not realized that he would actually perform the surgery at all!) Laser may be quicker and less painful for the cat, but it's still unnecessary amputation, IMO! |
#9
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http://family.msn.com/tool/article.a...ame=msn_100103 _declawing Keep in mind what the source is: Microsoft - any advice from Microsoft is either untrue or useless. Or both. Almost always. Ha! Good point Jen. |
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