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#1
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Declawing: glad I took the time
Well, I posted here many months ago regarding a stray that we decided
to spay and keep. She turned into a beautiful cat with a nice shiny coat. She's still outside, and she sleeps on the deck in a nice little shingled house that I built for her. She's a good mouser, and we live next to a cornfield, o she get alot of hunting in. People keep telling me I should just make the leap and bring her into the house. I had always just assumed that declawing was a "normal" part of owning an indoor cat. I'm glad a sifted through the many posts and opinions. I didn't realize that so many people consider it to be a horrible mutilation. I was also interested to read the data regarding the effect on behavior (soiling, etc.) Now I'm not sure what to do. I absolutely will not tolerate destruction of our carpet or furniture. We already raised two babies that vomited on or marked with markers everything we own. We finally have a nice house now, and I won't stand by and watch a cat shred it. Should we try to find her another home? We tried before, and failed. |
#2
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Hi Mitch,
I'm not quite sure what the problem is . Do you mean to keep her inside 24/7?. There's no need to do that . If she wants to come in and out , let her. You can train her to use a scratching post but she will also scratch outside. Alison wrote in message ... Well, I posted here many months ago regarding a stray that we decided to spay and keep. She turned into a beautiful cat with a nice shiny coat. She's still outside, and she sleeps on the deck in a nice little shingled house that I built for her. She's a good mouser, and we live next to a cornfield, o she get alot of hunting in. People keep telling me I should just make the leap and bring her into the house. I had always just assumed that declawing was a "normal" part of owning an indoor cat. I'm glad a sifted through the many posts and opinions. I didn't realize that so many people consider it to be a horrible mutilation. I was also interested to read the data regarding the effect on behavior (soiling, etc.) Now I'm not sure what to do. I absolutely will not tolerate destruction of our carpet or furniture. We already raised two babies that vomited on or marked with markers everything we own. We finally have a nice house now, and I won't stand by and watch a cat shred it. Should we try to find her another home? We tried before, and failed. |
#3
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Hi Mitch,
I'm not quite sure what the problem is . Do you mean to keep her inside 24/7?. There's no need to do that . If she wants to come in and out , let her. You can train her to use a scratching post but she will also scratch outside. Alison wrote in message ... Well, I posted here many months ago regarding a stray that we decided to spay and keep. She turned into a beautiful cat with a nice shiny coat. She's still outside, and she sleeps on the deck in a nice little shingled house that I built for her. She's a good mouser, and we live next to a cornfield, o she get alot of hunting in. People keep telling me I should just make the leap and bring her into the house. I had always just assumed that declawing was a "normal" part of owning an indoor cat. I'm glad a sifted through the many posts and opinions. I didn't realize that so many people consider it to be a horrible mutilation. I was also interested to read the data regarding the effect on behavior (soiling, etc.) Now I'm not sure what to do. I absolutely will not tolerate destruction of our carpet or furniture. We already raised two babies that vomited on or marked with markers everything we own. We finally have a nice house now, and I won't stand by and watch a cat shred it. Should we try to find her another home? We tried before, and failed. |
#5
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From:
Well, I posted here many months ago regarding a stray that we decided to spay and keep. She turned into a beautiful cat with a nice shiny coat. She's still outside, and she sleeps on the deck in a nice little shingled house that I built for her. She's a good mouser, and we live next to a cornfield, o she get alot of hunting in. People keep telling me I should just make the leap and bring her into the house. I had always just assumed that declawing was a "normal" part of owning an indoor cat. I'm glad a sifted through the many posts and opinions. I didn't realize that so many people consider it to be a horrible mutilation. I was also interested to read the data regarding the effect on behavior (soiling, etc.) Now I'm not sure what to do. I absolutely will not tolerate destruction of our carpet or furniture. We already raised two babies that vomited on or marked with markers everything we own. We finally have a nice house now, and I won't stand by and watch a cat shred it. Should we try to find her another home? We tried before, and failed. If the choice is mutilating the cat or finding her another home, then absolutely find her another home. Cutting off body parts to save your furniture is not the right thing to do by any means. However, if the cat is properly trained, appropriate scratching posts and surfaces provided, claws trimmed, etc., then there shouldnt' be a problem having her in your home. I have a very good article link in my signature for you to read. 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 |
#6
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wrote in message ... Well, I posted here many months ago regarding a stray that we decided to spay and keep. She turned into a beautiful cat with a nice shiny coat. She's still outside, and she sleeps on the deck in a nice little shingled house that I built for her. She's a good mouser, and we live next to a cornfield, o she get alot of hunting in. People keep telling me I should just make the leap and bring her into the house. I had always just assumed that declawing was a "normal" part of owning an indoor cat. I'm glad a sifted through the many posts and opinions. I didn't realize that so many people consider it to be a horrible mutilation. I was also interested to read the data regarding the effect on behavior (soiling, etc.) Now I'm not sure what to do. I absolutely will not tolerate destruction of our carpet or furniture. We already raised two babies that vomited on or marked with markers everything we own. We finally have a nice house now, and I won't stand by and watch a cat shred it. Should we try to find her another home? We tried before, and failed. Mitch, I have had indoor-only cats for 40 years. Only one of them was declawed (and that was done before I adopted her). I also have some very nice furniture. None of it is damaged on scratched. Some of it is furniture that goes back to my parents' wedding (literally! -- my grandparents' wedding gift to my parents) or to my childhood. Some of it is antique furniture that I bought over the last 35 years, and some of it is relatively new. You can see some of it if you will look at the links to my cats below (although I was trying to show off my cats and not my furniture). The point I am trying to make is that you can have *both* clawed cats *and* nice furniture. It is not necessary to give up either one. I have found that it is easy to train a cat to use a scratching post, although you will need to be vigilant and consistent for the first couple of weeks. You should also have a selection of scratching posts of different types and textures until you learn what the cat likes (sisal, carpet, even cardboard -- and possibly a mounted tree trunk/limb since your cat has been an outdoor cat). Place the scratching posts in various rooms in the house, and you may even want to have a good cat tree. All of these can be attractive and do not need to be "eyesores." An indoor cat probably will throw up a furball occasionally, but that can be cleaned. I trained each of mine to use a scratching post by the use of positive reinforcement and by making it somewhat of a game. I would watch carefully to see any sign that the cat was going to scratch, then would say "no," and either go to the scratching post and tap on it while calling my cat or would even pick up the cat and carry him or her to the post. I would frequently pull a string up the sides of the post (sometimes with a toy tied to the end of the string). Sometimes I would even scratch with my own fingernails until the cat did the same. As soon as the cat would begin to scratch on the post, I would praise excessively. Some people have found it helpful to rub catnip into the post, but it has not been helpful in my experience (in fact, I had one cat that would simply rub his head on the post if it was embedded with catnip). It never took more than a couple of weeks for my cats to be completely trained to a scratching post -- it is really almost "second nature" to them, and the primary need is to find the type of post that is to their liking. Some cats prefer upright posts (which is what all of mine like), while some prefer horizontal. Some like sisal (again, I would say this seems to be the "preferred" substance), while others will like other surfaces. Make sure that the posts are very sturdy (especially uprights) because a cat could become frightened and refuse to use it if one topples as the cat scratches vigorously. Many of the commercial scratching posts are much too short and lightweight. PetSmart has some very good ones. It is also a good idea to trim your cat's claws occasionally. Get good-quality trimmers that are made especially for this function. Some people even use "soft claws," but I have no experience with them. Good luck! And thank you for making the decision not to declaw. MaryL (take out the litter to reply) Photos of Duffy and Holly: 'o' http://tinyurl.com/8y54 (Introducing Duffy to Holly) http://tinyurl.com/8y56 (Duffy and Holly "settle in") |
#7
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wrote in message ... Well, I posted here many months ago regarding a stray that we decided to spay and keep. She turned into a beautiful cat with a nice shiny coat. She's still outside, and she sleeps on the deck in a nice little shingled house that I built for her. She's a good mouser, and we live next to a cornfield, o she get alot of hunting in. People keep telling me I should just make the leap and bring her into the house. I had always just assumed that declawing was a "normal" part of owning an indoor cat. I'm glad a sifted through the many posts and opinions. I didn't realize that so many people consider it to be a horrible mutilation. I was also interested to read the data regarding the effect on behavior (soiling, etc.) Now I'm not sure what to do. I absolutely will not tolerate destruction of our carpet or furniture. We already raised two babies that vomited on or marked with markers everything we own. We finally have a nice house now, and I won't stand by and watch a cat shred it. Should we try to find her another home? We tried before, and failed. Mitch, I have had indoor-only cats for 40 years. Only one of them was declawed (and that was done before I adopted her). I also have some very nice furniture. None of it is damaged on scratched. Some of it is furniture that goes back to my parents' wedding (literally! -- my grandparents' wedding gift to my parents) or to my childhood. Some of it is antique furniture that I bought over the last 35 years, and some of it is relatively new. You can see some of it if you will look at the links to my cats below (although I was trying to show off my cats and not my furniture). The point I am trying to make is that you can have *both* clawed cats *and* nice furniture. It is not necessary to give up either one. I have found that it is easy to train a cat to use a scratching post, although you will need to be vigilant and consistent for the first couple of weeks. You should also have a selection of scratching posts of different types and textures until you learn what the cat likes (sisal, carpet, even cardboard -- and possibly a mounted tree trunk/limb since your cat has been an outdoor cat). Place the scratching posts in various rooms in the house, and you may even want to have a good cat tree. All of these can be attractive and do not need to be "eyesores." An indoor cat probably will throw up a furball occasionally, but that can be cleaned. I trained each of mine to use a scratching post by the use of positive reinforcement and by making it somewhat of a game. I would watch carefully to see any sign that the cat was going to scratch, then would say "no," and either go to the scratching post and tap on it while calling my cat or would even pick up the cat and carry him or her to the post. I would frequently pull a string up the sides of the post (sometimes with a toy tied to the end of the string). Sometimes I would even scratch with my own fingernails until the cat did the same. As soon as the cat would begin to scratch on the post, I would praise excessively. Some people have found it helpful to rub catnip into the post, but it has not been helpful in my experience (in fact, I had one cat that would simply rub his head on the post if it was embedded with catnip). It never took more than a couple of weeks for my cats to be completely trained to a scratching post -- it is really almost "second nature" to them, and the primary need is to find the type of post that is to their liking. Some cats prefer upright posts (which is what all of mine like), while some prefer horizontal. Some like sisal (again, I would say this seems to be the "preferred" substance), while others will like other surfaces. Make sure that the posts are very sturdy (especially uprights) because a cat could become frightened and refuse to use it if one topples as the cat scratches vigorously. Many of the commercial scratching posts are much too short and lightweight. PetSmart has some very good ones. It is also a good idea to trim your cat's claws occasionally. Get good-quality trimmers that are made especially for this function. Some people even use "soft claws," but I have no experience with them. Good luck! And thank you for making the decision not to declaw. MaryL (take out the litter to reply) Photos of Duffy and Holly: 'o' http://tinyurl.com/8y54 (Introducing Duffy to Holly) http://tinyurl.com/8y56 (Duffy and Holly "settle in") |
#8
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"Laura R." wrote in message .net... circa Sun, 2 Nov 2003 10:03:43 -0600, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, MaryL -OUT-THE-LITTER) said, MaryL (take out the litter to reply) Photos of Duffy and Holly: 'o' http://tinyurl.com/8y54 (Introducing Duffy to Holly) http://tinyurl.com/8y56 (Duffy and Holly "settle in") Mary, your cats look like such sweeties. Kudos to you for knowing that a blind cat is still a cat, and just as functional and lovable as a sighted cat. Laura -- Every silver lining has a cloud around it. Thanks! They really are sweeties -- and Duffy can do almost everything that a sighted can can do. MaryL |
#9
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"Laura R." wrote in message .net... circa Sun, 2 Nov 2003 10:03:43 -0600, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, MaryL -OUT-THE-LITTER) said, MaryL (take out the litter to reply) Photos of Duffy and Holly: 'o' http://tinyurl.com/8y54 (Introducing Duffy to Holly) http://tinyurl.com/8y56 (Duffy and Holly "settle in") Mary, your cats look like such sweeties. Kudos to you for knowing that a blind cat is still a cat, and just as functional and lovable as a sighted cat. Laura -- Every silver lining has a cloud around it. Thanks! They really are sweeties -- and Duffy can do almost everything that a sighted can can do. MaryL |
#10
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wrote in message ... Well, I posted here many months ago regarding a stray that we decided to spay and keep. She turned into a beautiful cat with a nice shiny coat. First, good for you for not declawing. Second, if you read that far in this group, you can read a bit farther and learn how to TRAIN your cat. Every time we get a new upholstered piece I pin foil to the corners for a couple of weeks, then spray one of those citrusy sprays cats hate ( cat repellents,try Petsmart) regularly. If I catch them in the act I pick them up, tell them NO, and place them by a nice scratching post (of a pad if it's a rug) and take their little paws and gently go thought he motion and say "Gooood girl! Good Girl!" This is a great time to give a treat, too. Then PUT a scratching post or pad near the spot. Make sure it has catnip or bells or a toy so your cat will prefer it. Cats can learn! Remember, your baby wants to please you. If the cat tends to scratch something in a room where you often sit, you can also keep a water gun or spray bottle there and give her a squirt when you catch her in the act. Don't give your dear cat away. Train her! |
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