Help! Need suggestions---how to train cats not to claw or scratch carpets, drapes, wallpaper, ...anything that doesn't move

I posted a similar question on this bulletin board about two months after we
adopted two cats and got no response, so I'm trying again. Mainly, I'm
asking for any information or suggestions to help me train our cats to
scratch and claw only their scratch posts before they are no longer
trainable.

We adopted our cats from a rescue group about six months ago. I do not
recall if we signed an agreement to never have them declawed, but we were
given a lot of information against this. We believed we could adopt the two
cats on that basis.

Since adopting our cats they find, paw at, and ultimately destroy small
objects (e.g., kids' toys, expensive camera lens), and it's becoming
blatantly obvious that unless we can find a way to train them to stop they
will destroy our carpeting, drapes, wallpaper--the list goes on. This
matters a lot as we recently completed major remodeling and upgrading to our
house at great expense and it is extremely frustrating to see all that hard
work slowly going down the tube.

We have two scratch posts that the cats use, but this doesn't seem to be
enough. Our house is fairly large (but not huge), so maybe two scratch posts
aren't enough. I'd prefer not to have them declawed but it's getting so bad
that I feel our choice is to either give them back to the rescue group
(thereby increasing the homeless cat population by two) or have them
declawed. We love our cats and would hate to give them up, which makes the
latter choice seem like our only alternative.

I've read with great interest the 7/5/03 post from Homer (you CAN declaw
with Love) and responses to it. Gotta hand it to ya, Homer--way to hang in
there. Still, I'd prefer to not declaw our cats as the thought of it is very
discomforting to me. Tough decision.

I understand the vehemence many readers will have at the mere suggestion
that I am considering have our cats declawed. Please--unless you have
constructive, helpful information about training cats, I'm fully informed
about what a cat goes through when declawed and ask that you abstain from
filling my response string with hate messages or irrelevant questions like
"why didn't you buy a goldfish?" Suffice it to say that we wanted a cat,
ended up with two, that we love them both but are faced with a problem of
nightmare proportions, the result of scratching and clawing that we were NOT
informed of when we adopted our cats.

In a 7/3/03 response to a post (same date) by Karen Chuplis ( Soft Paws),
Karen M. refers to something called "Smart Paws." If anyone has more
information or a web link about this please respond.

Thanks to all who take my post to heart and offer help.

In article ,
shared the illuminating thought...
I posted a similar question on this bulletin board about two months after we
adopted two cats and got no response, so I'm trying again. Mainly, I'm
asking for any information or suggestions to help me train our cats to
scratch and claw only their scratch posts before they are no longer
trainable.


Ah, there is no such thing as no longer trainable. If it's an animal
that can think, then it can be trained. Even animals that can't think
too well can be trained. Look at male humans. :P
There is also a TON of info out there on how to train a cat not to
scratch, so it can be a lot to sort through.

We have two scratch posts that the cats use, but this doesn't seem to be
enough. Our house is fairly large (but not huge), so maybe two scratch posts
aren't enough.

I have a scratch post or pad in EVERY room and 3 clawed cats that don't
hurt a thing. A vertical pad/post and a horizontal pad is available in
each location.

The very best thing I can recommend to you is to read a good book on
training and conditioning, such as Karen Pryor's "Don't Shoot The Dog",
which covers how to train any living being, including people. It covers
reinforcement, punishment, and all the other stuff you need to know to
train an animal effectively.
Training is about making the cat CHOOSE to scratch appropriate things by
making it pleasant for them do do so and unpleasant for them to not do
so.
I praise the cats, use catnip and toys, and play with them by their
scratch things. I use a loud NO, a clap, or a squirt of water to
discourage scratching of innappropriate things, then take them to the
appropriate location and praise so they know what they SHOULD do.
Behavior must be redirected or substituted.

Also, clipping the nails (and/or using SoftPaws) can really minimize any
damage the cat does during training. Cover items they really like to
scratch with adhesive you can find at pet stores to make them not like
the surface.

http://www.softpaws.com/
http://www.softpaws.com/article.html (how to clip nails)

Training articles:
http://www.perfectpaws.com/scratch.html
http://www.pawschicago.org/PetCare/catscratching.htm

Training helper items:
http://cats.about.com/cs/behavior2/gr/scccat.htm (so you don't have to
be there)
http://www.petsmart.com/cat/shopping.../psearch.shtml
(repellants and training aids)

HTH

----------------------------------------
~kaeli~
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/kaelisSpace
Kill one man and you are a murderer.
Kill millions and you are a conqueror.
Kill everyone and you are God.
----------------------------------------

A few suggestions:

-try different types of scratching things -- my cat LOVES those giant catnip
laced cardboard scratchers that you can pick up at Walmart or the petstores.
Lays flat on the floor and he just attacks it and nothing else really. But
there are so many different kinds - sisal (sp?), carpeted, etc., (rub catnip
on whatever you want to attract them to) -- if they are attacking furniture
try getting some slipcovers for them (maybe not as attractive as the
furniture but they may stop clawing if the material changes). Shorten the
drapes so they cannot reach them and keep stuff they destroy out of sight.
Teach the kids if they value their things then to put them away - or else -
^..^

-www.softpaws.com - I think is the site.
-do you clip your cats claws?
-squirty water bottle or squirt gun spray kitty when kitty scratches in a
bad spot - if you can isolate them to a 'cat proof' (ha ha, i know) room
when you're not home that might help

My Max doesn't scratch anything except those cardboard things now that I
have them. Before that it was the couch and other furniture too.

Good luck!
LeeAnne



"Girg" wrote in message
...
I posted a similar question on this bulletin board about two months after
we
adopted two cats and got no response, so I'm trying again. Mainly, I'm
asking for any information or suggestions to help me train our cats to
scratch and claw only their scratch posts before they are no longer
trainable.

....major snippage...

"Girg" wrote:

I posted a similar question on this bulletin board about two months after
we
adopted two cats and got no response, so I'm trying again. Mainly, I'm
asking for any information or suggestions to help me train our cats to
scratch and claw only their scratch posts before they are no longer
trainable.

They are never untrainable. The easy solution is to build a cat tree and
put their dry food near the top. If they need help finding it, well, you
put them up there and show it to them. They will climb for food. It is a
constant reminder that the post(s) are great for scratching. End of
problem (at least in my experience).

Try reading this group for a while. Good luck.

Out.

Homer howled at the moon, then scrawled thusly upon the aether:

Just like a human being would be normal and happy after getting over
the pain of having his (or her) fingers removed.

And just like a human being would be normal after getting over the
pain of having his balls removed or her ovaries cut out.

at least they could function normally as soon as they've recovered...
it's rather difficult to type, play piano, write, climb trees, etc. with
partially amputated digits. i've seen someone who can, to a certain
extent and with great difficulty, but it was a matter of losing much of
her fingers or losing her entire hand, not overly sharp fingernails.

if you could never, ever get laid and weren't physically capable of
satisfying yourself, but had the option of a simple surgery that would
eliminate the frustration forever, as well as reduce the risk of certain
cancers (and painful or even dangerous ovarian cysts if female), wouldn't
you go for it?

He mutilated some kittens allegedly because he read "other posts"
which said it was a good idea. He ignored the contrary posts written
by "cat nazis." In other words, he mutilated some kittens because he
needed cute little harmless playthings.

I'm sure glad I ignored people with opinions like yourself otherwise
I'd be stuck with some razor sharp playthings.

or the occasional hassle of trimming nails and gluing on nail covers that
allow your cats to climb and stretch and scratch and scent mark with
their paws as they would normally do without doing any damage to you or
your furniture. train them to it early enough with the right rewards,
and, like grooming, many cats may even consider it a treat. if that's
completely impractical because, say, you're immunosuppressed and an
accidental scratch while trimming nails and replacing covers would
endanger your life, sure, declaw rather than get rid of the cats, but
short of that there are usually far more humane options to protect
yourself and your furnishings from kitty damage.

The author seems to think that the only possible correction is to
physically alter the cat. I guess such shallow minds are why laws
are necessary.

I believe you are the one with the shallow mind to think you can get
into the business of others by forcing your *morals* upon others and
making asinine laws. Next thing you'll do is outlaw criticising the
president.

there's quite a large difference between criticism (which, unless
slanderous, directly harms no one and often is to the greater benefit
when people choose to listen) and a more often than not unnecessary
surgical procedure which carries with it significant risks.

And your playthings can no longer properly exercise. They can never
grip or climb anything again. They can no longer defend themselves.
Your playthings will be dead meat if they ever get outside or if a
dog gets inside. If your helpless playthings escape you or for
whatever other reason end up outside, they will be either killed or
beaten up and perpetually chased away from food sources until they
die.

That's 'cause I'm a responsible owner and make sure they have a full
and happy life inside the house. I'm not careless enough that they
ever accidently escape.

so, you lock them in a room previous to every time you open your door for
any reason? your house is completely fireproofed, or you would sooner
allow them to die than escape? you never have surprise visitors, and
you're the only person who will ever open your door? you keep your door
lokced at all times to prevent a curious kitty from turning the knob? you
have arrangements with someone who knows your cats well to keep them as
indoor pets should something happen to you?

there's always the possibility of escape, however remote. when my cat
escaped, i assure you it was not due to carelessness on my part. indeed,
he managed to get past more than one closed door. i'm glad that he had
the means to hunt and defend himself, else he may have returned far more
injured and ill than he did, or he may not have been able to return at
all.

I don't expect any camaraderie from the likes of you. I see myself as
doing a service to the cat owners by posting another viewpoint. AND I
see that I have had a hand in helping the overpopulation problem by
giving some cats a good, loving home.

thank you for providing a loving home to your feline companions. i just
hope that in future SoftPaws (or similar) training is tried in as many
cases as possible before declawing is seriously considered.

Maeve... with typos courtesy of Fevs the lapkitty, helping me type...
--
throw the baby out with the bathwater to reply by e-mail
~*~ http://volatiledreams.deep-ice.com ~*~

666-A -- The Tenant of the Beast.

In article ,
enlightened us with...
I don't expect any camaraderie from the likes of you. I see myself as
doing a service to the cat owners by posting another viewpoint. AND I
see that I have had a hand in helping the overpopulation problem by
giving some cats a good, loving home.

thank you for providing a loving home to your feline companions. i just
hope that in future SoftPaws (or similar) training is tried in as many
cases as possible before declawing is seriously considered.


If someone wants to save lives but feels they cannot train a cat
properly, there are thousands of already declawed cats in shelters
nation wide.

Save a life - adopt!

-------------------------------------------------
~kaeli~
There is no justification or rationalization
for mutilation. Ban declawing as inhumane.
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/kaelisSpace
-------------------------------------------------

If you cannot afford to, nor have the "time" for your animals then you
shouldn't have them. You have only one reason to get your cat declawed: you
are lazy.

I clip my Max's nails every couple of weeks and I can't imagine that for you
to take a few minutes out of your day to glue nail covers or clip your cat's
nails is too much of a burden.

Seem ridiculous to me
LeeAnne

"No One But Me" wrote in message
...


i examined the softpaws brochure & quickly discarded that as an
option. i am very busy in my life and don't have the time it will take
to glue fake nail guards onto two cats. that's total crap. i don't
even do my own nails ... i pay someone else to do 'em, so why would i
do a cats? i'm glad you have so much time on your hands, but some of
us are very busy people, but even if we weren't, we would have better
things to do than sit & glue fake nails onto the feet of two cats.

i will not pay a veterinarian $60 every 6 weeks to glue nails onto a cat.
they have better things to do & so do i. declawing is an option they offer
&
i take them up on it. i don't pay $60 every 6 weeks to get my own nails
done, so why would i pay it for theirs?

If you don't have time to glue nail caps on, how do you have time to
care
for two kittens, even just enough to make sure that they're eating and
uninjured? What would happen if one of your cats came down with a sudden
illness? Do you even spend enough time around them that you would know?

i have 11 cats total, including the kittens. all of them are fat & happy.
all of them go to the vet when they have problems. of my 11 cats, one is
diabetic, one has arthritis, two have urinary crystals periodically, the
kittens had a 3 week bout of diahrea, one had a bacterial infection in his
ears with yeast accompanying it. of my 11 cats, six are considered
geriatric, 2 are middle aged, the rest are young. the diabetic cat has
been
going back & forth to the vet every 10 days for regular evaluations to get
his diabetes under control & to adjust his insulin. my cats only go to the
vet for illness & to be spayed or neutered. if they are to be declawed,
they
get that done while they are in being spayed/neutered. taking an animal in
for true illness is far more important than taking them in for stupid ****
like gluing on fake nails. i leave that to people who don't have anything
better to do with their time or money. all of my cats appear to be in very
good health, so sayeth their vet, so don't you worry your tiny little head
about them.

Barbara
(a full time worker 5 days a week at a university, who, inspite of having
to
service uppity college students everyday, still has time to take care of
my
own responsibilities ... including my cats)

Maeve... busy college student, still makes time to properly take care of
her responsibilities, including the furry ones...

On Sun, 18 Apr 2004 22:16:54 -0500, BoTo
wrote:

WOW! A great solution! Tell me more about declawing.

My god, PLEASE tell me you're joking/trolling. Declawing is
mutilation, short and simple. It's illegal in the UK for that very
reason. If your furniture is more precious than your cat's wellbeing,
then don't have a cat. Alternatively, if you're prepared to put in the
effort, there are a million different ways to dissuade a cat from
clawing furniture - water pistols, scent products, sticky tabs,
distraction etc etc

Please, please think about what you're doing to your cat if you have
the ends of its paws hacked off - it's not like snipping their nails,
it's like someone removing the end bones in your fingers. Not only
does it impede the cat's defence and movement mechanisms, it can also
have psychological consequences.

The cat isn't being destructive for the sake of it - scratching and
scenting its territory is intrinsic to cat behaviour.

On Sun, 18 Apr 2004 22:16:54 -0500, BoTo
wrote:

WOW! A great solution! Tell me more about declawing.

My god, PLEASE tell me you're joking/trolling. Declawing is
mutilation, short and simple. It's illegal in the UK for that very
reason. If your furniture is more precious than your cat's wellbeing,
then don't have a cat. Alternatively, if you're prepared to put in the
effort, there are a million different ways to dissuade a cat from
clawing furniture - water pistols, scent products, sticky tabs,
distraction etc etc

Please, please think about what you're doing to your cat if you have
the ends of its paws hacked off - it's not like snipping their nails,
it's like someone removing the end bones in your fingers. Not only
does it impede the cat's defence and movement mechanisms, it can also
have psychological consequences.

The cat isn't being destructive for the sake of it - scratching and
scenting its territory is intrinsic to cat behaviour.