If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#61
|
|||
|
|||
wrote in message news How difficult is it to trim a cat's nails? Do they have blood vessels in them like a dog's? .... As far as training her, does it matter that she was feral until about 9 months old? .... Mitch, Some cats will cooperate for nail trimming and some won't. Our Cinder will let the vet clip her claws, but she will not let us clip them. Fortunately, she claws where she is supposed to claw. She likes both horizontal and vertical surfaces, so we provide plenty of opportunities for her. Occasionally, she will make some motions on the back of one of the couches, but we put double sticky tape that is made to deter scratching those places, and she forgets about it. We also have some minor scratches on a leather couch where her back claws propelled her when she ran across it. We just put a decorative throw over it, and she runs over the throw. Our furniture is about eight years old, and except for the couple of minor scratches, the upholstery looks fine. If Cinder would let us clip her claws, we would have not damage at all. I would say that we have caused as much or more wear on our furniture as the cats we've had throughout the years. Of course, we shed less. We have had several cats and none has scratched wood furniture. We did bring in a small log and set it up in a base for one of our indoor-outdoor cats. As for feral part, Rosie was wild and seven months old when I trapped her and brought her inside. I know that she had never been in a home or touched by human hands. Yet, she used the litter box from the very first day. She uses a sisal scratching post. When she was in taming and allowed out of the taming room and within reach of upholstered furniture, she tried out the chair a couple of times. I just told her "no" and she stopped. She is so careful with her claws that I have never even tried to clip them. There is no reason to do so. Before you bring this cat inside, you need to examine your own commitment. Once she is in, she will not have the opportunity to grow a winter coat and you will not be able to turn her out. Also, if you declaw her, you will definitely not be able to turn her out. Whatever you decide about bringing her inside, you should have her spayed and vaccinated and treated for parasites. Good luck with your endeavor. Annie |
#62
|
|||
|
|||
wrote in message ... Poor cat is looking at me through the sliding door: "Make up your mind, ya freakin' jerk!" Well hopefully you'll be letting her in with out declawing her. . She scratches the posts out side to define her territory to other cats as well as sharpening her claws. If you let her in and out , she is less likely to scratch inside , though I can't guarantee she won't a little . My cat doesn't have a scratching post, she has slightly scartched the arms on her arm chair and a bit on the corner of the bed but that's all . Why not let her in and see what happens. You can cover wood with perspex ( I've forgotten what it's called in the States ) it's plastic that looks like glass. Also , don't confine her 24/7. There's no need to and she could cause problems by her crying to go out and being restless. Alison |
#63
|
|||
|
|||
wrote in message ... Poor cat is looking at me through the sliding door: "Make up your mind, ya freakin' jerk!" Well hopefully you'll be letting her in with out declawing her. . She scratches the posts out side to define her territory to other cats as well as sharpening her claws. If you let her in and out , she is less likely to scratch inside , though I can't guarantee she won't a little . My cat doesn't have a scratching post, she has slightly scartched the arms on her arm chair and a bit on the corner of the bed but that's all . Why not let her in and see what happens. You can cover wood with perspex ( I've forgotten what it's called in the States ) it's plastic that looks like glass. Also , don't confine her 24/7. There's no need to and she could cause problems by her crying to go out and being restless. Alison |
#64
|
|||
|
|||
I've never had a poly before. So none of the extra claws retract? Do you
know if this is how all polys are? lauren I'm not sure about other polys. But Yoda has two extras on each paw, and none of them retract. The one we had removed wasn't a toe at all, just this little bump with a claw growing weirdly out of it, and it would grow back into the skin. The others have done OK all these years (he's nearly 11) without removiing them, but we have to remember to clip them or they also become ingrown and hang on things. Here's a pic of Yo-Man's toes. The one on the left, you can see the tuft of white hair where the old claw was, it grew sideways. The remaining 3 need to clipped in this pic, as you can see. http://www.members.aol.com/sriddles/toes.jpg http://www.members.aol.com/sriddles/toes2.jpg Sherry Sherry |
#65
|
|||
|
|||
I've never had a poly before. So none of the extra claws retract? Do you
know if this is how all polys are? lauren I'm not sure about other polys. But Yoda has two extras on each paw, and none of them retract. The one we had removed wasn't a toe at all, just this little bump with a claw growing weirdly out of it, and it would grow back into the skin. The others have done OK all these years (he's nearly 11) without removiing them, but we have to remember to clip them or they also become ingrown and hang on things. Here's a pic of Yo-Man's toes. The one on the left, you can see the tuft of white hair where the old claw was, it grew sideways. The remaining 3 need to clipped in this pic, as you can see. http://www.members.aol.com/sriddles/toes.jpg http://www.members.aol.com/sriddles/toes2.jpg Sherry Sherry |
#66
|
|||
|
|||
|
#67
|
|||
|
|||
|
#68
|
|||
|
|||
wrote in message ... On Mon, 3 Nov 2003 08:06:10 -0600, kaeli wrote: I thought she was just an animal. Well, I had hand surgery last week, and that little 1" incision hurts like hell. When I had the cat spayed, she came back with a huge incision halfway up her abdomen. That must have hurt. We do that to cats for the greater good of preventing unwanted kittens. I had thought declawing was for the good of having a cat who is ultimately happier and healthier by living indoors. I had no idea it caused so many problems. Geez. As a lifelong cat hater, I can't believe I'm going to go shop for scratching posts and litter boxes. :-P You're packing away the good karma, Mitch. :-P About your nice wood--I cannot imagine a car preferring to scratch wood over some nice sisal/rope/carpet/cardboard post or mat that rips and shreds in a satisfying way! Especially if you use Lemon-scented polish. They hate citrus. Post some photos of your cat! |
#69
|
|||
|
|||
wrote in message ... On Mon, 3 Nov 2003 08:06:10 -0600, kaeli wrote: I thought she was just an animal. Well, I had hand surgery last week, and that little 1" incision hurts like hell. When I had the cat spayed, she came back with a huge incision halfway up her abdomen. That must have hurt. We do that to cats for the greater good of preventing unwanted kittens. I had thought declawing was for the good of having a cat who is ultimately happier and healthier by living indoors. I had no idea it caused so many problems. Geez. As a lifelong cat hater, I can't believe I'm going to go shop for scratching posts and litter boxes. :-P You're packing away the good karma, Mitch. :-P About your nice wood--I cannot imagine a car preferring to scratch wood over some nice sisal/rope/carpet/cardboard post or mat that rips and shreds in a satisfying way! Especially if you use Lemon-scented polish. They hate citrus. Post some photos of your cat! |
#70
|
|||
|
|||
|
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Rocky's autobiography (looong) | Steve Touchstone | Cat anecdotes | 39 | September 10th 04 02:56 PM |