My cats are clawing me out of house and home!

My 2 cats like to claw things(especially me!) I don't want to declaw them,
but I doupt I can afford to buy any Soft Paws. Is there an easier way to
keep them from clawing without training them?

--
Message posted via http://www.catkb.com

"Mariah Nichols via CatKB.com" wrote:

My 2 cats like to claw things(especially me!) I don't want to
declaw them, but I doupt I can afford to buy any Soft Paws. Is
there an easier way to keep them from clawing without training
them?

You do not have to train a cat to do something it very much needs
to do. The trick is to provide them with something they would like
to claw. There are many such things, you can buy them or make
them.

Claws are the essence of a cat. Cats depend on their claws for
exercise, play, self-defense, and hunting. Removing a cat's claws
is effectively crippling it.

Good luck.

in article , Mariah Nichols via
CatKB.com at wrote on 5/5/05 11:45AM:

My 2 cats like to claw things(especially me!) I don't want to declaw them,
but I doupt I can afford to buy any Soft Paws. Is there an easier way to
keep them from clawing without training them?

Jeez. You don't want to train them???? It's not very hard. Nor are soft paws
some huge expense.

"Mariah Nichols via CatKB.com" wrote in message
...
My 2 cats like to claw things(especially me!) I don't want to declaw them,
but I doupt I can afford to buy any Soft Paws. Is there an easier way to
keep them from clawing without training them?

And you think paying for a declawing surgery will be *less* expensive than
Soft Paws??!

Will cleaning up the results of their improper elimination when they avoid
use of the litter box because of the pain of amputated toes take any *less*
effort than some simple training?

If you're not a troll, and really *do* care about your cats, buy or make a
scratching post, get some catnip, and put forth a *minimum* of effort to
train them to use it!

Hugs,

CatNipped

--
Message posted via http://www.catkb.com

In article ,
enlightened us with...
My 2 cats like to claw things(especially me!) I don't want to declaw them,
but I doupt I can afford to buy any Soft Paws. Is there an easier way to
keep them from clawing without training them?


You want easy with no training? Remove the items from your home.

Now, since we know that isn't going to happen...
All changes in behavior are a result of training. Softclaws are meant to be
used as a training aid, not as a replacement for training. Like those head
halter collar things for dogs. They don't teach in and of themselves. They
simply give you a means to an end. You still have to show the animal the
proper behavior and PRAISE IT.

Stop thinking of training as some huge, horrible, lengthy process that you
aren't capable of. It is small things, throughout the day, on a daily basis.
Consistency is the key.

Clip their nails (or pay the whole $5 for a groomer to do it) to reduce
damage.
Start correcting their behavior. Give them acceptable things to claw and
praise the hell out of them for using them. Redirect inappropriate scratching
to appropriate things and make inappropriate things less attractive (scent
them with citrus or move them or put tape on them or whatever). When you see
them using the right thing, PRAISE THEM. Give a treat, a pet, playtime,
whatever. Something positive to them. When you catch them doing the wrong
thing, interrupt the behavior (clap, NO, penny-can, etc), then call, coax, or
bring them to the right place, and PRAISE THEM.
It isn't rocket science, I promise.

Remember -- inappropriate or "wrong" are simply human definitions. The cat
doesn't attach a monetary value to your couch.

You don't expect a dog not to chew the "wrong" things or a child not to draw
on the "wrong" things simply by osmosis. Don't expect a cat to just not claw
the "wrong" things, either. Teach it.

--
--
~kaeli~
I love God. It's His fanclub that I can't stand.
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/kaelisSpace

Mariah Nichols via CatKB.com wrote:
My 2 cats like to claw things(especially me!) I don't want to declaw
them, but I doupt I can afford to buy any Soft Paws. Is there an
easier way to keep them from clawing without training them?

What YOUR problem? Are you really that incapable of trimming your cats'
claws with a specialized clipper?

kaeli wrote:
In article ,
enlightened us with...
My 2 cats like to claw things(especially me!) I don't want to declaw
them, but I doupt I can afford to buy any Soft Paws. Is there an
easier way to keep them from clawing without training them?


You want easy with no training? Remove the items from your home.

Now, since we know that isn't going to happen...
All changes in behavior are a result of training. Softclaws are meant
to be used as a training aid, not as a replacement for training. Like
those head halter collar things for dogs. They don't teach in and of
themselves. They simply give you a means to an end. You still have to
show the animal the proper behavior and PRAISE IT.

Stop thinking of training as some huge, horrible, lengthy process
that you aren't capable of. It is small things, throughout the day,
on a daily basis. Consistency is the key.

Clip their nails (or pay the whole $5 for a groomer to do it) to
reduce damage.
Start correcting their behavior. Give them acceptable things to claw
and praise the hell out of them for using them. Redirect
inappropriate scratching to appropriate things and make inappropriate
things less attractive (scent them with citrus or move them or put
tape on them or whatever). When you see them using the right thing,
PRAISE THEM. Give a treat, a pet, playtime, whatever. Something
positive to them. When you catch them doing the wrong thing,
interrupt the behavior (clap, NO, penny-can, etc), then call, coax,
or bring them to the right place, and PRAISE THEM.
It isn't rocket science, I promise.

Remember -- inappropriate or "wrong" are simply human definitions.
The cat doesn't attach a monetary value to your couch.

You don't expect a dog not to chew the "wrong" things or a child not
to draw on the "wrong" things simply by osmosis. Don't expect a cat
to just not claw the "wrong" things, either. Teach it.


SUPERB post!

"Cats are not plants. They don't grow out of bad behaviors, they grow into
them!"

On Thu 05 May 2005 01:39:25p, kaeli wrote in
rec.pets.cats.health+behav
):

In article ,
enlightened us with...
My 2 cats like to claw things(especially me!) I don't want to
declaw them, but I doupt I can afford to buy any Soft Paws. Is
there an easier way to keep them from clawing without training
them?


You want easy with no training? Remove the items from your home.


Now, since we know that isn't going to happen...
All changes in behavior are a result of training. Softclaws are
meant to be used as a training aid, not as a replacement for
training. Like those head halter collar things for dogs. They
don't teach in and of themselves. They simply give you a means
to an end. You still have to show the animal the proper behavior
and PRAISE IT.

Stop thinking of training as some huge, horrible, lengthy
process that you aren't capable of. It is small things,
throughout the day, on a daily basis. Consistency is the key.

Clip their nails (or pay the whole $5 for a groomer to do it) to
reduce damage.
Start correcting their behavior. Give them acceptable things to
claw and praise the hell out of them for using them. Redirect
inappropriate scratching to appropriate things and make
inappropriate things less attractive (scent them with citrus or
move them or put tape on them or whatever). When you see them
using the right thing, PRAISE THEM. Give a treat, a pet,
playtime, whatever. Something positive to them. When you catch
them doing the wrong thing, interrupt the behavior (clap, NO,
penny-can, etc), then call, coax, or bring them to the right
place, and PRAISE THEM. It isn't rocket science, I promise.

Remember -- inappropriate or "wrong" are simply human
definitions. The cat doesn't attach a monetary value to your
couch.

You don't expect a dog not to chew the "wrong" things or a child
not to draw on the "wrong" things simply by osmosis. Don't
expect a cat to just not claw the "wrong" things, either. Teach
it.

Nicely put. This post should be part of an FAQ if anyone ever puts
one together.

--
Cheryl

"The clever cat eats cheese and breathes down rat holes with baited
breath."
- W.C. Fields

kaeli wrote:

Remember -- inappropriate or "wrong" are simply human
definitions. The cat doesn't attach a monetary value to your
couch.

So true. Animals are cool that way. Not necessarily easy to cope
with, but no mind games.

Mariah Nichols via CatKB.com wrote:
My 2 cats like to claw things(especially me!) I don't want to declaw
them,
but I doupt I can afford to buy any Soft Paws. Is there an easier way
to
keep them from clawing without training them?

--
Message posted via http://www.catkb.com

I think your cats must think you are a cat, do they "claw" each other
too?

How bad and where are they clawing you.