Help me avoid declawing my cat, please

It is alleged that Jeffrey Kaplan claimed:

It is alleged that Veloise claimed:

Trim her nails (this is good fun quality time).

I'll give this another go. Probably front paws only, at least to
start, as she really does not like it.

Trimming her claws does not seem to be helping.

--
Jeffrey Kaplan www.gordol.org
The from userid is killfiled Send personal mail to gordol

"The Superior Person's Book Of Words", by Peter Bowler: BELLWETHER: A
male sheep which leads the flock, with a bell tied around its neck.
Hence, anyone who assumes a leading role or takes the initiative - more
appropriately, among a group of less than dynamic or purposeful
colleagues.

Jeffrey Kaplan wrote:
Trimming her claws does not seem to be helping.

Put plastic or foil, and make it unfriendly-smelling, on the former
targets.

Load the desired target up with catnip and good-smelling (to her)
stuff.

Spend a few evenings and weekends with a squirt gun and can 'o pennies
guarding former targets. It might take several days to sink in.

Does she respond to praise? Mine live for a few strokes and "goooood
kitty!!!!!"

Somehow my two gravitated to the thrift store scratching post, and
that's all they use. One prefers horizontal so she sometimes works on
the (ratty old rental) carpet.

HTH

--Karen D.

It is alleged that Veloise claimed:

Put plastic or foil, and make it unfriendly-smelling, on the former
targets.

Since several of the targets are the screens on my windows and front
door, that kinda defeats the purpose of opening the windows and door.

I've also in the past tried to put stuff like that on the furniture,
but it won't stick to the fabric.

Spend a few evenings and weekends with a squirt gun and can 'o pennies
guarding former targets. It might take several days to sink in.

It hasn't sunk in yet, a year and a half later.

Does she respond to praise? Mine live for a few strokes and "goooood
kitty!!!!!"

Not really. Though I think kitty treats after brushing or nail
clipping is helping there.

--
Jeffrey Kaplan www.gordol.org
The from userid is killfiled Send personal mail to gordol

Tips for the Innocent Bystander: 3. Watching the Evil Overlord's
interview on TV will no doubt be interesting, but don't be in the
studio audience when he/she/it hosts "Saturday Night Live." Tape it,
and wait a week or so to see if any other viewers had any seizures or
mind-control problems before you watch the tape.

Every heard of Soft-Paws, or is it Soft-Claws?
They are small sheaths that go over the claws and glue in place. The
cat can't dig into anything. They fall off as the claws grow, so have
to be replaced.

We started praising our cats when they use the kitty tree for any
clawing, even if it is just preparation to climb up. And they get "Bad
kitty, Bad Kitty, no-no" when they claw anything else. For four of
the six cats, this seems to have worked. For the other two, they just
wait until I am not around.

Rub catnip on the scratching post and/or kitty tree. It encourages
them to scratch there.

When Princess starts clawing, it time for a paw-dicure. She doesn't
like it, but when I'm done I give her a special treat that she never
gets any other time. Each trim gets better and better. It's gone from
a hissing and spitting wrestling match to just growling to show she
doesn't like what's going on.

If your cat objects to something you are doing, and you let them go,
they win. They exerted their dominance over you and you'll pay he77
ever getting them to coorporate. I had to make my mom leave the room
when I trim her cats nails cause the cat learned that if she threw a
hissy fit, mom would make me let her go. When mom isn't there, she
sits back and lets me get the job done. I am the nurse/docotr for all
of the cats, and insist that I am top cat always. It saves me on
iodine and gauze!!!
All of the cats =
At home - My four cats, plus Mom's two cats
At my Aunts house - her two cats
At my mom's work - Their one office cat
At my friends house - Their one cat
At my brothers house - Their three cats
Plus about four neighborhood feral cats I keep an eye on

Good Luck!
'Chelle

It is alleged that Amthyst826 claimed:

Every heard of Soft-Paws, or is it Soft-Claws?

Soft-Paws, I thing.

They are small sheaths that go over the claws and glue in place. The
cat can't dig into anything. They fall off as the claws grow, so have
to be replaced.

I think I'd rather trim the claws. Less expensive in the long run. And
besides... as long as the claws are there, they can still dig into the
screens and the fabric of my recliner.

We started praising our cats when they use the kitty tree for any
clawing, even if it is just preparation to climb up. And they get "Bad
kitty, Bad Kitty, no-no" when they claw anything else. For four of
the six cats, this seems to have worked. For the other two, they just
wait until I am not around.

Delany doesn't even always wait for me to not be around.

Rub catnip on the scratching post and/or kitty tree. It encourages
them to scratch there.

Doesn't work. Oh, she usually likes the catnip, but the effects are so
temporary that all it does is turn her into a crazy cat for about 20
minutes.

When Princess starts clawing, it time for a paw-dicure. She doesn't
like it, but when I'm done I give her a special treat that she never
gets any other time. Each trim gets better and better. It's gone from
a hissing and spitting wrestling match to just growling to show she
doesn't like what's going on.

I've got her now to the point where I can trim her claws and brush her
coat without needing bandages after.

--
Jeffrey Kaplan www.gordol.org
The from userid is killfiled Send personal mail to gordol

Peter's Top 100 Things I'd Do If I Ever Became An Evil Overlord, #168.
I will plan in advance what to do with each of my enemies if they are
captured. That way, I will never have to order someone to be tied up
while I decide his fate.