BAD Kitty!

Well.. were running in to small problems with Danton the other day my aunt came over with my cousin's kid. He's 2yrs.old and we let him on the floor to play he tried steal Lilly lol . But he was petting Danton's tail and Dat just FLIPPED, i know he didn't hurt him he would of cried. But he clawed his hand and hissed, now Troy says he either gets declawed and confined when guest or home or we get rid of him I LOVE DANTON! I can't get rid of him, what happened? Why did he act like that bad past him kids? But thanksgiving is coming and there will be a lot of kids and that is just not fair to keep him confined i know he will cry the whole time he likes attention. He's never got aggressive for god sakes he's my baby , he's Mr, Cuddle Bunny. I've never ever seen him act like this, he didn't hurt the child (Zack) but he left a mark. Nothing bad that would need examed but he still hissed and such so he was getting aggressive.

Should i declaw him? I know a lot of people think declawing is bad but is it worse than getting rid of him! Is his stud nature still there, or maybe just he doesn't like kids? Did i over see it and Zack did pull his tail, but i could hang him and he would never do that it just makes no sence! I don't know what to do, he's just a baby himself will he grow out of this baby thing? GRR.. I'm so worried!

PLEASE do NOT declaw him! have you ever heard of soft paws?
click here

it prevents the cat from scratching and your cat should NOT be declawed. I am sure it was just an accident. I don't think he's a bad kitty..maybe he doesn't like children and had a bad expierience with them? like I said it was probably an accident and just use those soft paws. You can find them at petsmart, I believe. good luck!

Please, please do NOT declaw him! Rehoming him as a last resort would be WAY better than chopping off his claws!!!

And I have to say, if a scratch on the hand is the worst thing that ever happens to that child, then he'll be very lucky! After all, it is JUST a scratch!

I would lock him up in a room on turkey day, and deal with his crying - go in there and give him some treats, but DO keep him away from the little ones. Some cats are just NOT meant to be around children, just as some dogs need to be in childless homes.

Some cats just don't mix with young children well. I would not let my Radar play with a toddler, because he gets overexcited when playing. His prey drive is very strong, and he tends to pounce or claw at anything that moves fast in his peripheral vision.

I would try soft claws, please please do not declaw him, he was just being a playful cat and doesn't deserve that.

Personally when I have guests Radar can be such a nuisance that he ends up confined for a while. He climbs all over people and got too playful with my best friend and ended up overexcited and wrapped around his arm biting and rabbit-kicking. He's not a bad cat either, just very exciteable.

Maybe he didn't want the kid playing with his tail some cats are very sensitive about their tails

Personally, I would deal with an unhappy kitty and keep him confined and away from kids for the time being at Thanksgiving. I don't understand why he would have to be declawed AND confined when guests are there. If he's confined, he can't be aggressive with your guests because he won't be in the same room.

I know that my vet refuses to declaw any cat (unless medically necessary) over 6 months old (at the time of spay/neuter) because once they are full grown they do not recover as quickly and it is very painful for them. I would fight every step of the way, especially since this is the first time it's happened.

My guess is that the child startled Danton when he tugged at his tail, which is why he reacted that way. My cats will do the same to ME if I startle them.

I'll move this to Behavior where you can get more ideas on why this happened.

Thanks. I've never heard much about declawing what is darn bad about it? I've had declawed cats before and they never had any problems? They also didn't shred the couch's. I've heard of Soft paws but last time i tried something like that my kitty wen't crazy trying to get them off. It was really fustrating to watch him do back flips, cry, scratch bite his paws etc. Also about getting rid of him before declawing is NOT a choice PERIOD i'd never get rid of him because i would have to declaw him. He's way to good of a kitty for me.

As Epona says we lock Radar in the bathroom (with his food) if we think he is going to get excitable...
Personally I would look at the cats behaviour AFTER dealing with a child who needs to be told that pulling a cats tail is wrong

Declawing will lead to cat that bites and become increasingly anxious- declawing leads to psychologically disturbed cats. I would never declaw a catas I think it is extremely cruel, cats have many uses for their claws and I'm pretty sure I'd miss my fingers if anything happened to them

For more responses about declawing check this thread http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=105133...
I'm pretty sure it is illegal in Britain where I live

Well it's not illegal here and i've seen many indoor cats declawed for several reasons and the cats live happy. I'll try the Soft Paws if it doesn't work out he might be getting declawed

Originally Posted by silentNate

Personally I would look at the cats behaviour AFTER dealing with a child who needs to be told that pulling a cats tail is wrong

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Maybe I read it wrong, but I think the OP said "petting his tail" and never said PULLING!

Unless you frequently have visitors with very young kids or have them yourself, I wouldn't worry about it. Two year olds can be loud and have very clumsy movements -- they just don't mix well with cats. I have a four year old and even she can get out of hand with my cat. For the safety of the cat and kid -- lock up the cat -- she won't die from it and maybe this way she can keep her claws.

It is also very hard for a parent to continually tell a small child not to touch a cat. They are naturally curious and want to make friends with it. I tell my niece who is four not to touch my cat because of her allergies and asma -- she just can't help herself because she thinks he is so cute.

Good luck -- it is not the end of the world.

Originally Posted by KittyPaws

Well it's not illegal here and i've seen many indoor cats declawed for several reasons and the cats live happy. I'll try the Soft Paws if it doesn't work out he might be getting declawed

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My take on declawing is very simple - you (and/or your husband) go in to the hospital first and have all your fingers cut off at the first knuckle then when they have healed, if you think it's not so bad then go ahead and have the kitty declawed.

As for 2 yr olds around cats - IMO that is not advisable. 2 yr olds don't understand that cats really don't like their tails and ears pulled and if a cat is not around small children it isn't used to being treated in such a manner.

The very nicest and best thing you could do for all concerned is to put the kitty in a safe room when you have guests, especially children.

Originally Posted by KittyPaws

Did i over see it and Zack did pull his tail

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Originally Posted by meow meow

Maybe I read it wrong, but I think the OP said "petting his tail" and never said PULLING!

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tbh it would take less than this to upset/overexcite Radar and I closely monitor his mood around guests and will quickly remove him to another room if necessary as am more concerned with him getting a bad reputation when often being playful
Agree with Yosemite on declawing...

I agree with Yosemite 100% on declawing.

We have four cats...who all have their claws and four kids.
Our oldest is a teenager so he knows that you don't pull kitty ears or kitty tails.
BUT, the other three range in age for 6 to 3.
No matter how many times the younger ones are told that you don't pull ears or tails and you don't pick the cat up by it's neck...little kids do things that they shouldn't.
All of our kids know, that if they do pull a tail or an ear that the cat IS going to swap them and they are going to get scratched, they've been told that since the cat can't say "Leave me alone"...that's the only way they have of getting the point across.
All my kids have been scratched, so have I and so has my Husband.
Like someone else said, if the worst thing that ever happens to that child is being scratched by a cat then it'll be one lucky child.

I just re-read what I typed...it kind of sounds like my kids terroize the cats...I swear they don't they just sometimes get carried away.

All of my Human and Fur Kids are Angels

IMO they just need altered and not declawed. My sister's cat is declawed and is healthy and happy he still has his revenege with there 5yr.old since he is a very aggressive kid with animals. In so he isn't allowed to be near my animals (darn kids..). I really don't want to declaw him don't get me wrong but what do you want me to do? Say i'm leaving my fiance so i don't have to declaw my cat? OR i get RID of him because a child got curious not going to happen. I'll ban thanksgiving first...

The KITTY ISN"T GOING ANYWHERE!

Personally, I think you should sit down with your fiance and talk to him about Danton's reaction. It was the first time he showed aggression and for goodness sake his tail had just been pulled! Trust me, a cat scratch is much better than a bite (less medical issues), which would be Danton's only defense if he is declawed. As many others have said, very young children and animals just don't mix, and ESPECIALLY if the animal isn't used to how young children move and sound to begin with.

I would also talk to him about what declawing involves. It isn't a simple or routine procedure. It is the removal of the first digit of the cat's paw, since the claw bed is imbedded into the bone. This article is based on facts, not much emotion, about what declawing involves and the potential side effects of the surgery. http://straypetadvocacy.org/html/_an...ernatives.html

Yes, i have been reading a lot of it, it sounds so harsh . I'm going to get the Soft Paws and see how they work. Troy is VERY hard headed so talking isn't his best trait he can be so stubborn sometimes.

Thanks for the article valanhb, shocking stuff

Originally Posted by article

According to a national survey of pounds and shelters conducted by Caddo Parish Forgotten Felines and Friends, “Seventy percent (70%) of cats turned into pounds and shelters for behavioral problems are declawed cats.â€

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I think it would be much less tramatic for the cat to be locked up for a few hours than to be declawed. He may whine for attention but with all the possible side effects of declawing (which are greater as the cat gets older) it's worth a few hours of meowing.

If Troy still pushes declawing make him read up on it first. I know you sadi talking isn't his strong suit but I'd hope he's sensible enough to read up on an invasive surgery before ordering it.

Originally Posted by KittyPaws

I really don't want to declaw him don't get me wrong but what do you want me to do? Say i'm leaving my fiance so i don't have to declaw my cat? OR i get RID of him because a child got curious not going to happen. I'll ban thanksgiving first...

The KITTY ISN"T GOING ANYWHERE!

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No one is telling you to leave him but he's giving you an ultimatium w/out even educating himself first... so, him saying the cat has to go is about as fair as you leaving him because of it.

Originally Posted by KittyPaws

Should i declaw him? I know a lot of people think declawing is bad but is it worse than getting rid of him!

Is his stud nature still there, or maybe just he doesn't like kids? Did i over see it and Zack did pull his tail, but i could hang him and he would never do that it just makes no sence! I don't know what to do, he's just a baby himself will he grow out of this baby thing? GRR.. I'm so worried!

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I would rather not see a cat de clawed but at the same time I would rather see someone de claw their cat instead of getting rid of it.
I would try other options first though such as using the soft claws. Now I wouldn't really worry to be honest I bet the cat will get over it or just keep it in a room when kids are there. One of my moms cats bites once in awhile and she just leaves it in a room if there are kids there and tells the kids not to touch her. My cats never scratch out of anger however they did scratch and play when they were little so when ever they hurt someone by scratching he would take their paw and put there nails into their own skins so that they would know it hurt. I know it sounds harsh but it made them learn real quick besides you don't want to do it really hard just enough so they can tell it hurts a bit. Anyway this worked on all of my cats. Another thing to you have to keep in mind is cats are very suspicious and when new people come around it scares them. Anyway Im pretty sure its probably just a phase. Any way if you do de claw look into the options. From what I understand laser surgery is a lot less stressful and a lot less painful on the cat. I don't really know this by experience just by the research that I have done on it. Anyway if my boyfriend gave me the options I would tell him screw you but if I was in a situation where I didn't really have a choice I would de claw before getting rid of my cat. Honestly I am pretty positive I would not ever de claw and especially not because my cat scratched someone once. Just me though.