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Scared of CLAWS.....

post #1 of 51
6/6/07 at 6:23am
Thread Starter 
I've had two cats in my life simply because they insisted on being "ONLY" cats and each were around for a long time. Angel was 18 when she died and Ashie just died Friday.

We had gotten Angel as a kitten in 1984. Back then, there were no computers readily available in homes like there is now.....and not much spreading about declawing. Angel was declawed (I was like 12).

When I adopted Ashley, she was already declawed (somebody just tossed their pet to the shelter....I HATE when people do that).

Now I am in a pickle because I am terrified of claws in the house, but I am terrified of the procedure of declawing. And yes, I am aware of SOFT PAWS, but then I've read some things where cats can chew those suckers off.

I was talking to my husband's best friend this weekend and he stated outright that he had both of his cats declawed not too long ago because they were tearing the crap out of $1000 finish/woodwork in the house and he didn't care...there was no way he was going to permit that damage (training wasn't going so well, I guess) and that was the price they were going to have to pay for a home.

Part of me does understand...I would be livid if I couldn't keep a cat from clawing at my expensive things and if training doesn't go so great and the soft paws get chewed off......OMG. what do you do??

This scares me. It really does.

I've got one cat that won't leave my mind. I don't know why. She is at the shelter, but she does have claws and isn't "fixed" yet (she will be before they release her). She is just a young little girl, but the most loving thing (and skinny, too...not your typical fluffy/fat snuggly furry kitty). This cat is GREAT with my 3 year old (lets her hug her and everything) and whenever I try to imagine another cat walking around here, I picture her immediatly. I don't know why, I just do.

Now, because I was a little apprehensive of letting another cat take over Ashie's home on a perm. basis, I decided to foster kittens that weren't old enough to be adopted. I haven't gotten them yet since I just found out I could late yesterday afternoon, but plan on getting them on Thursday.

But I am just soooo torn. I just don't know what to do. Although I think I would rather have an adult cat versus a few kittens confined to one room, I am just sooooo conflicted on various things.

Even the kittens, I know would have the claws, but being confined to one room (as they suggested at least to start for litter purposes) may lessen the potential damage.

Then you see a cat like my FIL's.....that cat is old as dirt...has VICIOUS claws...and never touches the furniture. I am in awe.

Any insight?? Any clue to tell if a cat would make that an issue??
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post #2 of 51
6/6/07 at 6:59am
I live in a country where declawing is illegal, and therefore take the view that cats come with claws and if you want a cat you just have to live with that fact!

I do think though that kittens can be a nightmare - they are mostly interested in exploring their world, and they frequently explore it with their mouths and claws. When you catch them clawing at furniture or carpets they need to be redirected to appropriate clawing areas (scratching posts and mats) and they don't learn straight away - you need to be consistent and very patient with kittens. The worst are those who are bottle-fed orphans or who have been taken from their mum too young (before 10-12 weeks) because they have not had an older cat teach them correct house manners.

Older cats, if they have lived indoors and have had access to scratching posts and cat furniture, may be a better option - as they will hopefully already have learned appropriate scratching behaviour.

You can get scratching posts that fit around the corners of furniture, and mats that you can put over tempting carpet corners to protect your furnishings during the training process. You can also get tape that is like wide double-sided adhesive tape that doesn't damage your furniture but deters scratching because cats don't like to feel anything sticky on their paws.

Soft paws/claws etc are another option - I think the main problem with them coming off is because when you first use them on a cat that is not used to them they may chew at them, or if you use the wrong size they are more likely to come off. If a cat swallows one though, they are very small and should pass through the cat without causing a problem.

Claw clipping is also a good idea, and if you start doing it every week to 10 days from a young age they get used to it fairly quickly.

Finally, if you are really worried about the effects of having a clawed cat in your home, look in shelters for ones that were declawed by previous owners and then given up for adoption, you should be able to find one. But please don't declaw a cat that still has its claws
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post #3 of 51
6/6/07 at 7:11am
Thread Starter 
Well, see...and that's the thing...I don't want to declaw....that scares me as much!
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post #4 of 51
6/6/07 at 7:37am
I have 3 suggestions.
1) Get a scratching post. If they don't seem to use it readily, put a bit of catnip on it and they will claw at it trying to get to it. If you catch them scratching the furniture still, just place them in front of the scratching post and scratch it with your hands. Don't force the cat to use it.

2) Use Soft Paws. Get them put on by a vet while the cat is still very young. This will help them get used to having them on and there is less of a chance that they will try to chew them off.

3) Simply clip their nails. Take a few minutes once or twice a week and you should have no problems.
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post #5 of 51
6/6/07 at 8:47am
I am going to agree with the above posts, PLEASE DO NOT DECLAW! My cat has claws and he has never once clawed at my stuff! He has a scratching pad available for that! As long as you work with the cat, they will behave! I know there some members on here that use those soft claws (or whatever) Hopefully they will come around with great advice!


BTW: This thread should really be in the care and grooming section.
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post #6 of 51
6/6/07 at 9:01am
My two don't touch the furniture... like it matters, since none of it's really expensive stuff... if they claw up the couch, I'll go to IKEA and get a new cover for it... simple as that.

JoJo has wicked claws... and for ages would barely let me get one claw before bolting... Now, I can get a whole paw... sometimes both front paws... if she's REALLY relaxed...

Another recommendation... if the cat you get seems to like sisal (as in the scratching posts you get), but prefers horizontal scratching, get a new scratch 'pad' I found with interchangeable inserts: carpet (I don't recommend), sisal, and cardboard. JoJo loves cardboard and sisal... of course, I bought the darn thing to discourage Jack from using the carpet.

On a grander scale, get a sisal rug and put it out in one of the rooms... JoJo LOVES that rug, and sisal is virtually indestructible. I've had mine for about 3 years and no signs of wear from her sharpening... and she always uses it... just wish Jack would.

We have a kitty at our shelter who's all four paw-declawed. anyone who even thinks of adopting her better never putting her outside... the sad thing was that she was found outside... I hate people sometimes...

Check the shelters... if you REALLY want a declawed kitty, one is bound to show up eventually (usually because someone dumped it because of litterbox issues... which the declawing can cause.)

If that kitty is still at the shelter, try this with her: get her in your lap and try touching/massaging her paws... if she doesn't pull away too quickly, she may be okay with you clipping her claws... and on her first vet visit, have the vet or vet tech show you how to clip properly...

Good luck!!!

Amanda
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post #7 of 51
6/6/07 at 9:13am
We can work with you on the claws. Never forget that we're here for you.

I know you wouldn't declaw this girl. But, if she is the one, don't let her claws deter you. Most cats train easily. And you've got a lot of brilliant minds here helping you!
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post #8 of 51
6/6/07 at 9:14am
I agree with everyone else about declawing...DONT DO IT! All 4 of my cats have claws and we have some issues with our oldest stretching out on the leather couch and his claws coming out but we have remedied that with trimming his claws. It really isnt that hard. I dont know anything about soft paws but Ive heard good things. Our cats have a special part in our downstairs bathroom that was previously destroyed by the old owners dog and all the cats just use that part of the wall to scratch and stuff. We have scratching posts but the kittens really only use them for when they are playing. But so far we havent had any issues with our furniture being torn up or anything. I think that training cats is relatively easy, they learn really quick not to scratch certain things. Hercules only scratched the sides of the leather couch once and after one tap on the nose and telling him no he stopped and hasnt done it since then.
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post #9 of 51
6/6/07 at 10:01am
IMO if you are not willing to (1) learn about trimming nails (once a week); (2)teaching your kitten/cat about good sturdy scratching posts (NOT the little 2-3 foot kind) - a GOOD tall treehouse; (3) more concerned with your furniture then the cat........then.......

Stick to adopting an already declawed cat. HOWEVER, be prepared for possible problems with a declawed cat not wanting to use the litter pan and peeing in other places, or biting more in defense, or hiding from family/strangers out of fear.

Its not that hard to learn how to trim nails or train a cat to use scratching posts.
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post #10 of 51
6/6/07 at 10:16am
I live in a country where declawing is a criminal offence. The attitude here is that if you can't handle an animal with claws, don't get a cat. Just like if you're terrified of feathers or beaks, don't get a pet parrot.

I love my cat's claws (hence they feature in my signature here), I think it's facinating to see how cats control their claws and use them. She leaves my furniture (apart from the side of my mattress in my bed) alone, and the mattress is my fault because I decided she was allowed to scratch there. She had a short while of wanting to scratch the sofa but I put a scratching post next to the sofa where she scratched and she swapped over into using the scratching post.

She has a strong preference for horizontal cardboard scratching posts and doesn't touch the sisal one I got for her. It's different for each cat what type of scratching posts they prefer.

Anyway I can't get my head around the mentality of caring more about your furniture than your cat like your husband's best friend. Furniture is just stuff while your cat is a living creature that's sharing their live with you.
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post #11 of 51
6/6/07 at 10:36am
I agree with everyone here. I love my kitties claws. Horatio has Claws and my new Rescue has Claws. I would never declaw either of them. Of course while I'm petting Horatio, I'm sure my thigh would wish otherwise but its all a part of owning a kitty.

I have a large Carpet Cat Tree that I got on e-bay for 100 bux shipped that has several Sisal posts on the levels and I have a few other Sisal posts here and there, he does use those. I have never seen him use the furniture, or the carpet or my children etc. I'm sure our new Rescue kitty Yuki will do the same. If not, I like that idea of rubbing abit of catnip on the Sisal, that would do the trick for sure.

When we first got Horatio, we did take him into the Pet Grooming place across the street once every 2 weeks and have his nails trimmed for $5. But once we noticed that he never really used them on any furniture or anything, we stopped taking him.

Good Luck in your Decision. Remember, there are ALOT of kitties that need Rescuing out there, certianly there IS a declawed kitty out there that needs you if that is what you are looking for. But, working with Cat's that have claws isn't that big of a deal either.

Let us know what you decide.
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post #12 of 51
6/6/07 at 10:44am
I just clip Trout's claws..she tries to do damage but doesn't get very far with nubs for nails

She mostly scratches her cat trees, and my boxspring I don't really mind it though
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post #13 of 51
6/6/07 at 10:47am
You've got some good advice in the above.

Personally, don't declaw, despite the fear of claws. As long as you trim them every 1-2 weeks you won't have a problem with the claws.

Whitey and Luna are the only cats in our household that are fully clawed. I can tell when they need their nails trimmed because they'll get stuck on the couch and on the carpet (if they're stuck long enough I can at least trim that nail ).

Anyhoo, the only time I see furniture being damaged is when the owner isn't taking the proper precautions: 1 (or more) scratching posts strategically placed and nails aren't being trimmed regularly.
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post #14 of 51
6/6/07 at 10:59am
Thread Starter 
So actual trimming will limit the scratching, in general?? I mean, even in appropriate places??
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post #15 of 51
6/6/07 at 11:01am
Quote:
Originally Posted by carrie640 View Post
So actual trimming will limit the scratching, in general?? I mean, even in appropriate places??
NO, won't limit the scratching..but the scratching doesn't damage as much at all when the nails are nubs.
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post #16 of 51
6/6/07 at 11:06am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trouts mom View Post
NO, won't limit the scratching..but the scratching doesn't damage as much at all when the nails are nubs.
Basically, if you keep a kitties nails clipped, they have less nail to sink into whatever they are scratching & do less damage. They will still scratch just as much. One of mine is declawed & she uses the scratching post all the time!
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post #17 of 51
6/6/07 at 11:08am
Quote:
Originally Posted by white cat lover View Post
Basically, if you keep a kitties nails clipped, they have less nail to sink into whatever they are scratching & do less damage. They will still scratch just as much. One of mine is declawed & she uses the scratching post all the time!
Awww I think little declawed cats look so cute when trying to scratch NOT that I condone declawing..just looks cute to me if they are already declawed and they are stretching their little fingers out.
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post #18 of 51
6/6/07 at 11:11am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trouts mom View Post
Awww I think little declawed cats look so cute when trying to scratch NOT that I condone declawing..just looks cute to me if they are already declawed and they are stretching their little fingers out.
LOL!!! YA...I remember Ashie used to climb up on her chair and do it....my husband would make fun of her and ask her if she was going to China (digging a hole to China). Don't they leave their scents that way, too?
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post #19 of 51
6/6/07 at 11:15am
Yes, they leave their scent that way as well. Which is why even declawed cats scratch.
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post #20 of 51
6/6/07 at 11:17am
Im not for declawing at all! My neighbor has a 6 year old cat (that he lets outside) that has claws, he plans on getting him declawed because he is getting new furniture, i find it pathetic that he doesn't consider training the cat to work with a post, but would rather mutilate him instead... The cat is 6 years old, I feel he will have bigger issues to worry about if his owner declaws him (depression, lameness, arthritis, going outside of the litter box, etc)! There really are no legit excuses for declawing unless you have a medical issue where it is required (unfair as this sounds, in such a situation i think maybe it would be best not to have a pet)! Both of my cats have claws and yes I have been clawed up before, but nothing fatal or personal! I love watching them kneed, scratch their post, etc.... I would never take that joy away from them! Declawing is equivalent to cutting one of your fingers off up to the first knuckle! I am glad that you are against it, yet are honest that you are scared of claws! I was scared of claws as well until I got scratched a few times, and toughened up! Your friend's excuse seems illegitimate to me (it seems he did not work with the cats on the issue but rather made a decision to simplify things for himself, not thinking of the well being of his cats)! I know you already have one declawed cat and maybe you could look for another kitty that has been declawed already? Im sure it wouldn't be the worse thing to have a clawed kitty companion, but your declawed cat doesn't have much of a defense mechanism against clawed cats (other than biting)! I appreciate your honesty and I wish you the best of luck! Tough decision

http://www.thecatsite.com/Care/34/De...-Manicure.html
http://www.thecatsite.com/Care/33/De...ernatives.html

Some interesting links on declawing listed above!
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post #21 of 51
6/6/07 at 11:41am
We have no issues with Bijou and Mika. We clip their nails regularly, have a scratching post for them and in the early stages directed their scratching to the posts.

Your friend who de-clawed - what's going to happen to the cat if it starts having behavioural issues like not using the litterbox because the litter bothers it's de-clawed paws, or it starts biting because that is now it's only defense? I can only assume he'll take this poor kitty to a shelter to "get rid" of it. What a shame for the poor cat.
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post #22 of 51
6/6/07 at 11:57am
My strategies are
1) clip 'um
2) provide alternative surfaces (ie posts, cardboard scratchers, sisal mats)
3) keep 'um busy playing when you can
4) use of sticky tape if necessary

We do not seem to have any problems with furnature scratching. If I see someone scratching with their nubs, I redirect their attention (clap, throw a toy, pick 'um up and move 'um to a post). Scratching is a form of kitty communication. Not just the scratch marks and the scent, but also the discarded nail bits. I have scratching posts next to some doorways that I know are the boundary between kitty territories.

One of the worst things people do is let them scratch "old" furnature and then expect them not to scratch the "new" furnature. How dumb is that? They don't know how important your new couch is, they just know it doesn't smell like the old one and scratching is the way to make it just the way they like it

Scratching preference is very individualized. One of my cats likes horizontal surfaces, the other likes verticality; one likes sisal rope, the other carpet and cardboard. Lots of people put up one tiny scratch post and then pronounce the cat untrainable because he didn't use it. If you get a post, get a nice tall one (at least 30") so that they can get a good stretch in when they scratch.

Claws are part of cats, if I couldn't deal with them, I would've stuck with fish. If you are that uncomfortable with the possibility of a clawed cat acting like a cat, then adopt one that is already declawed. You might also consider that an older cat is probably better than a kitten if you're worried about property damage.
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post #23 of 51
6/6/07 at 12:30pm
if it really bothers you, adopt an already declawed cat. Chip came that way, no real litter issues except when he had the UTI. he does have a tendency to bite, but it's gone way down in the year that i've had him... i think he was somewhat mistreated in the past. most of the time he's fine, unless i'm doing something he doesn't like [like combing his nether regions]. i know to watch & avoid the teeth, & i've been training him not to bite me. like i said - it's working, albeit slowly from my POV. he still is very feisty with strangers touching him anywhere past the shoulder area, tho.
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post #24 of 51
6/6/07 at 12:51pm
my cats were all already declawed by previous owners when i adopted them. we have no litterbox issues. the guys are all pretty well adjusted happy kitties. if you are truly worried, just adopt one that's already declawed. there are plenty who need homes.

slightly off-topic: not all kitties who are declawed and in shelters are there because of litterbox problems. i really wish people would stop spreading that misinformation. most are there for the same reasons as cats with claws: moving, too many, etc. when i worked in a shelter it was hard to get the already declawed cats adopted because so many people had been told that. then they would get a kitten and declaw it.

edited to add: it does happen with some cats. but not all. it's the generalizing to all or most declawed cats that gets me going.

my mom's cats all have their claws, they don't shred the furniture because she has a couple good scratching posts. before that they did go at her recliner, but they didn't shred it either. her cats are generally very well behaved. they even leave her plants alone.
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post #25 of 51
6/6/07 at 12:57pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by littleraven7726 View Post
my cats were all already declawed by previous owners when i adopted them. we have no litterbox issues. the guys are all pretty well adjusted happy kitties. if you are truly worried, just adopt one that's already declawed. there are plenty who need homes.

slightly off-topic: not all kitties who are declawed and in shelters are there because of litterbox problems. i really wish people would stop spreading that misinformation. most are there for the same reasons as cats with claws: moving, too many, etc. when i worked in a shelter it was hard to get the already declawed cats adopted because so many people had been told that. then they would get a kitten and declaw it.

edited to add: it does happen with some cats. but not all. it's the generalizing to all or most declawed cats that gets me going.

my mom's cats all have their claws, they don't shred the furniture because she has a couple good scratching posts. before that they did go at her recliner, but they didn't shred it either. her cats are generally very well behaved. they even leave her plants alone.
See, Ashie was declawed, as well, when I had gotten her...and I never had any issues with her at all....unless her box was full and she would only go "bad" potty in front of the human potty and that happened like twice.
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post #26 of 51
6/6/07 at 12:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by littleraven7726 View Post
my cats were all already declawed by previous owners when i adopted them. we have no litterbox issues. the guys are all pretty well adjusted happy kitties. if you are truly worried, just adopt one that's already declawed. there are plenty who need homes.

slightly off-topic: not all kitties who are declawed and in shelters are there because of litterbox problems. i really wish people would stop spreading that misinformation. most are there for the same reasons as cats with claws: moving, too many, etc. when i worked in a shelter it was hard to get the already declawed cats adopted because so many people had been told that. then they would get a kitten and declaw it.

edited to add: it does happen with some cats. but not all. it's the generalizing to all or most declawed cats that gets me going.

my mom's cats all have their claws, they don't shred the furniture because she has a couple good scratching posts. before that they did go at her recliner, but they didn't shred it either. her cats are generally very well behaved. they even leave her plants alone.

Not sure if that was directed towards me, to clear the air I simply stated declawing MAY cause issues outside of the litterbox... I didn't point it out as a definite effect!
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post #27 of 51
6/6/07 at 1:06pm
Quote:
most are there for the same reasons as cats with claws: moving, too many, etc. when i worked in a shelter it was hard to get the already declawed cats adopted because so many people had been told that. then they would get a kitten and declaw it
That's interesting because 90% of the declawed cats we get surrendered to our shelter are unadoptable. It's rare when we actually place one up for adoption. The number one reason why I get in a declawed cat is because it's started p***ing in the house.

I have never had a problem adopting out a declawed cat either.
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post #28 of 51
6/6/07 at 1:16pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Breal76 View Post
That's interesting because 90% of the declawed cats we get surrendered to our shelter are unadoptable. It's rare when we actually place one up for adoption. The number one reason why I get in a declawed cat is because it's started p***ing in the house.

I have never had a problem adopting out a declawed cat either.
Hey....is it true that cats that are surrendered because of litter issues are put to sleep???

One of my friends told me she gave her two up for those reasons (I don't know if they were declawed or not, though) and told me that the shelter can't adopt out a cat with litter issues so more than likely, they were put to sleep.

If my cat had issues like that, there is no way I could surrender it knowing what its destiny would be. Hell, I don't think I could REGARDLESS.

But let me ask you this.....is that information a shelter would disclose on the info cards to a potential adopter? I always see reasons as "Too many cats", "Moving", etc...never ONCE have I seen "litter issues".
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post #29 of 51
6/6/07 at 1:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by carrie640 View Post
Hey....is it true that cats that are surrendered because of litter issues are put to sleep???

One of my friends told me she gave her two up for those reasons (I don't know if they were declawed or not, though) and told me that the shelter can't adopt out a cat with litter issues so more than likely, they were put to sleep.

If my cat had issues like that, there is no way I could surrender it knowing what its destiny would be. Hell, I don't think I could REGARDLESS.

But let me ask you this.....is that information a shelter would disclose on the info cards to a potential adopter? I always see reasons as "Too many cats", "Moving", etc...never ONCE have I seen "litter issues".
Yes it is true. We don't adopt out cats that p in the house. I do disclose this to the surrenderer. I tell them that noone will want their cat for the same reason they are giving it up. It sounds harsh, but they seem okay with that. What can ya do? We euthanize for space though, so really any person bringing in a pet it can be destroyed the same day it comes in. They sign that surrender agreement without even blinking an eye. I don't get it. I really don't.
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post #30 of 51
6/6/07 at 1:32pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Breal76 View Post
Yes it is true. We don't adopt out cats that p in the house. I do disclose this to the surrenderer. I tell them that noone will want their cat for the same reason they are giving it up. It sounds harsh, but they seem okay with that. What can ya do? We euthanize for space though, so really any person bringing in a pet it can be destroyed the same day it comes in. They sign that surrender agreement without even blinking an eye. I don't get it. I really don't.
DANG. That would break my heart to know that my cat was going to DIE and it is because I gave it up (regardless of the reason).

What about those cats that the truth isn't disclosed?? I mean, people LIE about their reasons, right??? They can say ANYTHING.

Do you guys notice if there is a litter issue?
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