options other than declawing

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lonelykitten

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I guess we have decided to keep our little kitten but now my husband wants to get him in to get neutered AND declawed
! I don't agree with the declawing (and especially not declawing all paws like he wants). What are options other than declawing? I've been trimming his nails (did it agian last night).
 

buzbyjlc10

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SOFT PAWS!
Pretty much everyone here who has clawed kitties that like to scratch up things uses them... they're little plastic caps that you glue onto their nails - many people apply them on their own, but groomers will do it too... they fall off as the nail naturally sheds and then you just clip and reapply them... Ollie wears them and they're great!


Have you tried explaining to your husband what exactly declawing is? IE: tell him to imagine having his fingers and toes amputated and then trying to live a normal and pain free life... cuz that's basically what declawing is (I mean, you don't have to be mean about it, but most people don't understand what exactly takes place during a declaw surgery)... plus, declawing can create big behavior problems, including refusal to use the litter box... if you do a search on declawing and/or soft paws (aka soft claws) you'll find a lot of info on here
 

devlyn

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I just got Pippin some soft claws from Dr Fosters & Smith who have them on sale right now! http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...pc=1&N=0&Nty=1

They were really easy to put on and took Pippin no time to adjust to. He got Purple!


I didn't get them because he tears up the furniture but cuz he tears me up when he snuggles in for a kneading-on-mommy session. It's much more comfy now.


Devlyn
 

sarahp

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Definitely use Soft Claws and start using them from an early age! I use The Cat and Kitten Store for mine - they're $16.95 with free shipping, and you can use the code SAVE5 to get another 5% off.

Also get double sided tape. You can get expensive stuff from the pet store which is specifically to stop cats scratching, but I just get a roll of the 3M Scotch Double Sided Tape from the supermarket - it works just as well and is so much cheaper!!!

Put that wherever they try to scratch or where you think they might scratch and they'll learn soon enough that the sticky stuff doesn't feel nice on their paws.

Also invest in a decent cat tree. If your husband says they're expensive, tell him it's still cheaper than getting a cat declawed


So:

1) Soft Claws for the kitty
2) Double sided tape to stop unwanted scratching
3) Cat tree for kitty to scratch and play on. I have a large cat tree and also a small cheapo cardboard scratcher and they love both!

Good luck and good on you for finding alternatives to declawing
 

nimbus

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Hmmm...do soft claws really last 4-6 weeks, though? Due to the leather furniture, I've been forced to consider de-clawing my kitten once he is a little older. My sister had Jerry de-clawed in the front paws, when he was 4. He had no adjustment or behavioral problems and he's still healthy.

I'd rather not de-claw my kitty, so maybe I'll try out soft claws for a bit and see how they work out. Do you have to clip their claws before you put them on?
 
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lonelykitten

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I think that would definetely be worth trying (the soft claws). The main reason my husband wants him declawed is because he's afraid he'll scratch one of our kids. My children are the reason I think he needs the claws (he needs some protection from my two
)!

My cat as a child was completely declawed. First we did just the front and he figured out how to scratch our furniture and stuff with just the back so my parents had the back done too. We had two cats when we first got married and we had them both completely declawed (before I knew any better) and they were fine behaviorally (well except our oldest who always had problem from the day we got her at 4 weeks). They always used the litter box.

I just think it'd be better, and safer, for him to have claws. If he got out on accident one day he would need his claws for protection. I'll keep on him though. I clip his nails now and he does pretty good at just sitting while I do them.
 

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I merely take Zoey to the groomer and have hers clipped every three to four weeks ... plus she has six different scratching type posts
 

goldenkitty45

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Kittens need nails checked and clipped at least once a week, sometimes twice. You can trim nails, use soft paws (nail caps).

Point out to your husband that declawing doesn't mean just cutting the nails - its like removing the first joint of your finger. Tell him they can have balance or walking problems later in life, or they will bite more or hide from people out of fear with no defense. Also ask him if he minds the cat wetting in other places like the bed or his clothes rather then in the litter pan. Many declawed cats will do that.

And if that doesn't convince him then show him in pictures on the net what declawing REALLY is.
 

buzbyjlc10

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Originally Posted by lonelykitten

I clip his nails now and he does pretty good at just sitting while I do them.
If he does well with you clipping his nails, he should do well with the applying of soft paws... it takes a bit of time for both you and the kitty to get used to, but they do get used to it and you learn to better apply them each time... I get on the floor with Oliver - I kneel (like with my shins flat on the floor) and lay Ollie between my legs and use my thighs to help hold him in place, hehe... he does still try to scoot away, but he tries to scoot away even when I'm just applying flea stuff... the first application or 2 you might not get all the toes done in 1 sitting - again, the more you do it, the quicker it'll go... keep tryin to convince that hubby (I'd think that cat bites would be worse on the kids than a few scratches - and with no claws, biting's what they go to)!
 
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lonelykitten

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The thing is he has NEVER even attempted to scratch or bite the kids. My daughter has picked him up oddly a few times or been a little rough with him and we'd stop her but he didn't try to bite or scratch and was in her lap wanting to get attention 30 seconds later. I keep telling him why declaw him when he isn't causing a problem we can work on him scratching furniture (which he really doesn't do either just my computer chair which I don't mind).

He's just got the old fashioned way of thinking (thanks to his parents) and I need to smack some sense into him
!
 

buzbyjlc10

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Originally Posted by lonelykitten

He's just got the old fashioned way of thinking (thanks to his parents) and I need to smack some sense into him
!
Needs a good ol' swift kick in the butt!
hehe.... you should sneak up on him when he's sleeping and tape his fingers and toes together with medical tape - then be like how do you like not having digits - and this doesnt even hurt! teehee, jk jk jk
 

arlyn

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Declawing is harsh enough, but 4 paw?
Tell your hubby to carry around a supply of cotton balls.
Any time he gets an itch, tell him he can only scratch himself with the cotton balls


As far as kids go, well, we have always had at least one cat in my family, from the very day I was born.
It's good for kids to experience the consequences associated with teasing a cat, it teaches them to stop doing it at a younger age.
Kids don't learn anything if we keep building buffers around them and prevent them from these learning experiences.
 

bonnie1965

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This is my opinion only:

Declawing is purely for the CONVENIENCE of the human. There is no benefit at all to the animal-it actually hurts them.

If people don't like cats with claws, they should get a stuffed animal or adopt a cat that is already declawed, keeping in mind a declawed cat may have litterbox and aggression issues.

Declawing is cutting the claws off AT the first knuckle. It isn't simply a removal of claws. What if a toddler used crayons on a wall? Do we work with them and teach them differently or do we remove their finger tips?
Cats are the same. They can learn. If you have children, if you have cats, you need to make some decisions about what your true priorities are.

I have trouble believing that humans can value inanimate, material goods over
the health and well-being of a living, breathing being.

In most of the world, declawing is illegal. I believe only Canada and the US still allow this practice. Vets make money off it. "Spay and Declaw?" Sure, why not, need another trip to Hawaii
Makes me very cranky!

Thanks for working on hubby
Maybe if you sat him down, drew lines across the first knuckles on his toes and fingers and ask him to imagine living without those.

edit: All but the last paragraph was meant for the general "you" not the OP specificly
Off my soapbox now!
 
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lonelykitten

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Originally Posted by Arlyn

As far as kids go, well, we have always had at least one cat in my family, from the very day I was born.
It's good for kids to experience the consequences associated with teasing a cat, it teaches them to stop doing it at a younger age.
Kids don't learn anything if we keep building buffers around them and prevent them from these learning experiences.
That's exactly how I feel. If the kids are doing something mean to the kitten than they deserve a scratch to let them know not to do that agian. I think I will prevail on this one, just like he told me no more animals and here we now have a little kitten and we're keeping him after he said no more I have my ways!
 

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Ask your hubby which is worse, being clawed by a kitten or bit by an angry adult cat who is going to bite a lot because he amputated all of its toes!

Or have him call the local shelters & ask just how many cats are killed because of side-effects of declawing. Just how many cats that are completely declawed spray & are killed?

I know you do not want to declaw, but this is my soft spot. I am one of the people who has to choose whether or not to kill a declawed kitty because of the side-effects of declawing. The one kitty had not one claw & sprayed. She now lives on someone's porch. I think her 1st birthday is coming up & she's been through 6 homes already! No one wanted her, she was moments away from death when the vet tech decided to take her home.
 

lore

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2 of my Cats are fully Armed and my newst kitty came already declawed. While I found it IS nice when he is kneeding on my leg while I'm petting him that I'm not getting "needles" in my thigh
LOL, I myself never would have done it, but dont feel bad cause I'm not the one that did it


I have 2 WITH Claws and DO have 4, 3 Year Olds. Who Play with the Cats with Feather Toys and sure they get carried away and they get scratched accidentally & at first it used to bother the kids... but actually now when it happens the kids dont even flinch LOL!... course now I have to tell the kids to let me know when the Cats scratch them so that I can at least clean it out! LOL! Cat Scratch Fever isn't just a Song
 

cloud_shade

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I would just keep the kitten's nails trimmed and train the kitty not to scratch on the furniture (Sticky Paws might help, as will either a can of coins or a squirt bottle as a deterrent. I adopted my cats as adults (ages almost a year and 14 years upon adoption) and neither of them have ever scratched my furniture. They have two cat trees and a smaller scratching post. I think it really is a matter of training as my boyfriend's cat has been allowed to do whatever he wants and scratches the daylights out of everything. Keeping the kitty's nails trimmed will help protect the furniture from accidental punctures.
 

mamakitties

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My bf insisted on getting my two cats declawed because of the possibility of scratching furnitures. I said to him that if he allows me to amputate his fingers, then I will declaw them. Of course, that got him to stop the thought.

I have never used the soft paws but I guess a lot of ppl here have and works really well. For me, I just trim their nails weekly and make sure they have plenty of scratching posts. Although the leather sofa has some light surface scratches but it was never intentional nor have I seen them purposely scratch anything other than their posts.

As far as playing with them, yeah I do get some scratches now and then but that is part of having a pet. Accidents does happen. When they make their biscuits on my legs, they have never digged their claws into me. I guess you can train your cat to know that if and when they scratch you or the furniture, it's a NO NO by saying NO! loudly and walk away. I think that's how I did it and it's been working quite well.

I hope you do try the soft paws cause it's just inhuman to declaw them~
 

urbantigers

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Keep the nails trimmed and get lots of scratching posts (nice, firm ones). My kitties have never scratched furniture. If there are lots of things they can scratch, there's a good chance they won't bother with the furniture. I'm not keen on soft paws unless all else has failed so I'd try without them to begin with (will save you money!)
 

yosemite

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Originally Posted by urbantigers

Keep the nails trimmed and get lots of scratching posts (nice, firm ones). My kitties have never scratched furniture. If there are lots of things they can scratch, there's a good chance they won't bother with the furniture. I'm not keen on soft paws unless all else has failed so I'd try without them to begin with (will save you money!)
I agree with this scenario. We also clip approximately weekly and have a cat tree with scratching posts. Our cats never bothered with the furniture. They both sometimes stretch and scratch a bit on the rug under the table but not enough to destroy it.
 
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