Clawing Prevention

Ann_in_Iowa · Dec 15, 2017

Our beautiful 18-year-old cat died 3 weeks ago, and the rock is gone from the pit of my stomach, but I still think about her about 15 times a day, and cry about half of the time that I think about her. She was part of our family and we are still grieving.

My husband and I would like to get a pair of litter mates or a bonded pair of adult cats. Here's our dilemma. I would rather have no cat at all than to declaw another cat. He would rather have no cat at all than to get a cat with claws. So far the only thing we have agreed on is no cat at all, and neither of us likes that idea. We would be willing to adopt a pair that has already been declawed and then surrendered to a shelter.

We have the house decorated for Christmas, and that's not a great time to introduce cats to a new environment. So I have some time, but I would like to have a game plan ready. I have done some reading about what kinds of scratching posts cats like the most (tall sturdy ones, with sisal, like the Ultimate Scratching Post). So, I have already ordered two Ultimate Scratching Posts - one for each floor. I also bought a cat tree with plenty of scratching places that are wrapped with sisal. I've also been reading about deterrents - aluminum foil, plastic rug protectors with the bottom side up, orange-scented stuff, spray stuff, etc.

Here's my question: our furnace room is not a bad place to be - area run on the floor in part of the room, not damp, no weird noises. I'm considering setting up a kitty living space there while our cats of the future get used to the scratching posts and they become a habit. I would need to spend a lot of time in there with them so they aren't just by themselves. I'd plan on playing with them near the scratching post, dangling toys near it, giving them treats when they use it, etc. Then after a few days of use, allow them access to the rest of the house.

Here's the thing - we have leather upholstery in the great room. Cover it up with blankets during the introduction to the rest of the house? I'm not sure about spraying leather with a cat deterrent. And should I buy multiple rolls of aluminum foil to protect table legs on the dining room table? Wait to see what they do?

I'd appreciate your thoughts.

maggiedemi · Dec 15, 2017

Yes, I would definitely cover the furniture just in case, especially the parts with any stuffing, I learned that the hard way. I covered all the armchairs with nice looking sheets because they are easier to wash than blankets or bulky chair covers. I have never had the cats try to scratch the table legs, but they do scratch the doorways, maybe cover those with double sided sticky tape.

Mamanyt1953 · Dec 15, 2017

Double-sided sticky tape is going to be one of your very best friends. THE VERY MINUTE that one of your new cats shows interest in scratching something, put a line of sticky tape on it. I know it sounds nasty to live with, but it will be very temporary. Within just a few days, the cats will learn that whatever is taped is NOT fun for paws, and will look elsewhere.

The issue with declawing is that it is not merely removing the claws. It is similar to amputating fingers at the last knuckle. This causes a host of issues. The feet remain tender for a long time, sometimes forever, which can lead to litter box issues, as the litter hurts their paws (cloth does not, so the laundry basket often becomes the new target). The entire balance of the feet and legs changes which causes early onset arthritis. And cats are very aware that their primary defense is gone, and quickly resort to biting as the fall-back defense.

Another option to all of these we have mentioned, and one that many members here have used to good effect is the claw cap. These soft covers are glued to the cat's front claws. They are soft and blunt, so that even if the cat "scratches," there is no damage to furniture and such. They are not expensive, and can be applied at home. There are several videos on Youtube about it. Also, if you are interested in fashion, they come in a huge array of colors and patterns, even! You and your cats can have matching manicures!

susanm9006 · Dec 15, 2017

Please check your local shelters and “Petfinders.com” which allows you to search for declawed cats. I don’t know the availability or scarcity of declawed cats, but I do know that shelters usually have numerous bonded pairs.