- Sep
- 19
Cats and Their Claws
Posted by Ingrid Newkirk at 2:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)
Muffet / CC by 2.0
We cat lovers all have the same issue. What to do with our sweet little ones when they go on clawing around! We all know that declawing is a no-no, so what to do?
Here is an excerpt from my book Making Kind Choices, which discusses the issue.
Cats have to scratch as surely as birds gotta fly, for reasons buried deep in their psyches, like marking territory, as well as for play, exercise, and nail conditioning. However, rather than take a hatchet to a hangnail and remove kitty's claws (and ligaments, muscle, and bone, for that is what happens in "declawing" surgery), there are simple, non-invasive solutions to worries about the furnishings. Those solutions, unlike declawing, do not lead to "out of the litter box" experiences, neuroses, and spinal problems. Of course, if everything must be pristine and perfect, a house isn't a home for any living being!
Kind veterinarians will not declaw. As Dr. Nichols Dodman of the Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine says, "Declawing is abhorrent and inhumane," and as Dr. Louis J. Camuti, who has practiced veterinary medicine for 40 years, puts it, "I wouldn't declaw a cat if you paid me $1,000 a nail." Declawing is illegal in England because it is cruel, and it should be here, too, but commerce sometimes gets the better of compassion.
The reasons not to declaw are too numerous to count on one paw. It can make cats who were once full of life lifeless, withdrawn, and upset, and you will not be able to turn back the clock. Also, cats naturally walk like ballerinas on their "points," but declawing throws them off balance, forcing them to learn to walk in a very different way, which can cause irreparable and painful damage to the spine.
There are other problems that arise from declawing, but suffice it to say that alternatives to declawing are the only things acceptable to a kind cat companion.
Here is how to avoid tatters:
It is the little hook on the end of your cat's nails that is responsible for pulling threads and tearing at things, so that hook has to be worn down or snipped off. Then, bingo, the problem is solved.
- Get as many scratching posts as you can (the horizontal ones work as well as the vertical), trying different surfaces and styles. Put catnip on them once in a while to make them super inviting. Don't just buy ones at the store; try to pick up the occasional log, the taller the better, or a large fallen branch. Shake it out well to dislodge insect life, then leave it outside, in the sun if possible, and up off the ground on a piece of newspaper for a couple of days, just to be extra sure. Make sure any log you bring home is anchored so that it can't fall on your cat while being used
- Smear a little cologne or flea dip on any fabric area where you do not want your cat to scratch. Sometimes covering a piece of furniture temporarily with contact paper or something else that's slippery will stop the behavior.
- If you have a steady hand and good eyesight, buy a pair of cat nail clippers and use them. Gently squeeze each nail out, look for the quick (this is vital), and snip off the hook only, just above the quick. If you are unsure, go to a gentle veterinarian or groomer and insist on staying with your cat while his or her nails are clipped
There you have it, friends. Hope this works out well for you and your companions.
Posted to Home & Garden | Posted to Tags: Cats, companion animals, Declawing, Ingrid Newkirk
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Ellie says...
September 24th, 2011, 10:17 am
I think those who choose to get their cats declawed are just LAZY. It doesn't take much to get or make scratching post or cut nails. Most cats nails are clear anyway, easy to see the quick. They all think after a while the cat will "get over" the pain.
Lacy says...
September 24th, 2011, 10:40 am
The sentence that stands out in this article is that a house is not a home if everything has to be pristine. My sweeties took the corners off an upholstered chair back by clawing them, but a soft blanket over the back of the chair hides their handiwork. I figure that the Oriental rug is 100 years old and a couple of spunky kitties aren't going to destroy it. The joy the girls bring to my husband and me is much more important than a few 'things' that can always be replaced.
Melissa says...
September 24th, 2011, 11:09 am
Thanks for the advise!!! I once thought declawing was okay and unfortunately had the cruel procedure done on a few cats. One of the cats was killed by neighborhood feral cats because I had allowed him to be declawed.
Don't listen to your vet who will tell you declawing is okay and that the cat will quickly recover from the procedure. Vets want to convince us declawing is okay because of the almighty dollar.
I took in a pregnant homeless cat 2 years ago and now have 5 beautiful cats living with me. I love them so much and do everything in my power to spoil them rotten. Since they are unable to go outside for their own safety, I do my best to provide them with as much stimulation as possible (lots of toys, cat towers, scratching posts, window beds, etc, etc, etc). I like the idea of bringing in a large fallen branch and will try it. I had problems at first with the kitties scratching on my sofa but once I bought the large scratching posts and used the catnip to encourage scratching on the posts and put double-sided tape on the sofa, the unwanted furniture scratching ceased. The mother cat still scratches my carpet and I do not know why, but I can live with this because she is beautiful and wonderful and is such a good mother to her now grown children.
Thanks again for the article and for caring enough to write it.
Candace says...
September 24th, 2011, 11:36 am
Hi
I have had cats and my solution is to train them along with the scratch toys and everything. From the first day use a squirt bottle full of water and every time they start to scratch on the furniture (or any place you don't want them to)pick up the bottle of water, shake it, and squirt them right in the face. NO it does NOT hurt them. You have to be diligent for a while. Even WE as children need training.
After a bit of consistent enforcement and re-enforcement(give them a treat when they choose the toys) they DO get it. I have 2 BIG cats right now and CLOTH yes I said cloth furniture. All I have to do now is pick up the bottle and shake it…actually one of my cats now loves water and we play with the hose…but he still doesn't scratch the furniture.
The big issue is being consistent that is paramount
Pamela C. says...
September 24th, 2011, 4:02 pm
I have never had and never will have any furniture that is more valuable than my cats.
Cassie says...
September 25th, 2011, 1:10 pm
It is totally wrong to declaw cats, if people are more worried about their homes and furniture then they shouldn't be having cats as pets and if people say well i love cats i want one all i can say is well you can't love them that much to put them through the suffering of declawing