I am having a dilemma with one of our cats. She was a feral cat this past summer and we began feeding and caring for her. She was pregnant and after having her kittens (they were taken to a shelter) we had her fixed and caught her up on her shots with the help of an awesome local rescue. She has since warmed up to us and wants to come into the house. She really just wants to be our pet, I think. Here is the problem. DH will not let her be inside without declawing her (front only). She sharpens her claws on everything. We brought her inside one time and she clawed at our furniture and the carpets. I worry about her being outside though. We live next to a very busy road and wee have a big fox that runs around the area. Plus we rent so eventually we will move.
Has anyone had experience bringing a cat indoors that was previously a wild cat? We think she is about 18 months and I'm worried she will have a hard time adjusting to having her claws removed. Any other alternatives anyone can think of? Clipping her claws isn't an option....she's still skittish and won't tolerate it.
have you gotten her a scratching pole or mat? if you rub it with catnip they're pretty good about using the corrugated cardboard ones. you can also get a spray that repels her from the area of the furniture she's scratching. or, they make something called soft paws, which is a rubber product that snaps over their claws.
I would not declaw a cat. it's the equivalent of cutting off your finger to the first knuckle.
I don't know what there called but maybe you can talk to someone at the pet store about them.
They do create cat claw covers. You can put them on yourself. They just cap the claws.
The claws are a cats main protection. If he does get out as he will try to go outside again he'll have nothing to protect himself with.
We had a feral cat we took in and he'd scratch the furniture but then we got him a scratch post and whenever he'd go to scratch something other than the post we'd put him in front of the post and rub his paws on it for him to know to only scratch at that and he doesn't scratch the furniture any more.
We haven't tried the pole but I am certain that she would use every thing else as well as the pole. I have seen soft paws before also but there is no way she would let us put those on let alone keep them on.
Quoting ff-princess:have you gotten her a scratching pole or mat? if you rub it with catnip they're pretty good about using the corrugated cardboard ones. you can also get a spray that repels her from the area of the furniture she's scratching. or, they make something called soft paws, which is a rubber product that snaps over their claws.
I would not declaw a cat. it's the equivalent of cutting off your finger to the first knuckle.
it may just take some time... keep a spray bottle and give her a quick squirt when she scratches at something... cats scratch not just to sharpen their claws, they have scent glands near their pads, and each cat has a unique pheremone... she is marking her territory. She's used to claiming her space outside, so it's a behaviour that comes naturally once she comes in.
You can get plastic claw covers, they are kinda like fake nails but it's just a little tube that slips over each claw. You can get them at stores like Petco... your vet will probably put them on her for you if kitty won't let you do it.
Soft Claws... OP here's a link http://www.softclaws.com/index.php?pet=cat
Quoting twinmommy27:
They have little protectors you can put on her nails so they won't destroy things.
I don't know what there called but maybe you can talk to someone at the pet store about them.
She will have a hard time adjusting to being an indoor cat, and declawingher, IMO is unneccssary and cruel. It could also contribute or create behavior problems. You can thwart the furniture clawing by giving her appropriate things to claw and then teaching her not to claw other items. By a scratch board designed for cats and then use a squirt bottle to correct her when she claws your furniture. As for living indoors, you could let her be indoor/outdoor. My cats were born feral and were socialized and adopted from a rescue. One cat in particular wanted out so badly he became destructive and annoying (yowling). We tried everything to get his behavior under control, but nothing worked. We started letting them outside and viola! Problem solved. Now he goes in and out, but he always stays inside when we are not home or at night when sleeping.
I think my husband's a sociopath
- SunshineBird
on Feb. 19, 2013 at 11:31 AM