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Alternatives to Declawing
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In America, many people make the horrible, inhumane mistake of declawing their cats without attempting to find a more reasonable solution. The problem, in most situations, is that people do not realize that declawing is not a minor surgery. They assume that it is comparable to a manicure. Declawing is very painful for the cat, and involves the removal of one of the bones in the cat's "toes," altering the structure of its feet. In many European countries, declawing is either completely illegal or only used in extreme cases.
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When a cat is declawed, its primary self defense tool is removed. While fatal to outdoor cats, this is also dangerous for indoor cats because they could easily get outside and have no way to defend themselves against predators. It is also probable that there could be additional complications resulting from declawing. A cat's distress can cause a multitude of problems that are worse than clawed-up furniture, for example, sprayed furniture.
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Scratching is a perfectly natural cat behavior. Even in the wild, cats use tree trunks to claw at. The cat is marking its scent on the areas it scratches, marking its territory. There are many solutions to troublesome claws that are less drastic than declawing.
Scratching posts are a very popular alternative. In order to be successful with a scratching post, there are several things you need to do. First of all, cats need a rough, hard surface to dig their claws into. Sisal posts are ideal for this requirement. Second, the post needs to be secure and unable to fall over. Do not get rid of a post when it looks to you like it is too torn up, cats like their posts to be properly worn in.
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Never make the mistake of showing your cat how to scratch the post, it will only upset the cat. Just like humans, cats do not like to be forced into trying things. To attract your cat to the scratching post, you can play near it, have food by it, and reward the cat for using it. While getting used to the post, it is smart to cover up old scratching spots with two sided tape, shelf paper or aluminum foil. This will make the surface smooth and unattractive to scratch. Cats do not like citrus scents. A good way
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to get a cat to stop scratching your furniture, is to spray lemon or orange air freshener on the previously scratched area, which covers up the furniture's greatest appeal, the cat's scent.
You can also trim the cat's claws. Claw trimmers are sold at pet stores, however, some find it easiest to use regular nail clippers. Trimming the claw is done most successfully when only a few of the claws are trimmed at once, due to the fact that cats do not like to be restrained. When trimming the claw, make sure that you only cut off the clear tip of the nail. If you cut off any more, it will start to bleed and it is painful for the cat.
Another option is Soft Pawsâ vinyl nail caps that come in a variety of sizes (kitten, small, medium, and large) and fun colors (clear, blue, red, pink, and purple). The colored caps look like your cat's nails have been painted, while the clear caps look natural. They last four to six weeks, keeping you and your posses (Continued on page 7)
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