Declaw housecat?

[chezuki]

Any recommendations for discouraging mock aggression with claws and teeth?

They do that to get play and attention. You have to let them know that's not how to get what they want. Immediately ignore them when the behavior starts and put them in a carrier or kennel for a time out if they still don't stop.

They will eventually learn, though much slower than a dog.

 

[Thegeek]

Cats can be trained. If you want a cat, be responsible for it. Trim it's nails. Teach it what to scratch and what not to scratch. Having a cat declawed is just a sign of a lazy owner.

 

[lovemachine]

I'd get rid of the cat, and get a dog. Dogs are MUCH better than cats.

But FWIW, I would never de-claw a cat.

 

[miguel]

No. If you want a cat, please don't surgically alter him for your convenience.

My wife did that to our first cst and she was never the same after that.

This!

 

[oldpink]

This!

*shrug*
My wife had our tomcat declawed about seven years before she ever met me.
I had our calico female declawed in the fall of 2014.
Both behave no differently, meaning they're both (especially the female) total cuddlebugs.
In fact, as I type this, the female is curled up asleep in my easy chair between me and the chair arm; rather cozy, that.

 

[Tactically Fat]

Look into the laser declawing method.

Not sure if there's anyone around your area who does it - but a call to your vet clinic may put you in touch with someone who does.

 

[chezuki]

"A natural adaptation, being necessary for freedom, defense, and self-reliance, the right of the felines to keep and bear claws shall not be infringed"

 

[HoughMade]

Other people in my house own 2 cats. They are not declawed, but are provided with things to scratch. We have not had an issue with them causing damage.

20 years ago, my wife and I had 1 cat who was declawed (fronts only). That cat was way more of a problem than the other two have ever been. I don't know if the declawing had anything to do with it, but that cat seemed really on edge, paranoid to the point hwere it was easily spooked and would freak out. I think cats need their claws and they are part of their natural defense mechanism. They know when they are gone and I think they try to compensate. When my oldest son started becoming mobile, we didn't feel we could trust the cat and the cat got aggressive and dangerous....you can guess what we had to do.

 

[JettaKnight]

Can you compromise on a rat or Guinea Pig? We have two of the latter and they are MUCH better than hamsters for multiple reasons.

As to the cat, they have plastic caps that can be super glued onto their claws, making them much less annoying/destructive. Here is but one example...

SoftPaws.com - Nail Caps for Cats and Dogs

That's as dumb as Kitten Mittons. What cat is going to lie there and let you molest its claws like that?


My family has always removed the fronts. And those cats were still a adept at killing rodents and occasional sparrows.


[video=youtube;5fP4emqw7O4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fP4emqw7O4[/video]

 

[JettaKnight]

No no no no no. Somebody posted a diagram already; declawing a cat is like chopping all your fingers off at the first joint. Would you do that to your kids? The way a cat's claw grows is from the inside, and as it grows, the oldest layer wears and loses its sharpness. When they scratch, it's to break off the outer layer and expose the next new sharp one

Reminder: It's an animal, not a human.

No... Did it once and broke my heart until the day he died. Still hurts to think about it. Never again.

All-in with the cat or not... Part of the cat is a selfish option IMHO.

So, it sounds like it hurt you (i.e. guilty conscience), not the cat.



So, is it also wrong to clip the wings of waterfowl that are pets?
What about castrating livestock?
Clipping a lambs tail? (aren't several breeds of dogs that applies to?)


Personally, I think the cat's going to be more pissed off seeing a rabbit on the other side of the window and not being able to find a way to get to it.

 

[You'll shoot your eye out]

Is it possible to decat the house cat??

Yes..... An industrial spray bottle from Walmart does wonders. A stiff shot of cold water from across the room corrects most behavior problems. The cat never figures out where It's coming from either. Fun for all!

Declawing a cat is it's death warrant, NEVER let it outside if you do this. Getting the cat it's own clawing post and training him to use it relieves wear to the furniture and walls.

 

[terrehautian]

We had one really destructive cat that we had de-clawed, figuring it would be fine since he was indoor only. Then he started peeing wherever he pleased, even in my husband's shoes.

I can't say this happens to all cats who are declawed, our cat is 17 years old (we have had her a few years) with no issues being front declawed with the litterbox.

 

[JettaKnight]

I can't say this happens to all cats who are declawed, our cat is 17 years old (we have had her a few years) with no issues being front declawed with the litterbox.

We had one pee everywhere, and yes, he was front declawed. It wasn't that: he had diabetes. Darn good cat and we hated to put him down. A decent hunter, stayed on our .4 acres in the city, like to play fetch a lot.

 

[tbhausen]

Reminder: It's an animal, not a human.


So, it sounds like it hurt you (i.e. guilty conscience), not the cat.



So, is it also wrong to clip the wings of waterfowl that are pets?
What about castrating livestock?
Clipping a lambs tail? (aren't several breeds of dogs that applies to?)


Personally, I think the cat's going to be more pissed off seeing a rabbit on the other side of the window and not being able to find a way to get to it.

SMH

 

[Hookeye]

Even with front claws gone, they can scratch up stuff (when jumping up).
If you have nice stuff...........it's at risk.
Front claws gone helps.
Training cats to not get on stuff can help too (but some refuse to learn LOL).
Monitor the damage and when it gets to a certain point break out the CB ammo.

 

[Hookeye]

My "middle cat" is 10 yrs old.
Little witch sneaks out............has twice. Once for over 2 months, the other maybe a month.
We have stray cats around. Couple dogs run loose. Even coyotes.
She's declawed on the front and she came back home both times with no damage (outside of being a little thinner).
I figured a yote would get her.
Neighbor's cat they let wander, he avoids yotes by sleeping on top of cars. Not declawed.
Good thing my Jeep is a POS or he'd be a goner.

 

[Hookeye]

Remember, a feral cat with a notched ear is to be scored as a "non typical".

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

Not saying they're human, duh I was just making the comparison. They are all doing without reproductive organs (boys are cheaper than girls) but chomping off the ends of their fingers just because they might cause some inconvenience is kinda beyond. Almost all of them are well intelligent enough to take the training, though some of them are just rectal orifices (like some kids, hmm) and "missing" the litter box is very often a sign of a health problem that needs to be looked at.

Ptraci and Dagnertz are curled up on the couch together, both twitching with kitty dreams. Mort is just morting on the other end of the couch. It's good to be the king.

 

[jkaetz]

Not saying they're human, duh I was just making the comparison. They are all doing without reproductive organs (boys are cheaper than girls) but chomping off the ends of their fingers just because they might cause some inconvenience is kinda beyond. Almost all of them are well intelligent enough to take the training, though some of them are just rectal orifices (like some kids, hmm) and "missing" the litter box is very often a sign of a health problem that needs to be looked at.

Ptraci and Dagnertz are curled up on the couch together, both twitching with kitty dreams. Mort is just morting on the other end of the couch. It's good to be the king.

I respect your opinion, but I maintain that my relationship with our fur balls is improved without the front claws. Primary concern for us is kneading. A fully clawed cat will draw blood just kneading on you and our cats knead a lot. We would constantly be trying to direct the claws in a safe direction if they had them. They were removed as kittens and by a good surgeon. I don't think they even know any different, they were playing the night we brought them home from the surgery. I would not declaw and adult cat or an indoor/outdoor cat but would not hesitate for an indoor cat. It's much easier to play and interact with them not being constantly concerned about the little razor blades on their feet catching you by accident. Most other scratching behaviors can be trained and directed to acceptable scratching things as well as disallowed locations. It only took a couple times being tossed or shot (with a super soaker) off the table and counter top before they got the message. We've also been mostly successful teaching them which furniture is cat furniture and which is people only furniture. That enables you to wear a pair of black pants and put on your shoes without being covered in cat hair before you leave the house.

 

[17 squirrel]

Remember, a feral cat with a notched ear is to be scored as a "non typical".

Would you give a feral a pass on harvesting, if it also had a lame or missing front leg along with a notched ear ?