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Declawing and Alternatives Anonymous
I'm planning on getting a cat soon, and I was wondering if anyone knew alternatives for declawing?

I know of Soft Claws, but I've heard that sometimes they don't work (IE. Make even bigger holes where the cat scratches) or just
fall off.

Then I've heard of another alternative of using Vertical scratching posts nailed to the ground and using cat nip as an incentive to use them. I spend alot of time at home (because of work and school) and honestly I'm actually more keen on the last idea then the first. I'd have enough time and patience to train them.

What does Anon think is best?

(In before lawl, Declaw it, Cats are gay, etc)
>> Anonymous
declaw it seriously

makes things a whole lot easier plus I can now tease my cat without scratch marks next morning
>> Anonymous
take it to a groomer/vet to file and round down the claws every so often, otherwise just declaw
>> Bitter Anon !!WJLRQ1cwCyZ
>>137484
This is troll. I know from the opinions and having trolled a lot of threads.

Declawing is terrible. Provide ample scratching surfaces and do not use your hand as a cat toy. This means no finger wiggling, flicking ears, or hand wrestling, at least until your cat stops associating that with play. Your cat should figure out where to scratch his claws on his own, but should he have problems, scratch at the boards with your fingernails while he watches. If somehow that doesn't work, apply catnip to it. Do not force your cat to scratch the posts by rubbing his paws on it, he will hate it and may never use it.

Softclaws and similar products rarely cause problems if applied properly. Thank you for not immediately declawing your cat.
>> Anonymous
My family had a nice log in the back yard that took most of the clawing. The cats still did go after the couch on occasion but I think they did it more as a game. They'd do it right in front of you even though the moment you snapped "HEY!" at them (or something that effect) they'd stop and GTFO.
>> Anonymous
>>137482
If you are contemplating a surgical procedure before you even have the animal, maybe a cat isn't the pet for you. Training them not to claw up everything in sight is not that difficult. But, I suppose asking people to actually take a few minutes to put some work into an animal is too much to ask when instant gratification can be had instead, at their expense.
>> Anonymous
>>137484
NO. I'm not getting into the various reasons declawing is immoral.
Invest in a really good scratching post. They seem to like the carboard ones a lot too. Also, you can spray regularly the areas they claw with just about any strong fragrance so they don't like it (febreeze will do.)
And also what my cats really like is if you give them a crummy piece of furniture you don't care about to scratch. I highly recommend tweed upholstery, they LOVE it.
>> Anonymous
>>137495

lrn2read the whole post and not just the subject before replying.
>> Anonymous
http://www.esmartcat.com/shopping/Ultimate_Scratching_Post.htm

My cats have yet to defeat this scratching post, it might actually live up to it's name.
>> Anonymous
OP here

>>137503

That's awesome! I'm going to have to seriously consider getting one of those now ... thanks anon!
>> Anonymous
we never declaw our cats.
>> Anonymous
cut the cats nails and get a scratching post.

cats need to scratch.

end of thread.
>> Anonymous
old troll is old
>> tigerfeather !CrwtTbFNxQ
>>137700
This is my advice also. It takes a whole of 2 minutes, once a month, to clip the nails. If for some reason you can't do it, take her to your local pet mart where they'll clip them for like $8 or $10. Your vet will probably charge more (usually the price includes a sitting fee), but shop around. I know a lot of people who don't like to do it themselves, and I don't blame you (I clips my cat's nails because I was a groomer for a few years).

Get a scratching post. I have a 4 1/2 foot tall one for my two cats, and they love it. It's gonna last them pretty much forever. You can also buy cheap corrugated cardboard scratchers at your local mart that last for quite a while, price considered. Also, catnip is your friend for redirecting.

Look up clicker training if you're gonna be home a lot to be able to train. You can use the same concept to train your cat. I'll tell you, you'll get some pretty impressed people if you show them that your cat can sit.
>> Anonymous
>>137503

That's gonna be epic.
>> Anonymous
My cat claws a log outside. I had one that would use a pine tree as a scratching post, and she nearly denuded it of bark all around the bottom. If you let them out they usually don't claw at the furniture.
>> Anonymous
Honestly I wouldn't declaw it since it helps them by giving them a chance if they are outside and a dog comes near. with the claws it can go up high on the tree or where ever also scratching it if needed.

i think the best ways are what ppl have said here, get a good scratching post or just trim the nails a lil'
>> Anonymous
>>137769
Yes but if you let them out they die a lot faster. I'd rather have fucked up furniture myself.

I do second the clipping thing, also giving them an alternative thing to scratch is a good idea. My cats go after my records, not the best thing to scratch however.
>> Anonymous
>>137803
>Yes but if you let them out they die a lot faster.

That's not necessarily true.
>> Anonymous
Americans are retards. The declawing of cats is evidence. Thank god thousands of yanks are being killed off in Iraq.
>> INVALID
>>137844
we had a cat dropped off once she was declawed (grandmother didn't know, she can't stand to touch cats, but always has them ...weird family)
I'm the one that discovered she was declawed

she lived outside and outside only, in the baaackwoods country of Louisiana deep south, she lived to be about.. 24-25 (yes extreamly long)
in her last years she was mostly deaf, and mostly blind.

Her name was Tippi, she was a seal point siamese.. why anyone dropped her off.. I don't know.

Softpaw those claw things I'm against them because it hurt my youngest cat. Me I just trim their claws, done it since they were kittens they don't fight because they get gushytreats after.
>> Anonymous
>>137844

No, it's not always true, but many times it is. Just think of all the things that cats have to contend with outside that they don't inside: cars, other animals, humans, poisons, diseases, and so on.
>> Anonymous
>>137844
The average outdoor cat has the life expectancy of thee or four years. The average indoor cat fifteen.
That said, I've had outdoor cats that lived just as long as my indoor cats, but the chance of them getting eaten, bitten, in fights, run over, and diseases from stray cats is a hell of a lot higher than indoor cats.
>> Anonymous
None of our cats have ever had a problem clawing the furniture. It's simply a matter of training..

yes, get them a vertical scratching post of some sort, it doesn't have to be nailed down, it just needs a sturdy base.

scream, and I mean loud, every time they start to claw anything they aren't supposed to. scream like a cat in a fight if you have to.

there are some products that will repel cats away from objects, these typically work well as long as there's something else around to scratch on.

Keep their claws trimmed to minimize the damage during training.
>> Anonymous
>>137503
I have a cheap imitation of this product purchased at petsmart. works great.
>> Anonymous
>>137871
Don't waste money on these spray products. I've found many of them don't do anything. Use a linen spray or even febreeze. Any strong smell will keep them away. Cats don't want their paws covered in lavender, mint, febreeze, etc. It's only important to spray the same areas regularly so the smell doesn't go away.
>> Anonymous
Softpaws WILL fall off as the nail grows and outgrows the plastic cap. However, once your cat is used to wearing them, they should last at least a month. Trim the nail, use a little glue, slip on the cap and hold 30 seconds. It's definitely better than declawing. I've never seen cats with Softpaws cause damage to furniture unless they were chewing on it (thus, tooth damage instead of claw damage)
>> Anonymous
>>137880

Seconded. My cat has softpaws, they are awesome. They do fall off as the cat naturally sheds the outermost layer of the nail, but after the first application they can last a good six weeks. One of my cat's softpaws fell off yesterday, and it was one I put on her back in early July (I know 'cause it was a different color than the rest).

I have heard of cats that can just do more damage with softpaws, but generally those are cats that are REALLY into clawing your couch. I don't think softpaws on an average cat would have that result.
>> Anonymous
Shoot the cat
>> Anonymous
>>137912
with a water pistol
>> Anonymous
Just trim the cat's nails regularly and get a scratching board. Some cats prefer vertical scratching boards to horizontal ones, but it should be pretty easy to get the cat to use one.
>> Anonymous
>>137874
hmm. weird. are you buying the cheapest crap you can find at walmart or something?
>> Anonymous
Get a water pistol and spray kitty when you see him/her scratching something you'd rather not have them scratch. This WILL take a while to work, but it's a lot more humane than declawing!
>> Anonymous
Declaw its front paws and leave the back ones the way they are.
>> Bitter Anon !!WJLRQ1cwCyZ
>>137940
..and can cause the cat to fear water and squirtguns. Shooting the cat with water or spritzing it with a squirtbottle can cause a host of problems. Better to provide alternatives, manually remove the cat from scratching, and/or trim claws.

>>137942
Infinite hate.
>> Anonymous
>>137945
Cats fear water anyway. And, trimming claws is something you SHOULD do once a month anyway. Does that stop them from scratching? Heck no. Mine tend to get pissy at me when I clip their claws because they have to sharpen them up again...so off to the couch, and off I go with my water pistol.
>> Kitten
De-clawing is cruel. As for the rst, give it up now. Your furniture will be clawed broken:-)

Meow....
>> Anonymous
Declawing gets an unnecessarily bad rap. With a front declaw only, the cat can still defend itself, climb, and do all of the other acrobatic stuff, while preserving the owner's sanity and property, and increasing the likelihood that the owner will keep the cat. It also allows for closer snuggling - the cat can pad your chest and soft things without causing pain/damage.

Best to only do it for indoor cats (which is how they should be anyway). Declawing reduces the lifespan of outdoor cats significantly.

Seriously, you can have a pet and love it while being realistic about reasonable accomodations for bringing a not-so-bright hunting animal into your household.
>> Anonymous
>>138001

My boyfriend's two indoor cats are both declawed on their front paws only and they're doing just fine. One of them still manages to drag in dead birds...
>> Anonymous
Declawing is something I'm completely against (unless it's for medical purposes), simply because you're choppin' off a piece of an animal's bone for your convience.

2 cats we've had declawed. (No, OMG YOU BUTCHER! I was 6 at the time) Overtime I've noticed one of them has never stretched like a normal cat with arching backs and has always has problems with the litter box. Not to mention he hates us to touch his feet. The other cat is just lethargic. Maybe it does matter what quality vet you go to, but I'd rather keep my kitty's claws intact and get him a scratching post, contrary to a $75-200 Vet Bill and any unnecessary pain for the kitty afterwards.

And lol @ going after cats with water pistols. Srsly - you cat must hate you. =/
>> Anonymous
>>137950
Two of my four cats love water. This is totally based on the individual.


None of my cats are declawed. We buy a bunch of those corrugated cardboard scratching things (pic related) and put them in discreet locations throughout the house. The cats love them. Like, seriously, love them. I take them out of the plastic and there are cat claws in them before they hit the floor. LOVE them. And our furniture? Unmolested.

>>138001
>>Seriously, you can have a pet and love it while being realistic about reasonable accomodations for bringing a not-so-bright hunting animal into your household.

So.. I should say "fuck training" and spend a bunch of money on a medical procedure instead? Not to mention a procedure where there's a chance - no matter how small, still a chance - that my pets could be changed for the rest of their lives, maybe even die because of some freak complication? Nah.. my cats are pretty intelligent. We can co-exist peacefully without either party having to do anything drastic.

Sage because I really hate the declawing argument.
>> Anonymous
>>138022

Seems as though it's a case by case thing. It probaly depends what vet you go to and what kind of care before and afterhand they recieve. Alot of cats come out just fine, like the claws have never left... others, kitty fatale. (IE. If you're gonna get a piece of bone chopped off, make sure it's from a high quality vet you trust ...)
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
Forgot my pic, doing it wrong, jesus this thread shot my brain. Leaving.
>> Anonymous
One of my cats is declawed, but she was adopted that way (her previous owners did it to her, not me!). And, let me tell you, it hasn't done a damn thing to make her less destructive. Since she no longer has claws, she just chews things instead, and pulls at them with her clawless stubs. At least while your cat still has claws you can use softpaws or double-sided tape or something.

Also, cats are more likely to develop litterbox issues when declawed. They can also develop chronic pain in their feet. My cat won't let her paws get touched. Cats can also begin biting people once declawed, because they feel unsafe without their claws (I've heard, anyway).
>> Anonymous
>>138029

When I first saw this thread, I was wondering why everyone's complaining so much about declawing because all of the declawed cats I've come across have been fine. I didn't realize so many problems could arise from it (i.e. litter box). You learn something new everyday. Thank you, /an/, thank you
>> Anonymous
I swear, I've never heard of declawing before the internets and discovering america's practices

why on earth would you do that?
>> Anonymous
>>138058
Laziness.
>> sage Anonymous
>>137845
fail troll fails
>> Anonymous
>>138058
I already told you, they are RETARDED!
>> Anonymous
IF you MUST have a cat that is declawed - get one from a shelter that is ALREADY declawed.


Declawed cats can have troubles with the litterbox since a lot of the time they will associate pawing the the litter with pain. It's not always the case - but you could ruin a good cat. I'd rather run the rics of a peice of furniture being ruined than my loving cat.

If you get a scratching post it must be high enough for the cat to FULLY stretch vertically with his front legs all the way up.

Yelling at a cat is the best form of dicipline. Or clapping loudly - they'll freak and run at loud noises guaranteed.

Cats have claws - it's part of their livelihood. They enjoy a good stretch that they can only get when they claw into a post and hang down. They can grab toys much easier - my roommate had two declawed cats that wouldn't play with toys after getting frustrated about not being able to catch them.

Cats wont claw you if you treat them kindly, or if necessary - train them with you "NO!" voice.

"In the UK declawing is illegal. It is regarded as animal abuse. As the procedure involves amputation of claw and bone.

Declawing is not merely the trimming of the claws. It is the surgical removal of the claws, which are closely adhered to the bone. In order to remove the claw and prevent its regrowth (which sometimes results from incomplete removal), the entire first joint of each of the cat's "toes" is amputated. This procedure is often likened to amputation of all a human's fingers to the first knuckle. You can imagine the subsequent pain. The comparison ends there, however. Cats walk on their "fingers and toes"--we do not (but imagine the pain if you had to, after amputation)."
>> #fortune Anonymous
i liek u
>> Anonymous
http://declaw.lisaviolet.com/

^ from: "Educate Don't Amputate"

Declawed cats usually turn into "biters" - esp when they are declawed young - as this becomes their only means of defense.
>> Anonymous
Squirt bottles work wonders, but work best if you hide the fact that it is you who is squirting them. Plus you can get more cat friendly furniture with a Berber like texture. You still discourage the clawing but it hides occasional swipes. I have had to decide, which do I love more, my cats or my furniture. I try to keep the claw marks to a minimum, but hey, whatever. It is just a stupid couch in the end that I will throw away in several years.
>> Anonymous
>>138327
smart and level-headed anon is smart and level-headed
>> Anonymous
>>138033

We have one of those. My cat with all his claws loves it regularly reduces it to shreds.

>>138001

One of my cats was had her front paws declawed. Not my fault, we got her when I was a kid. But she is extremely sensitive about having her feet touched, which makes very difficult to trim her back claws.

Compared to the minor time spent trimming claws and discouraging occasional swipes at the couch with the expense of a surgery, clippers seem clearly preferable to declawing.
>> Anonymous
DECLAWING = FINE IF DONE AT A YOUNG AGE.

My sister has 2 cats, both declawed as kittens w/ traditional surgery, they act completely normal.

I have one cat, declawed with laser, which cauterized the wound, nerves, and was completely painless and recovery was just 1 day.

If you don't declaw, you WILL inevitably end up with damaged furniture.
>> Anonymous
declaw that shit
>> Anonymous
>>138187
LOL what fucking bullshit. My cat has never bitten me or anyone. My sister's 2 declawed cats have never bitten anyone either.
>> Anonymous
>>138576
I KNOW RIGHT? CLEARLY YOUR ONE UNIQUE EXPERIENCE IS GENERALIZABLE TO EVERY OTHER CAT IN EXISTENCE IN TERMS OF BEHAVIORAL PROBABILITY. YOU'RE SO FUCKING BADASS.
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
>>137845

And thank Al Qaeda for bombing all over the UK and killing thousands instead of America ^_^
>> Anonymous
Fewer cats would be adopted in America if it were not for declawing. Cats carve up furniture when not declawed.

Is it better if they aren't declawed? Yes, but for a lot of people this isn't an option. Training doesn't work for all cats.

Our cat clawed from a very young age. We bought scratching posts. We bought catnip to put into the posts. We used squirt bottles. Nothing worked. Sweet cat, but she just about tore our dad's feet to shreds, and our furniture, too.

Then dad had her declawed in her front, and everyone was happier. Our cat hasn't been sprayed more than a dozen times in eight years. Everyone's feet are intact. Our cat can paw at our chests and snuggle with us without ripping our shirts up.

It isn't a cureall. It shouldn't be your first result. But better to declaw than to send back to the shelter.
>> Anonymous
Will one of you animal loving idiots explain why declawing a single indoor cat is so fucking wrong?

My mother almost lost her foot because of a damn infection caused by a cat claw.
>> Anonymous
>>138584

Thats because your mother was a fucking pussy and deserved to die.
>> Anonymous
>>138584
It's mutilating an animal for your convenience. The animals can suffer chronic pain and difficulty using their paws (thus litterbox issues), and also run the risk of becoming biters. It's senseless, when there are so many ways to fix the problem without needing to rip out their knuckles. If you feel you need to rip out a cat's knuckles in order to keep it, you shouldn't keep it.
>> Anonymous
>>138581
Wow, I sure am glad we have declawing in America! That must be why we have so few cats in shelters.
>> Anonymous
javascript:void(document.post.name.value='#fortune')
>> Anonymous
>>138585
I love you anonymous
>> Anonymous
>>138584
Imagine having the tips of fingers cut off. That's essentially what happens to a declawed cat.
Also, if your mom got hurt, she was probably pissing off the animal to begin with. It's her own damn fault.
>> Anonymous
>>138581

See, at least this is rational, kinda. It IS a better alternative than being bounced in and out of shelters or being euthanized, but it certainly isn't the first thing you try. Unfortunately, a lot of lazy fuckers just declaw and that's it.

Also, before you fucking eurofag trolls descend upon the topic again about how glad they are American troops are dying because of declawing of all things, I've only got one thing to say to assholes like you:

lol
>> Anonymous
>>138617

What a witty retort. Thank you for your well-planned and meaningful contribution to this thread. It would have just gone straight into the maddening depths of hell if not for you.
>> Anonymous
>>138723
If you were probably being sarcastic, actually I'm glad there's a few people being rational here.
I really don't think declawing a cat to save furniture is a fair judgement in any way. If the real reason is because the cat actually attacks people, I don't see how this would solve anything as most violent cats resort to biting instead. There's a behaivoral issue here that has nothing to do with it's need to scratch furniture.
Cats scratch objects and attack people as a way to control their enviroment out of fear. Why is the cat afraid of you? It can be suprisingly easy to figure it out.

One day I was in the middle of the woods near my house and I saw a cat I thought was a stray and I decided to take it home. When I got a good look I realized it was delcawed. It was sometimes extremely violent and bit me a few times, but after only a few days she completely stopped acting that way at all. I think it was entirely as a result of my TLC for it. I highly doubt it needed to be declawed.
I released it before long because it probably belonged to somebody. I was still worried because no declawed cat belongs in the wild, especially since there are many cats and coyotes around here.
>> Anonymous
halitosis is singing my nosehairs
>> Anonymous
Either a .410 shotgun or a .22 (.22 shorts are good, .22 LR works too). In case of an especially difficult varmint, go with higher firepower- 44 Magnum, or .357 Magnum w/158g semijacketed hollowpoints. That's the only REALLY effective way to stop those fuckers from shredding your house, short of declawing or throwing the damn things outside.
>> Anonymous
Anyone who has a cat declawed should be beaten and have their fingernails torn off.
>> Anonymous
>>138809
Removing just the fingernail wouldn't be accurate. You'd need to take off the whole first joint, and leave the floppy flesh behind. Declawed cat's paws are weird.
>> Anonymous
Declawing is perfectly fine. Fur-fags here need to watch that video of a 2-legged dog walking upright as happy as can be to realize how fucking insignificant major body parts are to animals, let alone dinky ass front claws.
>> Anonymous
>>138828
Small difference here. The dog's legs weren't removed because of someone else's laziness.
>> Anonymous
>>138809
Well, declawing is only used out of laziness, and it's not the fingernail... More like the finger up to the first digit.
>> A french anonymous
     File :-(, x)
My cats scratch their claws on their cat tree... and it's fine.

I keep my brother's kitten for all august during his vacation. The little kitten used to scratch the sofa as he did in my bro's appartment. I teached him to scratch the tree and now our sofa is safe.
>> Anonymous
>>139131
so you get a new sofa? or still sit on it w/ all the scratches and use it to entertain?
>> A french anonymous
     File :-(, x)
>>139149
our sofa was not THAT damaged. The kitten scratched it once or twice. We were like "WTF ARE YOU DOING?" and showed him how to use the tree (by scratching it ourself) and it did it. And our two cats already did know how to use a cat tree when we got them (they are both almost 1 year old. We can't really say, as they've been found in the street by associations and associations teach cats basis like literboxes and cat trees)

(pic related, my bro's kitten)
>> Anonymous
>>139206

Lol that's how I trained my last cat to use one of those cardboard scratchers, by doing it myself for a few days. I never had a cat who liked one of those carpet-covered trees... they just ignore them completely.
>> A french anonymous
     File :-(, x)
>>139270
I don't know about lonely cat but when they're two or more, they have a lot of fun playing on it. They "fight" for the upper place and climb on it as fast as they can. Every time I look at the tree, their is a cat on it.
But maybe it depends of the cat's mind...
>> Anonymous
I hate these fucking threads. Someone ALWAYS has to bring up declawing, wtf. It's guaranteed troll bait.