Your cat scratching the furniture, carpet and other places around the house can cause considerable damage and some people think the answer is declawing the cat. Declawing can cause damage to your cat's paws and possible behavioral problems. I would like to provide you with four safe alternatives to declawing your cat.
Trimming Claws- Trimming your cat's claws is something that should be done periodically anyway. You should start to trim at an early age to get your cat used to doing it. They will never like having it done. But they will learn to tolerate the trimming, while vocally protesting the indignity of it all. Never use scissors to cut claws because that will shatter the claw and be very painful for your cat. Talk to your veterinarian about how to properly trim your cat's nails and choosing what type of trimmers would be the best to use.
Scratching Post- Choosing a sturdy, heavy, tall post is the one of the best alternatives to declawing your cat. It must be tall enough so they can stretch out and get a good grip on it and it has to be sturdy and heavy enough so that it won't move. If it moves or falls over they will stop using the post. The post should be made of a good gripping material like carpet or rope. I personally have had better luck with carpet than with rope. Place the post near or, if you can, on the area being scratched. As an extra bonus to help entice your cat into using the post, sprinkle it with a little bit of catnip on the top and base. Your cat will love you for it.
Use Double Sided Tape- Using a double sided tape is another great alternative. Taping the areas that are being scratched gives the area an unpleasant feeling. Cats don't like sticky feeling or having the hair on the paws pulled and they will avoid the area. Using double sided tape and a scratching post can be a very effective combination to a scratching problem.
Use Double Sided Tape- Using a double sided tape is another great alternative. Taping the areas that are being scratched gives the area an unpleasant feeling. Cats don't like sticky feeling or having the hair on the paws pulled and they will avoid the area. Using double sided tape and a scratching post can be a very effective combination to a scratching problem.
Cat Claw Covers- Claw covers are fairly new and I have not personally tried them yet. The word that I've heard is, they work great. However, like declawing, you must keep them in the house, because the claws are covered and, it reduces the ability to defend and escape. Before applying them you will need to trip your cat's claws. The covers are filled with nontoxic glue using a syringe and slid over the nail. They should last between 4 to 6 weeks before falling off due to natural growth of the claws. Keep an eye on your cats paws to see when one falls off. You can then replace it quickly. The first few times applying claw covers you may need some help doing it, as your cat will wiggle around, and it is possible to get glue on their paws and glue their toes together. An added bonus to using cat claw covers is the fact that they also come in assorted colors, creating a great effect.
As always, before doing anything new with your cat, always consult your veterinarian.
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