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PRSKY71

Question for CAT lovers

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So my b/f and I just got a kitten. She's about 2 months old now and really no trouble, other than hissing at my 6 year old dog -- who is a complete scardy "cat"!! :D

Question: I've been researching the whole "declawing" issue and gather it is a HOT topic. I have never owned a cat before and instinctively don't like the idea of declawing. My concern is not one for furniture or curtains etc. I am worried about the kitten -- soon to be full fledged cat -- hurting my dog. My dog already gets bullied by the b/f's 13 year old cat -- a lot of slapping around with my poor dog on the receiving end! :(

Who knows anything about the "soft paws" nail caps? Does the product really work? I would soooo love to opt for this choice BUT have to maintain my dog's well being in mind.

Please help!! :)
Character cannot be made except by a steady, long continued process. -- Phillips Brooks

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I tried soft paws for my cats, and they didn't work. B|

My girl cat would chew at her claws until they came off, and my boy cat could care less, but they fell off alot sooner than advertised. You still have to trim their claws, which I ended up doing just that instead of using the Soft Claws (or Paws depending on where you buy them). I was against declawing until I got a leather couch...

"I had a dude tip his black cowboy hat to me after I provided him with a condom outside my hotel room at 3-something in the morning." -myself

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I say if your not worried about furniture or curtains then leave the claws in and let the dog learn to defend itself. Of course you can also teach the cat that it's not right to beat up on the dog.

My cat was no a happy camper when we declawed her, but she would have destroyed the curtains and furniture had we left them in. I still feel bad about it to this day.
Skymama's #2 stalker -

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If your ever going to let it go outside I would advise against declawing.



Definately, and there has been another thread some time ago about de-clawing. It got ugly.

judy
Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

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Well, I'm overprotective as hell so I don't think "Katana" would ever get out. However, anything is possible, especially natural disasters and such, which is why I hesitate in considering it. I really would like to try the "soft paws" and really hope others have had good experiences with product. :)
Character cannot be made except by a steady, long continued process. -- Phillips Brooks

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I couldn't find anything under "declawing" or "soft paws" when I did search. [:/] I certainly don't want to get into a big discussion about the procedure itself and was really just interested about the "soft paws" product. Didn't (don't) want to incite too much trouble!!:o;)
Character cannot be made except by a steady, long continued process. -- Phillips Brooks

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Personally, I would see if the cat is going to be a problem or not. Since its a kitten, maybe Katana and the dog will team up and beat up the mean cat.

I have an indoor/outdoor cat so she kept her claws and she was a stray so I didn't know if she was going to stick around or not and I didn't want her to be defenseless if she decieded to leave. (She's been with us since January, I guess she's not leaving).

Good luck!


Judy
Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

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Personally, I would see if the cat is going to be a problem or not. Since its a kitten, maybe Katana and the dog will team up and beat up the mean cat.

I have an indoor/outdoor cat so she kept her claws and she was a stray so I didn't know if she was going to stick around or not and I didn't want her to be defenseless if she decieded to leave. (She's been with us since January, I guess she's not leaving).

Good luck!

Judy


_________________________________________________

Sweet revenge!! ;)

P.S. Really, I absolutely love the "mean" cat -- Bob. She's just been the "only" cat around for many years. She she does deserve a bark or two!!!

:D
Character cannot be made except by a steady, long continued process. -- Phillips Brooks

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I am not going to get into a de-claw discussion; suffice it to say my latest acquisition (Abby) was going to a great home until I found out they'd declaw her...and so she stayed with me.

PRSKY, what's happening is you have a kitten. She's going to do kitten things. She will scratch, claw, bite, all while doing her "play thing". She's learning her place in the household, and that means some jostling for position. There will be fights, but as long as there's no blood, it's best to let them figure it out on their own. If there is blood, trim her claws (a vet can show you how, and there are great cat-claw clippers available).

My ex had a great dog; she was a cross between a weimeraner, dobi, and (I forgot...lab, I think). In the first few weeks we lived together, my three cats and the dog were definitely on edge with each other. But then one day I noticed the dog laying on the floor at the sofa, and the cats were using her as a staircase to get onto the sofa. Figured that it was all good from that point, and it was.

So give them time to get used to each other; everyone's lives have been disrupted, and the heirarchy needs to be reestablished. That will take some time, but once done, it will all be peaceful.

Give Katana some toys that are hers; the "Kitty Racer" is brilliant, cheap, and provides all the chase/movement she needs at this point in her life. Get one, plop it down, and watch (the other animals will get into it, too, including the dog...).

Please don't declaw. And just have the vet show you how to trim her claws, and then let the sorting out of heirarchy go on. As long as there's no blood, you really don't have too much to worry about.

Any other questions, I'll be happy to help...

Ciels-
Michele


~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek
While our hearts lie bleeding?~

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Couple of links regarding declawing:

http://www.helpinganimals.com/animalsHome_cats_declaw.asp

and

http://www.peta.org/campaigns/ar-declawingcats.asp

We have one declawed cat and one w/ claws. The declawed was already declawed when we adopted her.>:( I am very much anti-declawing cats.

I sympathize with your situation, though. Cats, and all animals in general, require commitment and sometimes sacrifice. I have sacrificed two leather La-Z-Boy recliners:D (They were my parent's who gave them to me when they bought new furniture).

I can tell you only from my own personal experience. Sabre (the one w/ claws) clawed those up as a kitten, b/c kittens tend to always have their claws out when they run, jump and play. Since about a year old he hasn't ruined a single piece of furniture. He did, however, ruin a silk sweater I had hanging in the closet---I caught him dangling on it.:D Instead of getting mad, I took a picture.:P (It was really cute!).

I don't want doggie hurt either, though. We have a dog and Sabre has only schwacked him once (we've had him a year). That was all it took for Cruzer to learn "Don't go to them, let them come to you.":D They've both since come around and Zoe' (our other kitty) even plays with Cruzer all the time.:)
The thing is, clawless kitty could hurt doggie even more. Clawless cats are more likely to make up for their lack of claw-defense with their teeth instead. Believe it or not, this actually hurts worse. I know b/c Zoe' often bites us in play and it is certainly eye opening.B| She bit Cruzer's ear in play once and he yelped so loud I almost had a heart attack.:P Sabre also play-bites but it doesn't feel 1/4 as hard as when clawless Zoe' does.

I haven't tried any alternatives. I just keep Sabre's claws trimmed and provide him a cedar scratching post.

I hope it all works out. Definitely try everything out there as something is bound to work.:)
Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back.

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Thanks Michele. The rep at PetSmart did clip her nails/claws and we got a special clipper. Although not many responses, I believe I am going to get the soft paws 'cause I also don't like the idea of declawing. I did hear from my b/f earlier and he said that Katana nuzzled my dog Gracie!!! The funny thing is that Gracie was sooo excited when she first saw Katana until Katana hissed at her. Gracie is just soooo sweet and I do believe they will get along!! Thanks again!! :)
Character cannot be made except by a steady, long continued process. -- Phillips Brooks

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That's too bad!! I looked up the website and they are too cute -- different colors and all!! [:/]:)



Talon had red to match his collar, and Sky had purple. I used them for as long as they would last. For Sky it would be minutes... As soon as I would put the caps on, she'd start chewing... I felt bad about it. I stopped using them and just continued to trim their claws one a week or two. I also gave them to a very loving home (I still get to visit) who will NOT declaw when I moved into an apartment . When I found out what they actually do to the cats, I refused to let them go through that... [:/]

"I had a dude tip his black cowboy hat to me after I provided him with a condom outside my hotel room at 3-something in the morning." -myself

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How exactly does the vet declaw a cat?



The cat's "finger" is amputated at the nuckle by the claw.



Yeah that sound barbaric, I love my cat so I'll keep on buying cheaper sofas for a while.

Gone fishing

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I have two cats, they are both declawed and strictly indoor cats...I also worked at a vet hospital and observed several declaws...They are routine and simple procedures...HOWEVER, they do require several weeks of kitty remaining calm...It is completely up to you whether you want to declaw your kitty, if you haven't already spayed/neutered her, ask your vet about the procedure...I only did it because I have a wimp for a great dane and my furniture was getting the worst of it...even after I bought every toy under the sun and played with them often...they also have the biggest scratching post in the world...:S...I love my kitties...but I think it should be completely up to you...:)
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Trim her claws yourself, and provide her with a few scratching posts. I plop my big cat in my lap and trim away. He doesn't love it, but he does sit there quietly. They get used to it. I sprinkle catnip on the scratching posts to make them even more attractive. I have two different posts b/c one cat likes one, and the other likes the other kind.

Keep a spray water bottle around, and if you catch her scratching furniture, spray her. Most cats do not like it and they'll make the connection. (especially if it is in combination with a stern voice)

My friend who is a vet tech says most cats hate the nail caps and can quickly get them off.

Declawing is unnecessary and cruel.

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I did read about the spray water bottle as a method to train and will try it. I'll also get her a scratching post and already got her a cute fuzzy and cudly lamb with cat nip inside. She has gone nuts over it, just tossing it up in the air!! It's the cutest!!! :D
Character cannot be made except by a steady, long continued process. -- Phillips Brooks

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