De-Clawing Alternative For Cats
De-clawing a cat may not be a good idea. In the event that your cat accidentally escapes from your house it may not have a way of defending itself against other animals like dogs for instance. To defend itself the cat either claws at it or climbs up a tree for safety. A cat at the mercy of a rabid dog is not a pretty site. Poor Fiona might have been able to climb up a tree if its owner wouldn’t have de-clawed it. De-clawing is somewhat cruel. There are plenty of alternatives to protect your furniture from a scratchy cat.
Get the cat used to getting its claws trimmed and filed from a kitten. Caress your kitty softly on its belly and once it’s relaxed clip the claws one by one, petting your kitten in-between clips. Look at the claw and make sure you do not cut into the quick. It can be painful and make the cat bleed which will then get it nervous the next time you decide to trim its claws. Grab a file and file down the claws from rigid edges to protect you and the furniture from getting scratched.
Another alternative is to get your cat a scratching post. There are some that have compartments for cat nip to attract the cat to scratch on the post only. There are other products like scratch pads that look somewhat to a rug. Having several scratching stations through out the house can help protect your furniture. Don’t forget, you can always invest in couch covers.
Online, in some pet stores or at a vet you can now find what is called as nail caps. They come in different colors and are plastic caps that fit perfectly on the cat’s claws. They may feel a little weird but will get used to having them on in no time at all. Most packages come with about 40 caps so you can reapply them as they come off. Some cats may nip at them causing them to fall off quicker. All you need to do is check them daily and if some have fallen replace them while feeding your cat treats in between. They come with glue and applicator tips and are pretty easy to put on. The glue will secure them on but will not glue them well enough to keep them permanent. They still have their claws and you are happy with your furniture. It can’t get better than that.