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Have a cat question? Lily's our expert...
Lovable Lily is excited to share her wisdom yet again. This week her assistants, Dr Pepper and Bonita, will help her answer Torn in Toronto's cat question...
Dear Lily,
I hope you can help us with our situation. After we moved, our cat,
Clara, started clawing the furniture. We’re considering de-clawing her. She’s an indoor cat,
so this is okay, right?
Sincerely,
~Torn in Toronto
Dear Toronto,
Ouch! Sounds like your relocation has hit a snag. I’m sorry to hear that Clara has started clawing your furniture. A few considerations:
- Did she ever do this before?
- Does she seem stressed from the move?
- Have you been spending some time with her in the new environment?
- Do you think that perhaps she’s doing it for reassurance and attention?
- Does she have scratching posts that she can use?
Pepper, what’s the medical viewpoint on
this issue?
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Dr. Pepper: Well, let me put it this way: when a cat is "de-clawed," he or she is actually
having the third phalanx removed. What would that mean in human terms? It’s the equivalent of
having your fingers cut off at the third knuckle. It’s major surgery, and if it sounds unpleasant,
that’s only because it is.
We rely on our claws for many reasons, and removing them is painful. We’re prone to infection
after removal and it’s never the same. Even if we are “indoor-only” cats, if we get outside,
we’re basically defenseless. There are other solutions: have plenty of scratching posts available
with a “fixed base.” If it stays in place, Clara will be more likely to use it. Use lemon-scented
spray in areas where you don’t want Clara to scratch, and you can also consider using claw covers.
Bonita: Wow – I’d feel lost without my claws. For us cats, claws aren’t like toenails or fingernails;
they’re closely adhered to our bones. Not only is the surgery painful; the recovery is slow and painful,
too. Doing normal activities like using the
litter box, walking, and jumping are painful for a long time
afterward. And I’ve had friends whose personalities even changed after they lost their claws: they were
confused, disoriented, and lost their self-confidence.
Lily: Well, Toronto, I hope we’ve helped you with your question! And thank you for thinking twice about such a big decision. I hope you’ll take the kinder path – for Clara, and for you!
Do you have a question for Lily and her
helpers? If so, please email her at:
asklily@pasadosafehaven.org
Tips for training a cat to use a scratching post
- Place a scratching post in the way of the forbidden places your cat likes to
scratch.
- Always give plenty of praise when you see your cat using a scratching post.
- Reinforcement is necessary.
- Play with your cat at the post so your cat views it as a happy, positive
place.
- Try rubbing catnip on the post if your cat reacts to catnip, or run a toy up
and down the post so your cat gets the feel of his or her paws on it.
- Scratch on the post yourself - cats like the sound and it's what their mom would have done to train them.
- As your cat gets more and more used to scratching on the post, slowly move
the post away from the forbidden places and toward where you would like the post
to be.
- If your cat has an accident and scratches on a place they shouldn't, pick
them up and move them to the scratching post.
- Again, praise your cat when they use the scratching post.
(don't forget
to ask your employer
to match your donation)
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