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Library
of Pet Health Topics at My Pet Care Clinic...
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| Why
do cats scratch? |
More to the point, why do they scratch your prized possessions? Understanding your cat's need to scratch is more than just an act of kindness on your part. It's the key to channeling Kitty's efforts to more acceptable areas.
Marking their territory
Scratching is a territorial instinct by which cats place their mark and establish their turf. Through scratching, cats mark their domains with more than just visible signs of claw marks. Cat's paws also have scent glands that leave their own special scent on their territory. And this is why they mark the most visible portions of your house. It's Kitty's way of adding her own personal touch to your (and her) home.
Think of it as her version of interior decorating.
Exercise
Scratching also serves to keep your cat in shape. The act of scratching stretches and pulls and works the muscles of a cat's front quarters--a cross between a feline gym workout and Kitty Yoga.
Sheer pleasure
Hey! It feels good to scratch. So give up the idea of reforming Kitty's desire to scratch.
Re-channel her into scratching where you want her to. You'll both be happier.
Provide your cat with an appropriate scratching post.
Since your cat brings you so much joy, you decide to buy her the softest, prettiest and most luxurious scratching post you can find. You take it home and your feline friend gives you a blank stare and walks away. This activates your parental guidance mechanism and you decide to show her how to use the post by taking her front paws and making scratching motions at the post. She of course struggles until she gets free of you and then treats you with utter disdain for the rest of the day.
Never make the mistake of trying to "show her how" to scratch anything. You'll only offend her. She knows perfectly well how to do it. She just reserves the right to scratch when and where it suits her.
Remember, we said appropriate.
Bear in mind that your idea of desirable and Kitty's may not coincide. Cats like rough surfaces that they can shred to pieces. (The exception of course is your velvet couch, which has its own particular appeal.) The scratching post with the most aesthetic appeal to your cat is often a tree stump, though this is a bit unwieldy in a one-bedroom apartment. Whatever post you choose, it must be tall enough for her to fully extend her body, and most important, it must be secure. If it topples over even once, she won't go back to it.
Sisal scratching posts are ideal for releasing Kitty's primal urges. This is a rope material she can shred to pieces with great satisfaction. Be sure not to throw it away when it is shredded, since that's when she's just broken it in satisfactorily, and she will not appreciate your tidiness.
The reverse side of a rug can provide a good, satisfyingly resistant texture for clawing. You can place a carpet sample over an area of carpet where Kitty has already been scratching. However, it must be stationary. Secure it so it doesn't move by duct taping the edges or placing it under furniture. You can also staple pieces of rug to a wall or post.
How to get Kitty to prefer the post.
Remember that an important part of scratching is the cat's desire to mark a territory, so a scratching post should be in an area that's used by the family, not hidden in a back corner. After awhile you can gradually move the post to the periphery of the room.
Initially, put the post where your cat goes to scratch. This may be by a sofa, a chair or wherever Kitty has chosen as her territory, and you may need more than one post to cover her favorite spots. Security is a major factor in making the post appealing to your cat. If it topples or shakes, she won't use it. It should be secured to the floor or have a base wide enough and heavy enough to keep it stable.
Encourage Kitty to use her post with clever enticements. Feed her and play with her by the post. Rub dried catnip leaves or powder into it. Make all the associations with the post pleasurable. Reward her with a favorite treat when she uses it. Have her chase a string or a toy around the post or attach toys to it, which will result in her digging her claws into it. Eventually she will learn to love it and regard it as her own. It's also a good idea to put a post where Kitty sleeps. Cats like to scratch when they awaken, especially in the morning and the middle of the night. If space permits, a scratching post in every room of the house is a cat's delight. The most important place is the area of the house in which you and Kitty spend the most time.
If Kitty is reluctant to give up her old scratching areas, there are means you can use to discourage her. Covering the area with aluminum foil or double-sided tape is a great deterrent. These surfaces don't have a texture that feels good to scratch.
Cats have an aversion to citrus odors. Use lemon-scented sprays or lemon and orange peels to make her former scratching sites less agreeable to her.
If Kitty still persists in scratching the furniture, try squirting her with a water gun or a spray bottle set on stream. Another option is a loud whistle or other noise-maker. You must employ these deterrents while she is scratching for them to be effective. The point is to establish an aversion to the spot you don't want her to scratch.
Start them young.
If you are starting with a kitten, consider yourself fortunate. It's much easier to initiate good habits than to correct undesirable ones.
From the beginning teach your kitten the appropriate place to scratch. Use the methods already described, especially playing around the scratching post to capture her interest. Take advantage of your kitten's desire to play by attaching toys to the post. She will soon "dig in" to catch her toy and discover how good it feels to scratch this surface.
Do not take her paws and make her scratch the post. This is a major turn-off and will only inspire a bratty "you can't make me" attitude. Even at an early age, cats refuse to be coerced into doing what they don't want to do.
If she starts to scratch an inappropriate object, immediately place her in front of her scratching post and begin petting her. Some cats will begin kneading when petted, thus digging their claws into the desired surface and establishing this as a fine place to scratch.
Cats are creatures of habit. Start them off with good ones.
Trimming your cat's nails.
You may defray some of your cat's potential for destruction by carefully trimming the razor-sharp tips of her claws. You will find this endeavor more easily accomplished by two people, one to hold Kitty and one to trim her nails. Though she enjoys other forms of pampering, Kitty is not likely to find a manicure soothing.
Gently hold Kitty's paw in one hand and with your thumb on top of the paw and forefinger on the pad gently squeeze your thumb and finger together.
This will push the claw clear of the fur so it can easily be seen. You will notice that the inside of the claw is pink near its base. This is living tissue that you do not want to cut. Trim only the clear tip of the nail. Do not clip the area where pink tissue is visible nor the slightly opaque region that outlines the pink tissue. This will avoid cutting into areas that would be painful or bleed. The desired effect is simply to blunt the claw tip. Many different types of nail trimmers are available, but I find the scissor-style cat clippers the easiest to use.
If by now you're rolling on the floor laughing because you know your cat isn't about to let you trim her claws, here are a couple of guidelines that will help make this a possibility: Patience and preparation.
Rushing into a full-scale claw trimming is a foolhardy move unless you're really into operatic drama and traumatic events. As you well know, cats hate to be restrained. They don't like you fooling with their paws, which comes across as threatening. After all, their claws are a major tool for survival, and Kitty may consider your motives suspect.
This is where preparation comes to the rescue. Begin by getting Kitty accustomed to having her paws handled. While petting and soothing her, start massaging her paws, especially on the under side. Gently press on the individual pads at the base of her claws. You may want to give her treats to reward her for not protesting, or to distract her from doing so. The point, of course, is to make the process reassuring so that she will eventually feel comfortable enough to let you handle her paws without protest.
Next, be patient. Don't attempt to trim all her nails at once. Trim one or two at a time, reward her with affection or food, and then let her do as she wishes. Cats are not strong on patience or restraint, as the human that's your department. Don't attempt to change your cat. Eventually trimming will become a completely non-traumatic, or at least tolerable, experience. Your veterinarian can also demonstrate how to trim claws, or trim them for you regularly if you are unable.
Soft Paws®
Nail Caps
If all of this is too time consuming and you have a strictly indoor cat, there is another option; a product called Soft
Paws®. These are lightweight vinyl caps that you apply over your cat's own claws. They have rounded edges, so your cat's scratching doesn't damage your home and furnishings. You can find Soft
Paws® on the web at
"http://www.softpaws.com" or call 1-800-989-2542. Many pet supply stores now have them as well.
Soft Paws® last approximately six weeks once Kitty becomes accustomed to them. At first they may feel a bit strange to her and she may groom them excessively, causing them to come off sooner. She'll get used to them quickly though, and thereafter they will last longer. It is amazing how well cats tolerate the Soft
Paws®, most don't even notice they are wearing them.
Soft Paws® come in a kit and are easy to apply. Just glue them on. They are generally applied to the front paws only, since these are what cause most of the destruction to your home. A kit will last approximately three to six months, depending on your cat. After applying the Soft
Paws®, check Kitty's claws weekly. You may find one or two caps missing from time to time, and these are easily replaced using the adhesive included in the kit. To make application easier for both you and your cat, follow the instructions on accustoming your cat to having her paws handled and her nails trimmed.
Once again, if you have trouble applying them, your vet can show you how and get you started. |
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