Jessika
06-09-2012, 04:30 PM
So I am pretty against declawing, I feel there are better alternatives to doing it, and in my experiences thus far if you give your cats furniture they CAN claw at, they tend to leave your stuff alone.
But then I got Voltron. He's a little over a year old now, and up until this point, we've not had any problems with him clawing things. But it doesn't seem that he is actively clawing at things, but rather doesn't understand how to appropriately do things without using his nails... for example, when he kneads now, he fully extends his nails into whatever he is making biscuits on. It doesn't bother me as much when it's a fleece blanket so much as when it's my lap/arms/face. It hurts. He also has this new habit where he will stretch up or jump onto objects/furniture and use his nails to climb said object.
It isn't like he is stretching out and ripping my couch to shreds, he is just using his nails inappropriately. And we trim both cats' nails on a very regular basis. They have scratching posts and multiple scratching pads that they do use a lot. Pretzel, on the other hand, has absolutely perfect nail etiquette. And so did Voltron only until lately!!
He has scratched up my boyfriend's brand new bedroom set (the mirror, the headboard, the frame, our drawers...) just from doing normal things like walking or stretching!!!, and we just ordered new couches that will be delivered in a week and after paying as much as we did I really want to make sure this won't remain a problem.
Is anyone familiar with Soft Paws? I've never had to use stuff like this before and this really is the only alternative because I'm pretty against declawing a cat, especially at his age.
But then I got Voltron. He's a little over a year old now, and up until this point, we've not had any problems with him clawing things. But it doesn't seem that he is actively clawing at things, but rather doesn't understand how to appropriately do things without using his nails... for example, when he kneads now, he fully extends his nails into whatever he is making biscuits on. It doesn't bother me as much when it's a fleece blanket so much as when it's my lap/arms/face. It hurts. He also has this new habit where he will stretch up or jump onto objects/furniture and use his nails to climb said object.
It isn't like he is stretching out and ripping my couch to shreds, he is just using his nails inappropriately. And we trim both cats' nails on a very regular basis. They have scratching posts and multiple scratching pads that they do use a lot. Pretzel, on the other hand, has absolutely perfect nail etiquette. And so did Voltron only until lately!!
He has scratched up my boyfriend's brand new bedroom set (the mirror, the headboard, the frame, our drawers...) just from doing normal things like walking or stretching!!!, and we just ordered new couches that will be delivered in a week and after paying as much as we did I really want to make sure this won't remain a problem.
Is anyone familiar with Soft Paws? I've never had to use stuff like this before and this really is the only alternative because I'm pretty against declawing a cat, especially at his age.