Jayna78
02-25-2005, 02:12 PM
Hi everyone - I haven't been on here much in the last couple of days, sorry about that...
Anyway, I posted some of this in Cat Behavior, and I wondered if any of you who hadn't seen this had any advice for the couple of questions I have:
What would you guys recommend for my mom's new cat - here's the situation: she is the 2nd of their two cats - about 1 year and 5 months old - she came to live with them in Dec 2004. She is just now getting settled with her kitty brother and relaxing in her new home. My mom is starting to really appreciate the fact that she jumps on the couch and sits on her lap and my dad's lap - their other cat isn't much of a lap kitty. However, when she sits down, she really digs her claws in - not intentionally, but her claws seem to be extra long and sharp - even after a claw trim, which they try to do regularly, like my husband and I do with ours. I don't think soft claws is much of an option, b/c she still doesn't like to be picked up - just petted a lot and will sit with you. She really spazzes when someone picks her up even after over 2 months of being with them - they're having to give her meds for her eye (herpes?!?) and her respiratory infection right now which is really hard b/c she squirms so much. What is a good option for her claws? Mom & Dad don't want to declaw her - their other one isn't declawed (he's a polydactyl, in fact) - Mom's cat Missy was declawed (that was many years ago when it was always done) and got out one time and was viciously attacked by a dog with no defense mechanism (Mom still thinks Missy would've lived longer as a whole without that incident - she managed to live 5-10 years more after that, making it to 17) , was injured, and they regret it to this day.
Any suggestions for a cat who's trying to be sweet, but hurting my parents' laps at the same time?
Also, I have 4 cats, and while we trained Bailey to scratch posts when he was a baby, he still has one recliner he likes to scratch (mostly for attention). Leila came to us at 5 months and she is just nuts for sissal and cardboard scratching surfaces, so she's no problem. Leo came to us as a 1-2 year old boy, so it's been really tough with him - he's not much of a vertical scratching post guy - he likes the 2 cardboard things we have, but continues to scratch our recliner mostly, no matter what - sometimes our couch. Claudia mostly scratches what she's supposed to, but occasionally scratches furniture (like Bailey, for attention), and carpet a little, like Leila. Any suggestions for Leo & Bailey and the chair? We know we're going to have to reupholster it before too long - right now it's covered in sheets, but they still manage to scratch it a little. We've tried sticky paws (they scratch to the side of where we place them and they wear out quickly), the various sprays, etc. Nothing seems to deter them if they want to scratch badly enough (we have so many scratching posts & towers & cardboard scratchers and catnip spray, etc).
I'd appreciate advice on Mom's cat and my boy cats, if anyone knows of anything.
Anyway, I posted some of this in Cat Behavior, and I wondered if any of you who hadn't seen this had any advice for the couple of questions I have:
What would you guys recommend for my mom's new cat - here's the situation: she is the 2nd of their two cats - about 1 year and 5 months old - she came to live with them in Dec 2004. She is just now getting settled with her kitty brother and relaxing in her new home. My mom is starting to really appreciate the fact that she jumps on the couch and sits on her lap and my dad's lap - their other cat isn't much of a lap kitty. However, when she sits down, she really digs her claws in - not intentionally, but her claws seem to be extra long and sharp - even after a claw trim, which they try to do regularly, like my husband and I do with ours. I don't think soft claws is much of an option, b/c she still doesn't like to be picked up - just petted a lot and will sit with you. She really spazzes when someone picks her up even after over 2 months of being with them - they're having to give her meds for her eye (herpes?!?) and her respiratory infection right now which is really hard b/c she squirms so much. What is a good option for her claws? Mom & Dad don't want to declaw her - their other one isn't declawed (he's a polydactyl, in fact) - Mom's cat Missy was declawed (that was many years ago when it was always done) and got out one time and was viciously attacked by a dog with no defense mechanism (Mom still thinks Missy would've lived longer as a whole without that incident - she managed to live 5-10 years more after that, making it to 17) , was injured, and they regret it to this day.
Any suggestions for a cat who's trying to be sweet, but hurting my parents' laps at the same time?
Also, I have 4 cats, and while we trained Bailey to scratch posts when he was a baby, he still has one recliner he likes to scratch (mostly for attention). Leila came to us at 5 months and she is just nuts for sissal and cardboard scratching surfaces, so she's no problem. Leo came to us as a 1-2 year old boy, so it's been really tough with him - he's not much of a vertical scratching post guy - he likes the 2 cardboard things we have, but continues to scratch our recliner mostly, no matter what - sometimes our couch. Claudia mostly scratches what she's supposed to, but occasionally scratches furniture (like Bailey, for attention), and carpet a little, like Leila. Any suggestions for Leo & Bailey and the chair? We know we're going to have to reupholster it before too long - right now it's covered in sheets, but they still manage to scratch it a little. We've tried sticky paws (they scratch to the side of where we place them and they wear out quickly), the various sprays, etc. Nothing seems to deter them if they want to scratch badly enough (we have so many scratching posts & towers & cardboard scratchers and catnip spray, etc).
I'd appreciate advice on Mom's cat and my boy cats, if anyone knows of anything.