It is important to understand that it is natural for your cat to scratch on objects;  scratching is healthy and good for your cat.  When your cat scratches, she is grooming her nails as well as getting good stretching exercise.  In addition, a cat scratches to “mark” his/her territory – scratching leaves visual as well as olfactory cues (there are scent glands on cats’ feet) to say “this is my house!”.

But, as we all know, scratching can lead to destruction of furniture, carpets, and other household items, as well as people. 

1. Training your cat to use a scratching post is best done in kittenhood, but it can be accomplished at any age with persistence.

First, you need an appropriate object for your cat to scratch on:

    - You can purchase cat trees and cardboard scratchers

    - Posts should be sturdy

    - Some cats like horizontal “posts”

    - Made of carpet, sisal, cardboard, wood, leather – try different kinds

    - You can make your own – be creative!

Second, place the post in the proper area:

    - In prominent place (not in corner of room);  remember, one reason cats scratch is to mark their territory

    - In front of sofa corners or next to dining room table, for example

    - You may need multiple posts, especially in a multi-cat household

Third, train and reward you cat:

    - Put your cat’s paws on the post and go through the scratching motion

    - Reward your cat with a treat

    - Repeat a few times each day until your cat gets the point

To keep your cat away from undesirable or previously scratched places:

    - Place new post in front of it

    - Place undesirable material over object – plastic, tin foil, double-sided tape

    - Use object to repel cat (balloons, ScatMat^tm)

    - Feliway^tm, a pheromone spray applied to furniture to discourage marking

To prevent scratching of people:

    - Do not play with a kitten with your hands – use cat toys instead

    - Stop play period if kitten gets too rough

    - Keep nails trimmed!

2. Soft Paws^tm are soft plastic caps that are applied over your cats nails with glue.  These greatly lessen the damage to your furniture and you.  Soft paws have to be re-applied every 6-8 weeks.  We can apply these to your cat or you can purchase the product and apply them yourself.

3. Declawing is the surgical removal of a cat’s claws  Usually only the front claws are removed.  A surgical instrument is used to sever the ligament between the last two bones of the toe and the last bone is then removed.  The nail grows from the last bone of the toe.

At Cat Care Clinic we use a surgical laser for declawing all cats.  Using a laser for declawing greatly reduces pain and bleeding.  This is especially important for older and larger cats.

Although general anesthesia is required, declawing is a relatively safe procedure.  Complications are rare and include hemorrhage, infection, lameness, and regrowth of nail.

Kittens under six months of age typically recover in 1 week or less.  Older cats may require more analgesic medication and may have a longer recovery period.  For this reason, we recommend declawing under six months if you are at all considering the procedure.  Do not wait until your cat is 2 years old and it becomes a problem.

Contrary to popular belief, cats are not defenseless when declawed.  Their teeth and back claws are very powerful weapons.  Declawed cats can even climb trees!  However, for your cat’s safety, you should still keep him or her inside.

4. In Tendonectomy surgery, the tendon that allows the nail to extend is severed.  The claw is not removed, but the cat cannot extend the claw and get good traction.  Your cat may still be able to do a little damage.  Most importantly, after a tendonectomy your cat will require life-long regular nail-trimming.

At Cat Care Clinic, Buddy is declawed – he came that way as a rescue cat from ARNI.  But he still uses his cat tree in the lobby every morning.  BooBoo is not declawed (by our choice) and he uses his two scratching posts like a champ.  Please feel free to ask to see Buddy and BooBoo’s scratching posts.