Take the cat to Chinatown for your own version of Scared Straight

I find it very easy to cut cats' nails with these, they do an easy clean cut.

I couldn't find the exact brand of scratching post we bought but here is one that looks great:

http://www.purrfectpost.com/

Thanks for all of the great advice. We're going to give a lot of the ideas a shot - minus the declawing. My husband bought the nail cap thingys. We also bought a cat tree, but I think it's too small for my kitty. He likes a nice big surface where he can go to town. Never thought of just hanging a big piece of carpet on the wall, but I am definitely going to try that. My cat loves to scratch on the doormat in our hallway. Maybe I'll get him one for Christmas.

Thanks again!

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Like Nana said they last until the cat sheds it's nails. The people who make Soft Paws recommend cutting them off if they don't come off by themselves after a couple weeks.

As far as putting them on I think it really depends on the cat. One of my cats just kinda goes limp in an act of non-violent protest. She sits there and takes it and then she's done in a few minutes. My other cat fight like hell, especially when you do her hind feet. It's definitely a two person job and takes patience and breaks between trimming nails and putting the soft paws on.

Give it a try, worst that can happen is you don't get them on and you're only out a few bucks. You can buy nail caps at pet stores like petco or pet smart. Not soft paws brand name, but they are pretty much the same thing (just not in all the awesome colors)

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"Declawing is not like a manicure. It is serious surgery. Your cat's claw is not a toenail. It is actually closely adhered to the bone. So closely adhered that to remove the claw, the last bone of your the cat's claw has to be removed. Declawing is actually an amputation of the last joint of your cat's "toes". When you envision that, it becomes clear why declawing is not a humane act. It is a painful surgery, with a painful recovery period. And remember that during the time of recuperation from the surgery your cat would still have to use its feet to walk, jump, and scratch in its litter box regardless of the pain it is experiencing. Wheelchairs and bedpans are not an option for a cat."

http://www.declawing.com/

Keep in mind that if you need to, you can hang carpet right onto a wall, or make your own larger than average scratching post. Just have this post/board securely anchored for optimum kitty clawing and stretching.



Be sure to keep the nails clipped and if all else fails you can even try a little Feliway spray once a day -- it ensures less marking behavior and reduces some cats' stress.

Read some reviews here.

Cats scratch to leave their scent, to stretch and to express contentment. If they can't scratch something, they might begin to spray (to leave their scent and express their unhappiness).

The problem with most cat trees is they are too short for most adult cats to get a good stretch. We finally found two that are tall enough and put them at the edge of their "territory" and near the couch. It helped immensely. I can't remember the brand of cat tree (I ordered them online) but if you want, I can find the info for you.

I have used Soft Paws and they are great. You order them online: www.softpaws.com. Putting them on isn't too hard. A little glue (provided with the claws) in the cap and insert over the nail. They fall off when your cat sheds the nail. You then need to put a new cap over the new nail.

How about getting the cat declawed - problemo solved!!

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I got the same thing. That cats love that thing. They find something special about the shape. My wife sprays it with catnip spray, which makes them move it even more.

We bought THESE and placed it by the couch where our cat would start scratching. Never bothered with the couch again.

Azul, how hard is it to get the Soft Paws on the nails? My cats are pretty squirmy when I cut their nails. How long do they last?

Order one of these right away or better yet find a store that stocks them. Maybe one of the big chains.

http://www.google.com/products/catalo ... weH8tWTDA&ved=0CG0Q8wIwAA

Sprinkle it with catnip and place it in front of the area of the sofa he is scratching. I like Robin's suggestions too about the card board scratching trays. And yes, keep his nails trimmed short. If he is treat motivated tell him what a good boy he is every time he uses the scratching post or card board, then give him a treat. My cats hate citrus. I used a citrusy smelling body spray on the off limits areas too.


Good Luck :)

I've got two options for you.

1. Take some masking tape and fold it over into a loop. stick the loop in the areas where kitty likes to scratch. It's not the most attractive solution but kitties usually don't like the sticky feeling on their feet. Replace tape as it becomes less sticky.

2. This is what we do to prevent two cats from scratching. Soft Paws are nail caps that you glue onto kitties nails. It doesn't bother them, or prevent them from doing all the normal things they would do, just stops the nails from ripping up things. Doesn't hurt your kitty if they pull them off and swallow them, trust me I have seen them come out the other end in the littler box. Plus they come in colors so it looks like your kitty got a manicure.

Soft Paws are a little more more than the tape options because you need to trim the nails first then glue all the caps on but it works.

I had the same problem. We put a throw blanket on the side over the area he liked to scratch and that seemed to stop him. We also brought two of these and also kept his nails trimmed.

I just bought a new sofa, and my cat thinks it;s his new scratching post. Any advice about how to prevent him from destroying it? He's ruined other furniture before, and I don't want it to happen again. We've tried the sprays and aluminum foil, but it doesn't work for him. We've bought him scratching posts for him in the past, but he doesn't like them. I'm considering getting him one of those big cat trees. The suggestions of any cat owners out there would be appreciated. Right now, my sofa is covered with blankets.
And please, no mean cat jokes. He's a sweet boy, but he's still got a little bit of the wild cat in him.