However, you should remember this post about the monster climbing kitty? And if you also noticed in that post I talked about how this week he was scheduled to undergo a declaw procedure...I know. I know.
However, after thinking and thinking about this and the bottom line is that he doesn't scratch anything on purpose..he rarely brings his claws out at all actually, but he likes to climb those 2 damn end bed posts (he doesn't even go near the ones at the headboard).
And when he climbs them obviously he is going to use his claws to help himself up. Duh.
So a friend of mine mentioned sometime last week about wrapping them (the bedposts NOT the kitty OR his feetsies!) in Saran Wrap which basically I tossed off (the aluminum foil thing didnt work on another issue I was having; no longer an issue btw) having made up my mind that the declaw was happening.
That is until Sunday. I was making my list for the grocery store and for whatever reason I thought...well what can it hurt to try? $2.00 for Saran Wrap and if it works, Nugget keeps his claws and I keep $300.
Duh. WINNING!
So I buy the wrap, come home and proceed to wrap the posts up good and tight. At first I didnt think it would work. He picked at it and tried to eat the plastic, then got bored with that and sauntered off.
And wouldn't you know it ALL day on Sunday he laid around like a fat lazy cat and never once tried to climb the damn thing! Until Monday morning. The mornings are his hyper time.
Well he tried it a few times and proceeded to jump right back off of it. Mostly because I would yell at him, but also because as my friend stated 'they dont like the feeling of the wrap on them'. I knew that the real test was going to be while I was away at work and into the wee early morning hours when he does shit to make me wake up :O)
I came home from work yesterday afternoon, went straight to the bedroom and wouldn't you know it? The damn Saran Wrap hadn't been touched that I could tell!!! Its working!
He did try a couple of times to do it again, as I heard him from the living room, but then he would immediately come running into the living room. So I called the animal hospital and at least for the time being, have cancelled the procedure.
The minute he starts being destructive or agressive, then he'll go.
All I know is I'm happy, he's happy and the people that were very against me doing this to begin with are happy.
Have you an animal thats ever been destructive? What behavior modification(s) did you try? Were you successful? Are you against declawing, neutering, spaying? Or are you of the belief that some things are just necessary and given the proper thought process of the owner, the owner will make the right decision?
4 comments:
I'm glad you are waiting on the declawing. While I don't pass judgement on those who do choose to declaw it's not my personal choice. I've seen times when my cats have needed their claws for defense (of course, I have dogs.) Usually once they get past that cute kitten stage it seems to get better (for the clawing at least).
It was only going to be the front ones. They use back claws for defense, and yeah I have no other animals and he doesnt go outside.
I've never had a cat or a dog so I've never really thought about it. I'd probably avoid it if I could -- so glad the saran wrap worked!
We had some next door neighbors growing up that had their beagle "de-barked." He would still bark, but it came out all hoarse. It was SO, SO sad.
My young cat has wrecked my dining room chairs, and at this point I've just given up. I did everything experts tell you to do...double-sided tape, good scratching post near the objects of "affection", even tried SoftPaws (which she pulled off). I've even put a Feliway diffuser in the room near the chairs. Nothing.
The good news is that she hasn't harmed anything else in the house. The bad news? My dining room chairs look awful. If there was ever an argument for front declawing (she is a house cat only!), she is it.
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