You never know how the cat will respond to the environment, behaviorally speaking. If you provide scratching posts and etc. that might be enough, and there's always the possibility that the cat won't be a big scratcher, especially if you get a more mature cat. I suggest getting a foster cat and see how it goes.
― polyphonic, Wednesday, 9 October 2013 20:41 (ten years ago) link
I'm sure you can train it
It's a cat, you can't really. Some cats will learn that their human doesn't like this behaviour, some cats won't, some cats will learn but not care. Declawing is illegal here, and rightly so.
Not going to weigh in on the indoor/outdoor thing again, I've stated my position in other threads. Basically, be as good as you can be to your cats.
― emil.y, Wednesday, 9 October 2013 20:58 (ten years ago) link
so my other question, do those claw covers work?
― frogbs, Wednesday, 9 October 2013 21:00 (ten years ago) link
Our cats don't claw our leather couch to sharpen, but they do scratch it just by jumping on it. Animals be animals, they scratch, they puke, they break stuff.
― Jaq, Wednesday, 9 October 2013 21:00 (ten years ago) link
do those claw covers work?
Not in my experience, but I also wasn't diligent with the nail-trimming every other day routine either.
― Jaq, Wednesday, 9 October 2013 21:01 (ten years ago) link
the possibility that the cat won't be a big scratcher, especially if you get a more mature cat
I just got a 9 year old, and I caught her scratching the arm of a chair once, told her no, and she hasn't done it since. I realize some cats scratch and some don't, but older cats seem far less interested in doing it.
― Johnny Fever, Wednesday, 9 October 2013 21:20 (ten years ago) link
cats hate citrus smells so maybe mix some grapefruit oil and water in a spray bottle and mist the corners of the couch? those catnip scratchers are also really great.
― clouds, Wednesday, 9 October 2013 21:24 (ten years ago) link
Aluminum foil also works, I've heard.
― Johnny Fever, Wednesday, 9 October 2013 21:25 (ten years ago) link
my parents' cat, who they got at age 12 or so, occasionally scratches specific bits of furniture -- usually one armchair that had already been scratched up by a past cat, sometimes the carpet. I sometimes wonder whether it'd be worth getting her a scratching post to use instead but she seems a little too old for new habits.
leather doesn't seem like it'd be very satisfying to scratch tbh.
― He is "The Developer" and the children view him with a deep susp (c sharp major), Wednesday, 9 October 2013 22:14 (ten years ago) link
frogbs you should get this cat:
http://25.media.tumblr.com/1de0f67a621b9127e7c1c7065722a0e7/tumblr_mke0j4tPB61qfhg93o1_250.gif
― polyphonic, Wednesday, 9 October 2013 22:15 (ten years ago) link
Aluminum foil is hi-LAR-ious. My roomie's cats would jump on the sheets of foil I'd put on the couch and do something like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pv8ARvJzCYU
― kate78, Thursday, 10 October 2013 03:39 (ten years ago) link
fwiw we have 3 cats and leather sofas and they do not scratch them at all. Just doesn't seem to be good scratching material for them. They scratch the hell out of other stuff tho. Our bed is one of those solid base ones with some kind of fabric all around the bottom and that has been shredded.
― Just noise and screaming and no musical value at all. (Colonel Poo), Thursday, 10 October 2013 06:24 (ten years ago) link
We taught Cosmo and Bob to use a scratching post when they were kittens; every time it looked as if they wanted to scratch we picked them up and carried them to the scratching pillar, and rubbed their front paws on it. They learn pretty soon, and are really good now, so our furniture is pretty fine. Not unscathed - there are some pulls on the sofa and chair but they're accidents resulting from sketching out and flexing paws.
― they all are afflicted with a sickness of existence (Scik Mouthy), Thursday, 10 October 2013 07:00 (ten years ago) link
Sometimes Bob shouts at you until you pick him up and stroke him. This isn't normal, is it?
― they all are afflicted with a sickness of existence (Scik Mouthy), Thursday, 10 October 2013 07:03 (ten years ago) link
what is that cat in the gif, he's amazing
― r|t|c, Thursday, 10 October 2013 07:06 (ten years ago) link
my parents bought my girlfriend and I a large leather-lined mirror as a housewarming gift and within 10 minutes of unpacking it our cat had climbed on top of it and started ripping the top apart. I cannot deny a cat an experience that awesome.
― Matt Armstrong, Thursday, 10 October 2013 07:06 (ten years ago) link
Max spent his first six months outside under a house, and now he lives inside with me. My face got a scar the day we drove him home from my friends driveway. My carpet got destroyed when he wanted in my room when I was sleeping. The couch will be replaced or re-something-holstered. He got a bladder infection, and the carpet by the litter closet is now tile.
We got him a kitten (Kali) early on, and she tamed him in a way we never could have. Teased him and bathed him and put him in his place.
I'll never regret the damage or the expense because we missed Chloe and Milo so much after all those years of faithful service.
Max and Kali will be allowed outdoors eventually, starting with supervised time on the patio, followed by supervised strolls and lay-downs in the courtyard (just like Milo and Chloe). As soon as they and I aren't too scared of sudden startles.
― Zachary Taylor, Thursday, 10 October 2013 07:22 (ten years ago) link
Lots of folks let their indoor cars roam freely on my residential blockI approve in that I get one frequent visitor to our backyard who is friendly and let's my kids pet him
― velko, Thursday, 10 October 2013 07:33 (ten years ago) link
If I fell into $3K worth of fancy furniture I'd immediately craigslist it for $1K worth of shitty furniture and a cat.
― how's life, Thursday, 10 October 2013 12:37 (ten years ago) link
^^^^
wish I could get my wife onboard with that!
― frogbs, Thursday, 10 October 2013 12:39 (ten years ago) link
Oh word. I'm sorry frogs.
― how's life, Thursday, 10 October 2013 13:07 (ten years ago) link
Colonel Meow
― Johnny Fever, Thursday, 10 October 2013 15:13 (ten years ago) link
cats hate citrus smells so maybe mix some grapefruit oil and water in a spray bottle and mist the corners of the couch? those catnip scratchers are also really great.― clouds, Wednesday, October 9, 2013 2:24 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post PermalinkAluminum foil also works, I've heard.― Johnny Fever, Wednesday, October 9, 2013 2:25 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― clouds, Wednesday, October 9, 2013 2:24 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― Johnny Fever, Wednesday, October 9, 2013 2:25 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
The citrus defense is what I was going to recommend. My ex roomie heard aluminum foil works, too, but my cat was only put off for a couple days then tore through that shit. Added bonus fun of explaining why you have foil in random places of your home to guests.
― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Thursday, 10 October 2013 16:44 (ten years ago) link
you can buy tape that you put on your furniture ('sticky paws' or something) and that keeps em at bay while you keep this weird tape on your couch, but in my experience, they just start scratching it again when you take it off. I've given up tbh.
― original bgm, Thursday, 10 October 2013 16:54 (ten years ago) link
thred revive tl;dr but try poking around your local ASPCA/Shelter for cats that have been declawed by a previous owner -- downside it is not a kitted, it has already been declawed (eg mutilated). upside -- giving what is surely an older cat a second life/good home.
When I went to get my cat I knew I wanted an older cat bc birth-death cat ownership was something I didn't think I was ready for and potentially getting one that had been declawed would have been a bonus.
Outcome: older non-declawed cat that is not a "clawer" so to speak. She gets off on cardboard scratching posts. ymmv
― The Dance Twerking Was MADE So (Jimmy The Mod Awaits The Return Of His Beloved), Thursday, 10 October 2013 17:00 (ten years ago) link
not a kitted = not a kitten
Kittens are overrated. Older cats are rad.
― Johnny Fever, Thursday, 10 October 2013 17:02 (ten years ago) link
Years of experience have inured me to the inevitablity of feline domestic destruction but also taught me that the most liberal sprinkling of cat scratch devices lessens the impact somewhat. Once cats become used to scratching somewhere, they'll continue so new furniture needs to be policed pretty strictly for awhile after it's bought.
― The normative power of the factual (Michael White), Thursday, 10 October 2013 17:03 (ten years ago) link
also dose said scratching devises w catnip often @ first, or as often as you like, depending on how funny the outcome is
― The Dance Twerking Was MADE So (Jimmy The Mod Awaits The Return Of His Beloved), Thursday, 10 October 2013 17:05 (ten years ago) link
― Johnny Fever, Thursday, October 10, 2013 6:02 PM (5 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
Kittens are not overrated, Albert will have you know.
On the other hand, older cats are totally rad AS WELL.
― emil.y, Thursday, 10 October 2013 17:09 (ten years ago) link
This is a good point. Our cat is declawed, but he was that way when we adopted him. It was not a factor in our adoption (he was at the end of his stay at the shelter).
― how's life, Thursday, 10 October 2013 17:13 (ten years ago) link
in london everybody lets their cats out. do brooklyn cats just get lost more easily or what?
― TracerHandVEVO (Tracer Hand), Thursday, 10 October 2013 17:14 (ten years ago) link
little buggy wumpums is basically a glorified baby
― The Dance Twerking Was MADE So (Jimmy The Mod Awaits The Return Of His Beloved), Thursday, 10 October 2013 17:16 (ten years ago) link
also there is a lot of shit on the street and a lot of places to hide? like, if I was a cat I would totally leave for days at a time and kill rats n shit
― The Dance Twerking Was MADE So (Jimmy The Mod Awaits The Return Of His Beloved), Thursday, 10 October 2013 17:17 (ten years ago) link
Re leather furniture, even if they don't enjoy scratching it on purpose, they'll poke holes in it every time they jump up on an arm or the back of the couch and use their claws to hold on. It's doomed. My parents' cats did srs damage to the only leather armchair we ever owned.
― Tottenham Heelspur (in orbit), Thursday, 10 October 2013 17:26 (ten years ago) link
yep I was thinking the same, I may just get one that's declawed already
― frogbs, Thursday, 10 October 2013 18:36 (ten years ago) link
pets ruin everything
― Nhex, Thursday, 10 October 2013 18:45 (ten years ago) link
It's been just under a month, but my cat has been trouble free (except for barfing on the rug in my bedroom once). But who's to say I would never have barfed there myself had I not gotten a cat?
― Johnny Fever, Thursday, 10 October 2013 18:48 (ten years ago) link
"I want a mutilated cat but I don't want to mutilate it myself" is sort of a weird way of approaching it imo
― polyphonic, Thursday, 10 October 2013 19:04 (ten years ago) link
I agree that it's a weird approach. But cats are out there, at shelters. Gonna die. Thousands every day. It is likely that frogs can find one that is already declawed.
― how's life, Thursday, 10 October 2013 19:22 (ten years ago) link
maybe you disagree but I think living in a house declawed is probably better than having your claws but being at a shelter where you may remain unwanted until you die. I agree it's kind of a weird rationalization but those are the parameters I'm working with!
― frogbs, Thursday, 10 October 2013 19:43 (ten years ago) link
Fair enough!
― polyphonic, Thursday, 10 October 2013 19:45 (ten years ago) link
y that's basically my point xp
― The Dance Twerking Was MADE So (Jimmy The Mod Awaits The Return Of His Beloved), Thursday, 10 October 2013 20:53 (ten years ago) link
We got two 7-ish month old cats a few months ago, we had to keep them in for a long time as one of them was too poorly to be neutered. We live in a house with large windows on to a front and back garden, we were in and out all the time during the summer, it was a pain to keep shutting the doors and the cats were desperate to get out and spent most of their time staring out of the window. When they finally got outside they were much happier, the poorly one in particular perked up and started walking round with her tail in the air which she'd never done before. Then yesterday, barely two months after we'd let them out, we found out one of them had been hit and killed by a car. In short, my answer to the contentious issue of indoor or outdoor cats is, neither. Just don't have cats.
― behold the thump (ledge), Thursday, 12 October 2023 08:06 (seven months ago) link
:( I’m sorry to hear, I’ve been there and it’s the worst
― H.P, Thursday, 12 October 2023 08:15 (seven months ago) link
Aw man, that’s horrible. I’m sorry that had to happen to you.
― Glower, Disruption & Pies (kingfish), Thursday, 12 October 2023 14:34 (seven months ago) link
Aw, sorry to hear that ledge. That's awful.
We desperately try to keep our very indoor (she'd make a terrible outdoor one) cat stay that way, but this is one of the two times of year (like April) where she just makes it damn near impossible, daring out of nowhere whenever a door is opened and absolutely HOWLING at the door when she's blocked.
― Maxmillion D. Boosted (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Thursday, 12 October 2023 14:38 (seven months ago) link
So sorry to hear that. One of our old cats was the type to wait by the door to try to dash out. He escaped on multiple occasions and sometimes came back injured.
Of our current 3, we have one who occasionally takes advantage of a carelessly opened window, etc. to go on overnight adventures. She has always returned within 24 hours, but it's still scary.
One of the others never tries to go out on her own, but will sit patiently meowing by the door. She has responded pretty well to a harness, so now she gets occasional walks around the yard.
https://i.imgur.com/IWsKC70.jpg
I'd like to create some sort of catio, so the cats can all get some fresh air and come and go as they please.
― peace, man, Thursday, 12 October 2023 15:25 (seven months ago) link
Aw cuet!
Thanks all. I thought our girls - 4 & 7 - would be absolutely distraught and there were plenty of tears of course but they've both bounced back pretty well. When I suggested an early bedtime yesterday because of it the older one said "I've forgotten about it already, stop reminding me!"
― behold the thump (ledge), Thursday, 12 October 2023 15:47 (seven months ago) link
hearing thread title to the tune of "New York Minute"
― real warm grandpa (Neanderthal), Thursday, 12 October 2023 15:51 (seven months ago) link