Try showing your boyfriend's mother this link:
http://community-2.webtv.net/stopdeclaw/declawpics/

If she still insists that you declaw your cat I would seriously consider
moving out and getting another boyfriend since, in that case, you might want
to think about the way he may have turned out being reared by this woman.

Hugs,

CatNipped

Tell your boyfriend's mother that declawing is mutilation--the
hacking off of the last joint of the cat's paws. Tell her that many
of these cats wind up eliminating outside their boxes and becoming
biters. (Trust me--I did it to my cat many years ago not knowing
what it was.) First thing: get SoftPaws applied at the vet--that
will nip complaints in the bud. Then you can start training
your kitty.

All they need is somthing they like to scratch
better than the furniture. As soon as I got my cats the Alpine
Scratcher (on an in cline, a cardboard box with catnip
inside and a rough surface) and another flat one called
the Smarty Cat Suoerscratcher Plus they stopped
scratching the furniture. (You can get these at Petsmart,
Walmart, even Kroger for 10-15 bucks.) Another thing--
you can get a cat tree to put in your room.  Bless you for
adopting this cat, andI hope once your boyfriend's mother
sees that you are training her she will allow you to keep her.

In return for this excellent advice <g> how about some
photos?

Buy a cattree or two. Get a couple of alpine scratchers. Get your own place.

your Vet can install little plastic "jackets" on each claw that will render
then innocuous. You are absolutely right not to declaw the cat. Your
boyfriend's mother is a witch.

www.mimiforsyth.com

As others have already said try putting "soft paws" on the cat. this will
stop the claws from catching in the fabric of the furniture.
http://www.softpaws.com/ You can get these applied at the vet or a groomer.
You could also try doing it yourself it you think you can get the cat to
cooperate (I wouldn't suggest this right off but you seem to have the cat's
cooperation in clipping the claws so ......)

Then get something the cat can scratch on. Does this cat seem to prefer
horizontal or vertical scratching surfaces. They sell a variety of
horizontal scratchers at pet stores and they aren't terribly expensive.  If
you get a cat tree or scratching post make sure it is heavy and substantial
enough that the cat can't knock it over and tall enough for the cat to get a
good stretch or the cat won't use it. They have them wrapped in rope and
carpet. This gives the cat a choice of texture.  A cat tree is good if the
bfs parents will permit something like that or if you can put it in your
room. Spray it with catnip spray and feed the kitty treats on the cat tree.
You want as many good associations with the cat tree as possible so the
kitty will like being there. It might be a good idea to put the tree/post
near where the cat is currently scratching as he/she might prefer that
location. Once the cat is using it you can gradually try moving it to
another location if necessary.

You might also try double backed sticky tape on the furniture until the cat
can be switched to something more acceptable. There are also sprays that are
supposed to discourage the cat from scratching but I can't say from personal
experience whether they work or not. You could also try a feliway diffuser.
It plugs into an outlet and doesn't have much of a smell if any.
http://www.feliway.com/ If you decide to try it they have pretty good prices
here: http://www.biovets.com/

Good Luck with the new kitty.

W

Well there's always the plastic nail caps called SoftPaws.  What kind of
scratching post does the cat have?  Some cats like to scratch vertically while
others horizontally.  You need a tall enough post too so the cat can stretch
out fully.  But most important, you need to implement proper training.  I'm
glad to hear you're against declawing.  It's a horrible and cruel thing to do
to a loving pet.

Lauren
________
See my cats:  http://community.webshots.com/album/56955940rWhxAe
Raw Diet Info: http://www.holisticat.com/drjletter.html
http://www.geocities.com/rawfeeders/ForCatsOnly.html
Declawing Info: http://www.wholecatjournal.com/articles/claws.htm

These are all painless. Just fyi but cats do not automatically come trained to
scratch only what you want them to scratch. All cats must be trained or they
will naturally scratch the couch or any similar surface.

1. Hopefully he likes catnip. If so, rub it all over the scratching post. If he
still doesn't use it, take his little paws and scratch the post with them and
tell him he's a good kitty. Scratch the post yourself in front of him. Remember
to associate positive things with acceptable clawing and negative things with
unacceptable clawing like the word "no."

2. Try a scratching mat. Some prefer horizontal over vetical surfaces.

3. Try sisal, rug, cardboard, fabric... covered trees or mat. Some even like
plain wood. You can get cheap thin door mats and staple gun them to a cat tree.
Use canvas if he really likes fabric. Be sure the stapes go vertical like this
"|" and not horizontal like this "--" so they don't get their claws stuck in
there.

4. Put double sided tape where he likes to scratch. They won't like the
stickiness. They may then scratch a few inches over from the tape so be
prepared to add more. Keep no. 5 in mind when using the tape.

5. Don't let him in that room where he scratches when you're not around. When
you're around stand gaurd with a squirt gun and squirt him from a distance when
he scratches the furniture. If he's real persistent, put a little bit of
vinegar in the squirt gun. Don't get him in the face. You can also yell "NO!"
when he scratches there. I also like to take him away from that area instantly
and take him to the scratchy tree, hold his paws and help him scratch while
praising him. Make it a fun experience, don't hold him forcefully or he'll fear
the kitty tree. Make everything associated with the kitty tree positive. I
sometimes will put a scratchy tree close to the furniture they are clawing so
they have a nearby alternative.

6. Put vinegar where he scratches. They don't like the smell.

7. Try some of that "cat away" spray.

8. Try a "scat mat" where he is scratching.

9. Get rid of fabric furniture with vertical fabric sides. Get THICK baggy
distressed leather or wood sofa and chairs.

10. Try soft paws. http://www.softpaws.com/

11. Try trimming his claws every ten days. Some trim once a week.

12. Whenever you see him clawing appropriately, praise and reward him lavishly.
Continue to praise him forever or he may get lazy.

13. Try Feliway to calm them down, found in most pet stores.

14. Make sure your cat tree is tall and heavy enough. Big kitties will topple a
small light one with a small base then they may fear the tree. I put weights on
the bottom of mine. I get the big ones. I also have a multi-tier cat tree they
like to rip up.

15. Try this product, a cat tree that attaches to the side of your couch.
http://www.birminghamind.com/Scratchaway/index.html

16. Try some "no mark" spray. It may keep them from spraying and/or scratching.

17. Put upside down floor runners pointy side up near where he is scratching.
This way he won't be able to stand close enough to scratch because it will be
uncomfortable on his feet.

18. Try an angled scratchy post or a scratchy teepee. Some prefer clawing at an
angle.

laurie918@hotmail.com  (lue)
writes

furniture.  I

declawed.

It's very difficult, being that you're living in someone else's
house...however, hopefully, you can plead for more time to modify the cat's
behavior by explaining to your boyfriends' mother that declawing a cat involves
amputation. Declawing is a surgical procedure that involves amputation part of
the claw. It would be similar to amputating part of a finger  Most pet stores
sell some kind of repellent you can spray on furniture.

Trim the cat's claws.  It is very easy to do, especially if you have
another human around to hold kitty while you trim.  You only have to
do back claws once a month and fronts about every two weeks.  When
their claws are manicured, the cat can't do the kind of damage that
they can with sharp claws.

Theis is much easier then dealing with SoftPaws covers, IMHO, but
*anything* is better than declawing the cat.

dragon

This question comes up often enough that I put pretty much all the tips and
stuff I could find, along with reasons why declawing is so awful, up on my
site. Check it out. Maybe have the mother read it, too.
A lot of people don't know how bad this surgery can be.

Why it's bad:
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart/nodeclaw.html

How to train them:
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart/catBehavior_scratchesThings.html

Take care.

I've found two very useful products. The first are "Soft Paws" which are
small caps that you can glue over the nails to stop scratching damage.
They are completely painless for the cat to wear, look kinda neat, and
are easily obtainable (and easily searched on the internet). The second
product is a speacial tape sold in places like Petco, called "Sticky
Paws". You apply the tape to the areas where you don't want the cat to
scratch, and it acts as a detterent as everytime they go to scratch, it
sticks to their paws - which they don't like. Again, it's a very
effective, very humane training aid.

Good Luck!

Helen M

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