Ok, so you finally pulled the trigger on that new sofa or chair. It’s beautiful, comfy, and totally makes your room sparkle like new. Until….
Cats. I really love cats. I’ve had them my whole life, along with all the other typical, furry, scaly, hard-shelled, and feathered friends. My Boo is one of my mental support system. But I get it. Cat’s gonna do what cat’s gonna do. Your first thought might turn directly to declawing. You think, “That’s easy and painless. Fluffy will go under for a little while and come out of it with a little nail trim.” Nothing is further from the truth.
The Problem with Declawing
According to The Humane Society, it’s far worse than that and little Trixie is more likely to have behavioral problems to boot. Declawing traditionally involves the amputation of the last bone of each toe. If performed on a human being, it would be like cutting off each finger at the last knuckle. And because the claws are a cats defense mechanism, they are more likely to revert to biting. They are also prone to not using the littler box (because of the pain of using it after surgery) and declawing changes the way their feet meet the ground. So, you know how you feel when you walk around all day in uncomfortable shoes? Imagine that for the rest of your life. Just not a good deterrent.
Natural Remedy to Stop the Clawing
Cats scratch for a few reasons. Cats scratch to shed the outer layers of their claws, to mark their scent, to get attention, and to stretch and condition the muscles in their paws. It’s an extremely natural habit but you can deter them away from unwanted scratching places.
First, make sure they have an acceptable place to scratch. A scratching post, a piece of unwanted carpet, or even a designated piece of furniture that they can call their own. (I have a cheap ottoman that I picked up at Target)
Second, make sure their claws are trimmed regularly. You can read the proper way to trim kitty’s nails and avoid hitting any major blood vessels here.
Third, play, play, play. Cat’s will try to get your attention by scratching. So run him around.
Fourth, stop them from going for the gold–Meaning your prized pieces of fine sitteries–They keep going where they have already left their scent. So get rid of their smell and make it unpleasant for them to go back.
Recipe
Empty glass spray bottles. DO NOT USE PLASTIC (buy empty glass spray bottles on Amazon (affiliate link))
(My favorite essential oils)
With these few changes, you can keep Tiger and your sanity. Good luck!
