Training a cat is no walk in the park. I used to have a cat and couldn’t keep it from scratching all around. With a house full of wood furniture, the presence of a cat in the home exacerbated the problem. In the end, my family was left with no choice but to sell the cat to someone who was fonder of felines. That’s just a simple story and my experience with cats of uncontrollable scratching behavior.
In the same vein, many lovers of the domestic feline struggle with searching effective methods for taming their pets’ scratching habits. Among differing methods, the practice of declawing seems to gain more popularity among people who own cats. However, research has proven that declawing can have negative consequences on cats. Declawing not only removes claws, it also removes bones. During the procedure, anesthetics have to be used, often leading to complicated, and possibly deadly, repercussions. In the most severe cases, veterinarians suggest euthanasia to put cats to sleep if their behavior becomes too destructive and out-of-control.
People have started debating about whether or not we should render declawing illegal in Colorado. Even though the heat of the debate has shown no signs of dwindling, people are beginning to seek other more benign alternatives. Scientists confirm that scratching is a normal behavior of cats and can certainly be alleviated by some training and patience, which can be rewarding for cat owners. Unfortunately, declawing may still be necessary in cases when the cat’s behavior can’t be tamed and becomes troublesome for the owner. For example, when this behavior escalates into something that poses health issues for both cats and the owner, such as aggression, declawing can be considered after careful consideration.
Veterinarians at Colorado State University will go through thorough examination and careful consideration before they perform such a risky procedure.
Following suggestions from CSU veterinarian Dr. Rebecca Ruch-Gallie, OSU’s Indoor Pet Initiative provides care for cats and help families with cat problems. They educate people about cat behavior and needs and teach basics about cats and how to keep them healthy. With a little enlightenment on these feline features, cat owners can have a much more rejoicing experience with them.
Since cats use scratching to mark their territory and for stretching activity, it’s pertinent for the owner to have a scratching post to keep this behavior beneficial and fun for cats. Some cats can be very impetuous to humans’ behavior. Cats are creatures of habit and they strive to stay stable and unchanged. Even changing furnishing patterns around the house can cause discomfort to cats and cause them to behave abnormally. One cure for this can be increasing playtime with cats or creating a fun environment around them.
Other suggestions for acceptable scratching objects include cardboard boxes, tree logs, and anchored pieces of carpet. Cats also need to be constantly rewarded for this healthy manner.
It is also recommended that cats’ nails be trimmed regularly. Even though it is not an easy task for the owner, it can be worthwhile with the help of the veterinarian and a little persistence.
In cases where cats can’t be disciplined and are no longer compatible in the home, it’s recommended to give cats to the homeless cat shelter. When said cats are too unwieldy for even homeless shelters, it may be, unfortunately, necessary to euthanize the cat.
