Letters to the Editor
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Cats rule! And declawing
It's often necessary to keep a cat indoors to keep them safe, but many indoor cats are bored and frustrated, which can cause or contribute to stress and behavior problems. You may want to check out the Indoor Cat Initiative: http://www.vet.ohio-state.edu/indoorcat.htm
Also, it's incorrect to say that declawing causes behavior problems. There is no evidence for this. However, declawing done incorrectly, or without adequate analgesia, may contribute to chronic pain syndromes. Chronic pain can certainly make both humans and cats grouchy.
Most cats can be trained to scratch in acceptable areas, but for those who can't, the alternative to declawing is often giving up the cat. Given the overload of cats in shelters, this is not a desirable situation. If you must declaw a cat, remember 2 things: First, laser declawing causes less acute pain than other techniques, so get it done this way if possible. Second, declawing by any method is painful. The cat MUST be provided aggressive analgesia. Talk to your vet about this, and ensure you go home after the declawing with several days' worth of pain medications.
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My cat likes to bite (hard)
...when being pet. And not in an "ouch, I don't like the way you're touching me" kind of way; but in an "Oh yeah! Baby likes it rough!" kind of way.
Anybody care to cure that?
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Cats are trainable
It's a misconception that cats can't be trained. I'd also disagree with the statement in this article that techniques that work on dogs won't work on cats; to some degree, they're the same. Positive reinforcement, often with treats; ignoring negative behavior; having a calm, assertive attitude when disciplining.
My cat's trained to do a lot of things... some things I didn't even intend to teach him. He doesn't get up on tables, he waits patiently and silently for me to wake up and to feed him. He comes when called.
He's was violent biter, also, but has gotten much better. I've gotten better at noticing the warning signs so I can head them off. If he starts to try to bite me, I throw a toy for him to attack instead. And if he does bite me, I instantly and calmly say "No," pick him up and shut him into another room for 10 minutes or so. As I understand it, the reason this works is that it gives the cat time to calm down and return to his normal state. Also, over time, it breaks the routine habit of that behavior... the less he does it, the less he remembers doing it and is likely to repeat it.
Body language is also important, particularly since my cat likes to lie in doorways and would bite ankles as they stepped over him. If I move shiftily in anticipation of being bitten, he reads that as play or prey behavior and it encourages biting. If I walk firmly and confidently, no response.
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Let someone else train the biter
I adopted a kitten who was taken from his mother too early. I knew this because he sucked on my face at night. He was also a tiny terror. Everyone I knew, including my shrink, told me to get him a kitten companion, so he could bite the other kitten and not me. I reluctantly took in another kitten. Interestingly enough, the kitten did, indeed teach the other one about holding back on biting. They drag race with each other and entertain each other. It required minimal effort on my part.
However, I have to say that the plan for letting the cat think he's a successful predator has been mentioned in articles here and there and it certainly looks like it works.
I'd like to add that felis sylvestris cattus is not a solitary animal in the wild. First of all, the species is no longer "wild", but there are members of the species who are feral. Ferals can, and do, live in colonies.
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Curlyman, declawing is mutilation.
There is no "correct" way to declaw a cat, as declawing is by its very nature mutilation of a cat's toes. You are also incorrect that declawing does not create behavioral problems. Aside from depriving a cat of one of the integral parts of its body and being -- its claws -- a declawed cat wil be more prone to bite because that is its only means of defense.
No reputable veterinarian will declaw a cat, and its about time that this disgusting practice be banned nationwide, instead of on a piecemeal basis in more enlightened locales.
Here is one website where people can learn about cruelty of declawing. Caution: it contains disturbing images. http://community-2.webtv.net/@HH!1A!DD!A59F343A0263/zuzu22/STOPDECLAWCOM/
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Those with two cats will appreciate this
http://www.theonion.com/content/news/kitchen_floor_conflict_intensifies
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More on declawing...
If you do choose to declaw, less painful surgeries are good, but you MUST know that your cat will never go outside. Choosing to declaw means choosing to have an indoor-only cat (forever).
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@ DurianJoe
I’ve introduced new cats too and while it’s rewarding it’s not for the faint of heart (mostly I’ve introduced kittens to older cats). At the beginning it’s a bit like Wild Kingdom with the spitting, the hissing, the puffed coat, the racing around the house and the hiding under the bed. If you don’t know a bit about cats it’s easy to get really freaked out by that sort of thing. I just didn’t want to give the impression that introducing two strange cats of various ages is a magic fix to an existing problem cat. Really it’s best for a new cat owner to start out with two cats/kittens they know get along.
And de-clawing. Yikes. That is a hot debate topic. In my admittedly limited experience de-clawed cats have biting and social problems. The also can’t run (no traction) or climb – but most importantly scratching is cat behavior. It’s how they stretch and spread their scent and get their cat on. And as others have pointed out you can train a cat not to scratch your furniture – I’ve done it with all of mine without exception – and that’s a much nicer solution then cutting the tops of their fingertips off.