Instead of delawing....soft paws?

[MB MinnieGirl]

One of our kitties is pushing my buttons. He has begun (and he is beyond full grown) clawing my furniture to the point of destroying the arm. I'm not a happy camper. He's now started on my chair and a hlaf! Grrrrrrrrrrr!!

Yes, I trim his claws, but it doesn't stop him from using the house as his scratching post. I found Soft Paws online...but I'm not convinced.

Has anyone ever used them before? What were your results? I can just invision him running for the door, clawing me in the process, and me with these things stuck to me in the process.

http://www.softpaws.com/

~~~Kelly

 

[Nickimouse]

Yes I have tried these with not so great results.
First of all, getting them on is a bit of work. One cat pulled them off with her teeth right away. The other had smaller nails and I used the same size for both. I think they were too big for him and set back on the nail too much. A few didn't fall off and I had them clipped off at the vet.
So I guess the correct size on a calm kitty may work.
I'll have to see if I can find a picture of him wearing them. They were Christmas colors and it looked pretty funny.

 

[Tina]

Any time my kitties take a liking to an area on my furniture, I slap a piece of Sticky Paws (double-sided transparent tape ) to the spot. They never go back. I also place something they CAN scratch nearby. My furniture looks like I don't own cats at all.

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

I hadn't had a cat since I was 10, and at the time my friend had her cat declawed. I remember that poor cat shaking her legs all the time with those bandages on them. When I recently adopted my kitty, the rescue people did not want me to declaw and they told me why. Declawing is actually removing the first knuckle on the paw! I was horrified when I learned this, so no way-no how would I ever declaw my cat.

Isn't there some kind of tape product you can put on the furniture that the cat doesn't like the feel of?

Yes, there is, I just found it. http://www.petfooddirect.com/produc...?zmam=90031077&zmas=13&zmac=74&zmap=304140801

Good luck!

ETA: PP posted about this product while I was looking for a picture! Great minds...

 

[Disneycrazy!!]

We used soft paws on our animals for years and LOVE them. The trick is finding a really good glue and the right size and making sure nails are clipped before applying. Ours always stayed on until we took our animals back for their next grooming apt, sometimes they might loose one or two but most of the time they stayed on. don't know if pic will show up, but she has on soft paws. not sure how to post pics

 

[MB MinnieGirl]

Yes I have tried these with not so great results.
First of all, getting them on is a bit of work. One cat pulled them off with her teeth right away. The other had smaller nails and I used the same size for both. I think they were too big for him and set back on the nail too much. A few didn't fall off and I had them clipped off at the vet.
So I guess the correct size on a calm kitty may work.
I'll have to see if I can find a picture of him wearing them. They were Christmas colors and it looked pretty funny.

That is exactly what I imagined! The last thing either of our kitties could be described as is calm.

And Tina....THANK YOU!!! I am going to go check PetSmart for this TODAY! I've always had cats and my home has never showed evidence of them....until now. This guy has been here for 2 years and suddenly thought the couch looked like fun.

I'm open to any and all suggestions in case this doesn't work for us. Thanks so much guys! I always know I can count on the Dis to help me out

~~~Kelly

 

[surfergirl602]

I am dealing with the same problem, but my cat is scratching up the molding around our door frames!! We rent! I have no idea what to do. He would never hold still long enough to get those on him, and tripping doesn't work. He has a condo thing that he loves, but just loves the wood more. I am at a loss at what to do. I hate the thought of declawing but this isn't my house and I don't want to pay for massive amounts of damage.

 

[surfergirl602]

I just checked out that sticky paws tape stuff. Does anyone know if you can use it on wood? This just might work.

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

I just checked out that sticky paws tape stuff. Does anyone know if you can use it on wood? This just might work.

I found this on the site that I linked in my post:

"Not recommended for use on wood finishes, painted surfaces, leather, vinyl, or wallpaper."

sorry..

 

[Tina]

I can't imagine it would do any more damage to wood door frames than scratching. If it pulls off a little paint, just give it a touch-up when you move out.

I had a ding in my drywall in the staircase from moving furniture upstairs. It was just a little spot. Over time, I noticed it getting bigger and finally, tearing. I realized that my cats were picking at it. I slapped a piece of Sticky Paws over that too! They never touched it again. Eventually, I'll get a little repair kit and fix the ding, but for now, it works just fine.

Also, Sticky Paws now comes in a cool dispenser roll (like packing tape) so you can cut it to any size you like.

 

[Sparx]

i have a kitten who loves to claw me, not my furniture, me! i'm covered in scratches. and i can't cover myself in tape, so i've been looking at softpaws, does anyone have any experience with putting them on kittens?

 

[poohlover]

My DD used these on her cats claws when they purchased a leather couch...unfortunately the cats were able to get them off everytime.

 

[surfergirl602]

I can't imagine it would do any more damage to wood door frames than scratching. If it pulls off a little paint, just give it a touch-up when you move out.

I had a ding in my drywall in the staircase from moving furniture upstairs. It was just a little spot. Over time, I noticed it getting bigger and finally, tearing. I realized that my cats were picking at it. I slapped a piece of Sticky Paws over that too! They never touched it again. Eventually, I'll get a little repair kit and fix the ding, but for now, it works just fine.

Also, Sticky Paws now comes in a cool dispenser roll (like packing tape) so you can cut it to any size you like.

Our wood isn't painted - its stained a dark color, so the scratches really stick out. I think I might try it and do a spot test, just to see if it works or not.

 

[Keira1387]

My kitty wears soft paws and we love it. One of us holds him, and the other puts them on him. Every once in awhile he will bite one off, but overall they work great!

 

[Imzadi]

I read somewhere that cats are either vertical or horizontal scratchers. Usually not both. Make sure you get whichever kind of scratcher they need. If they are scratching up the side of the couch or wall, you need a vertical scratcher like a scratching post. If they prefer the rug, you need to get a cardboard scratcher that lays on the floor.

 

[MommaSnowwhite]

We tried soft paws - it was awful. We probably could have made $10,000 from AFV when we tried to put them on our kitty. She hated them - she chewed them off and I was afraid she would swallow them. I love pets - we have 3 of them, but my home and items are not easy to replace. We declawed - I know people say it isn't humane, but it isn't right to be squirting and frightening the cat all the time either.

 

[Silent1CB]

One of our kitties is pushing my buttons. He has begun (and he is beyond full grown) clawing my furniture to the point of destroying the arm. I'm not a happy camper. He's now started on my chair and a hlaf! Grrrrrrrrrrr!!

Yes, I trim his claws, but it doesn't stop him from using the house as his scratching post. I found Soft Paws online...but I'm not convinced.

Has anyone ever used them before? What were your results? I can just invision him running for the door, clawing me in the process, and me with these things stuck to me in the process.

http://www.softpaws.com/

~~~Kelly

Please don't declaw.
My question is, what ARE you providing the cat to scratch on? Different cats like different surfaces. You might need to experiment until you find a surface they like and will use.

I too use sticky tape, foil or a squirt water bottle to get them away once they start. Also, when you catch them, firmly correct them, grab their paws, repeat NO in a stern voice, and move them over to the item that is ok for them to scratch, move their paws over it with their claws extended by pinching slightly, and speak in a nicer voice while doing so.

Same with anything you wish to teach your pet. Simple stern NO command, remove them, and show them an alternative that is ok.

 

[kacaju]

If my cat was that distructive, (and an indoor only cat) I would declaw it. Sorry, I know this rubs many people the wrong way, but I would do it.

Before anyone who is against it starts reading me the riot act, I used to work for a Vet. I counted the *toes* when the Vet fisnshed declawing to be sure they got them all. It was my job to bandage the cats feet when the Vet was done. I have owned over 15 cats in my lifetime and most of them were all declawed.

I would do it to a young cat. I have had a few strays who were much older and no, it is much harder on an older cat. The young ones bounced back fast.

 

[denisem]

I post this every time the subject comes up, but I'm too lazy to look for my links.

My first plan of attack: provide every kind of horizontal, vertical scratching surface available combined with trimming claws (starting at a young age). Strangely enough, I once recovered the seat/back of an oddball old wooden chair with a burlap-type fabric that the cats LOVED. That became THEIR chair.

2nd: Used Soft Paws successfully with Ms. Stubborn for several years. Had the vet apply the 1st pair, did the rest ourselves. Luckily Ms. Stubborn would verbally protest but accept the assault on her "pride". However, keep a close watch as we once had one Soft Paw glued on too well and it started to grow around into her pawpad.

3rd: We got Rocko (the guy in my avatar). He DETESTS being confined or his paws held. Very difficult to cut the claws of a fur-covered Tasmanian Devil slinky. Even the vet had to sedate him for clipping. So, for the 1st time, we agreed to LASER declawing.

Pricier, and I guess we were lucky to have a qualified vet, but it was wonderful. Rocko had no bandages and was climbing the wire cage when we picked him up the next morning. Didn't slow him down a bit, although he had several "crash & burns" the first few days when leaping to piece of furniture (where he'd formerly use his claws to climb up.) We later adopted another cat (RIP Millie) who underwent the same procedure.

I'd avoided traditional declawing because of all the stories: cutting off their knuckles, residual pain from botched operations. Both of ours would still actively "claw" things so I can only surmise they didn't experience any residual pain through the laser method.

 

[jackemail]

I gave up and had the vet put the Soft Paws on the cats. One cat had them chewed off in a couple of weeks, but they stayed on the second cat quite nicely.