I suggest behavior modification. I think declawing is kinda cruel IMHO. Everyone wants to save their furniture but declawing a cat is a "quick fix" that robs them of natural instincts. And from what I've read, alot of owners says that after declawing that their cats started exhibiting other bad behaviors such as spraying. (pee)
I've watched quite a few episodes of "Barking Mad" on Animal Planet and they have worked wonders with problem pets by simply making some changes in the pet's environment and their activities. There is lots of free advice on the internet or from the library. Make it a kid's project. Or you could consult an animal trainer/behaviorist.
I don't think the nail tip covers would hurt to try, but I highly discourage declawing.
ok... I agree with "how are you gonna get them on the cat" yikes
we took wood and leftover carpet remnants - hammer, wood glue and nailed to make one of those 3 tiered contraptions---kids got a kick outa helping make it too... cats use it 90% of the time.
We have 1 declawed boy (declawed BEFORE we got him). I would NEVER declaw a cat, even though I love that he is declawed.... My mom had her cat declawed and it had these little stitches hanging for weeks and it hurt the poor thing for years :frown: never never never!
I am a a cat person, the way it was described to me is that declawing your cat is the same thing as pulling all of your fingernails out of your hands. I wouldn't want that, so Lil' bear doesn't have it done either.
"Declawing is not painful for cats, when performed at a young age,"said Dr. Kent Stauffer, a clinical instructor with Mississippi State University's College of Veterinary Medicine. "It is not traumatic for them and it does not affect their behavior as is often said."
I'm sure I can find tons of them on both sides of the fence.....I don't want to start a debate...just saying....
oh of course. i know you weren't trying to start a debate. what i came up with on google was that the normal procedure involves amputating to the first knuckle. there's a new procedure that's starting to be used where the tendons that control the claw are being severed instead of the amputation. still not something i'd care to do to my cat though.
Hey CM - 5 or 6 years ago, My indoor Feral kitty got the 'nail covers' in pretty pink on a visit to the vet - first off - putting those things on - was an episode from Exorcist and secondly, she didn't sit still until she had successfully ripped every one of them off.
trimming them (you can do it yourself with toenail clippers - just don't use the stupid cutters they sell at the pet store - they have a tendency to grab and pull (feels like when we bend or nails backwards)
You grab the cat - wrap it (head and all) into a bath towel - slam your bathroom door, and extract one paw at a time out of the towel, and trim only the clear part. It's quick, and painless for both of you. I do all 5 of my cats about every 5-6 weeks that way.
just make sure to lock them in the bathroom with you when you do it - cause if they get away, there is NO getting them back near you any time soon once they've been shoved in a towel.
I just force a little Seagrams 7 down her throat and she starts drinking it herself in no time. Then she lets me clip away without any problem at all. :chagrin:
and our wino dog.... he drank a half a bottle of wine once, and every time someone opens the prescription bottle for our sheltie, he's right there wanting some too.
I just got done reading the book "Marley and Me" by John Grogan. Great book. You'll laugh, you'll cry. Anybody who knows the love of a dog (escpecially the bad dogs) could relate to this memoir. It's currently #1 on the best seller list.
It brings back alot of bitter-sweet memories of dogs I've had in the past. And it makes me appreciate the little things about our current dog. Ther're all different in their own little ways. Some have more bad habits than others, some are more comical, some are smart as hell, others are dumb as a rock ---- but they all have love and devotion that never waivers.
Im going to guess that its a super-rare breed of animal, called the "Kitty-Rabbit" (kittycatus-bunnyrabitus)
Its an animal thats hardly ever spotted, because it only comes out at night-time to hunt its food (crickets).
It has a high pitched screech, much like that of a barn owl, but can also sing Barry White tunes.
If you hear either of those noises, chances are, that you (or your crickets) are mere seconds away from death.
Not many people who have come face to face with the Kitty-Rabbit, (also known in some parts of the country as Bunny-Cat) have lived to tell about it.
And those that have, are now living in highly guarded government buildings, being forced to participate in who knows what types of tests.
If you happen to come accross a Kitty-Rabbit, try not to make too much noise, and try to stand completely still (try not to even blink), because much like its relatives - the Irish-Wolf-Snake - a giant Irish Wolf Hound & Rattle Snake combination, and the ever popular Monkey-Donkey.... the Kitty-Rabbit has very bad vision, and has to rely on its sense of hearing, to catch its prey.
So my husband is in the backyard playing frisbee with dog- her favorite pastime. After the billionth throw she comes truckin up the hill-frisbee in mouth, and she decides it's time to take a pee. So she drops the frisbee, (top side down) takes a few steps and proceeds to PEE IN THE FRISBEE. So she leaves a nice big saucer of urine for the hubby to deal with all the while with a glowing happy dog face.
She always does these things to him why I don't know. He's such a germ-a-phobe. :sillygrin:
That reminds me of something that happened the other night at the softball fields. My grandson had to go potty and went into the Porta Potty by himself. When he came out his mommy asked him what he had done with his gloves while he went. He said he put them in the baby potty! :eek: :confused: :worried:
I think this covers the header just right. My in-laws family dog of 14 years died today in Nana's arms on the way to the vet. I named the dog Kirby back when they first got him. He was a little shitzou that had as many lives as a cat. Maybe because he was the size of one. The kid is a mess. She was good pals with him.
Nana & Grampa are now on their way up north to bury him in her sisters backyard.
Sad day around the house. But we knew it was coming. :frown:
No need for any condolences. Just wanted to post it in here is all.
"I tell people that the way I define Kirby Puckett's popularity is by the thousands and thousands of dogs and cats named after him throughout the Upper Midwest. Kirby and I always laughed about that. We're all praying for him."
I've watched quite a few episodes of "Barking Mad" on Animal Planet and they have worked wonders with problem pets by simply making some changes in the pet's environment and their activities. There is lots of free advice on the internet or from the library. Make it a kid's project. Or you could consult an animal trainer/behaviorist.
I don't think the nail tip covers would hurt to try, but I highly discourage declawing.
we took wood and leftover carpet remnants - hammer, wood glue and nailed to make one of those 3 tiered contraptions---kids got a kick outa helping make it too... cats use it 90% of the time.
We have 1 declawed boy (declawed BEFORE we got him). I would NEVER declaw a cat, even though I love that he is declawed.... My mom had her cat declawed and it had these little stitches hanging for weeks and it hurt the poor thing for years :frown: never never never!
I've never heard any bad stories about de-clawing untill now.
anyhoot...
r u reincarnated?
than again...I don't want to be castrated...and most animal lovers support that...
i'm with you on being neutered too :smile:
I'm sure I can find tons of them on both sides of the fence.....I don't want to start a debate...just saying....
http://www.dumbvideos.com/funnycatvideos.html
trimming them (you can do it yourself with toenail clippers - just don't use the stupid cutters they sell at the pet store - they have a tendency to grab and pull (feels like when we bend or nails backwards)
You grab the cat - wrap it (head and all) into a bath towel - slam your bathroom door, and extract one paw at a time out of the towel, and trim only the clear part. It's quick, and painless for both of you. I do all 5 of my cats about every 5-6 weeks that way.
It brings back alot of bitter-sweet memories of dogs I've had in the past. And it makes me appreciate the little things about our current dog. Ther're all different in their own little ways. Some have more bad habits than others, some are more comical, some are smart as hell, others are dumb as a rock ---- but they all have love and devotion that never waivers.
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Its an animal thats hardly ever spotted, because it only comes out at night-time to hunt its food (crickets).
It has a high pitched screech, much like that of a barn owl, but can also sing Barry White tunes.
If you hear either of those noises, chances are, that you (or your crickets) are mere seconds away from death.
Not many people who have come face to face with the Kitty-Rabbit, (also known in some parts of the country as Bunny-Cat) have lived to tell about it.
And those that have, are now living in highly guarded government buildings, being forced to participate in who knows what types of tests.
If you happen to come accross a Kitty-Rabbit, try not to make too much noise, and try to stand completely still (try not to even blink), because much like its relatives - the Irish-Wolf-Snake - a giant Irish Wolf Hound & Rattle Snake combination, and the ever popular Monkey-Donkey.... the Kitty-Rabbit has very bad vision, and has to rely on its sense of hearing, to catch its prey.
now I'm afraid to take the trash out at night! :sillygrin:
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
So my husband is in the backyard playing frisbee with dog- her favorite pastime. After the billionth throw she comes truckin up the hill-frisbee in mouth, and she decides it's time to take a pee. So she drops the frisbee, (top side down) takes a few steps and proceeds to PEE IN THE FRISBEE. So she leaves a nice big saucer of urine for the hubby to deal with all the while with a glowing happy dog face.
She always does these things to him why I don't know. He's such a germ-a-phobe. :sillygrin:
I think we should start yelling that, when we see spotters in parks, during the hunt.
Its kinda like how when you play marco polo, in a swimming pool, and you yell "fish outta water!" to bust the cheaters.
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Nana & Grampa are now on their way up north to bury him in her sisters backyard.
Sad day around the house. But we knew it was coming. :frown:
No need for any condolences. Just wanted to post it in here is all.
http://www.startribune.com/509/story/286309.html
"I tell people that the way I define Kirby Puckett's popularity is by the thousands and thousands of dogs and cats named after him throughout the Upper Midwest. Kirby and I always laughed about that. We're all praying for him."
I'll give 'em anyways.
:frown:
hugs for ali
Hey Tim - You and pops wanna hit the chains tonight? Or do you still work those F-ed up hours? :smile:
Joe
I can start as early as 6:30