Need Help Household Cat Problems!

[Pazzoman]

Hey everybody,

I have a 3 month old kitten living with my family. I need help with certain problems she has that is very unappealing to my parents especially my dad.

-Any way to train her how to stop jumping on the furniture?
-Any way to train her how to stop jumping into the flower pots?
-Any safe or alternative way to remove the claws....declawing techniques (at a vet of coarse)?
(Don't like the idea, but no choice)

Thats about it also she has a habbit of jumping on people's legs and I can tell my mom doesn't like it. I know as they get older they become more independent and stay away from social activities. Also she's doing really good with the litter box.

 

[CLDarnell]

I heard that they don't like the smell of citrus. Not sure if it's an urban myth or not. Maybe get a can of citrus fragrance and spray your furniture, table tops, counter tops, etc. Maybe try some orange peels in the flower pots?

A scratching post will help some, but I don't think it will take care of all the scratching/clawing issues.

Good luck!

 

[mainbutter]

In short, the answer to all 3 is GENERALLY: no.

It's much easier to live with a cat and accept it on furniture, and limit the plants in the household. They can get the idea after a while that you don't want them on things, as long as you correct the behavior (put them on the ground).

When I was a kid, our parents declawed my sister's first cat. I wouldn't ever do it to a cat of my own.

Kittens are mischievous, and it takes a long time to get a cat to stop behaving in such cat-like manners.

The best solution is to live on your own so you don't have to worry about how your parents feel.

 

[sidneymysnake]

There are many products sold to get the cat to stop jumping up on things and in things. There are covers for flower pots that you put in the soil. Also, a squirt of water a few times is normally enough to deter kitties from jumping up. There are also pads that are sticky or hurt that you can put on your furniture/counters to deter jumping up.

PLEASE DON'T DECLAW!!!! It is horrible and hurts the kitty. Also, quite a few kitties start having litter box issues once you declaw them. There is a product you can get that you put over the nails. I believe that it's called soft paws. It is a cover you put on the nail to prevent scratching.

http://www.softpaws.com/

http://www.petco.com/product/110971...-C4CD-DE11-974B-0019B9C043EB&mr:referralID=NA

 

[Pazzoman]

I know I really don't like the declawing idea .... she has a scaratching post. I've seen those claws, but woudn't it hurt her when her nails grow? As for water I will try....also orange peels in flower pots...also and yes I would love to live out of the house, but I'm 15......tution.

 

[Etunes]

When ever u see her on the furniture or in a flower pot spray her with a water bottle. Now you need to try to catch her whenever she does it and dont skip a beat. It really is just conditioning. But beware it will probably only keep her out of the pots you spray her in. By nature they are climbers so maybe get her a climbing post, the ones you see in the pet store covered in carpet. Cats need some way to burn those urges off. Declawing is a horrible thing. Lets say the cat gets loose. You just took its 1 way to hunt, kill, and compete with other cats.

 

[sidneymysnake]

I know I really don't like the declawing idea .... she has a scaratching post. I've seen those claws, but woudn't it hurt her when her nails grow? As for water I will try....also orange peels in flower pots...also and yes I would love to live out of the house, but I'm 15......tution.

It will hurt her 20 times more if you declaw her. Many cats that get declawed find themselves with extremely sensitive paws. When they go to dig in their litter box to use the bathroom they are encountered with extreme pain. A lot of times they will figure they are only getting hurt when they go in the litter box so they start avoiding that and using other places to potty. I'm sure your parents much rather not have their house smelling like cat urine.

The soft paws will fall off as the nails grow and will have to be replaced.

 

[krzr3000]

-Any way to train her how to stop jumping on the furniture?
-Any way to train her how to stop jumping into the flower pots?
-Any safe or alternative way to remove the claws....declawing techniques (at a vet of coarse)?
(Don't like the idea, but no choice)

Thats about it also she has a habbit of jumping on people's legs and I can tell my mom doesn't like it. I know as they get older they become more independent and stay away from social activities. Also she's doing really good with the litter box.

-most people (everyone i have met with a cat) have no problem with cats on furniture. they don't harm it, may leave hair behind but its everywhere anyways. not sure what the problem is?
-move the flower pots out of reach, think of it as "child proofing"
-don't declaw, use the nail caps if its a problem

jumping on legs...spray bottle/small squirt when he/she does it. though doing that may make the cat scared to go near your legs period. it seems like you are new to having a cat? i vaguely remember your thread before, but this is really all normal behavior.

 

[fisher12889]

Lets say the cat gets loose. You just took its 1 way to hunt, kill, and compete with other cats.

Cats aren't wild animals...they shouldnt be running around hunting and killing anyway...

 

[GolemGolem]

You have yourself a kitten. It'll act like a kitten. Keeping a spray bottle handy helps, and if the kitty isn't allowed on furniture, NEVER let it on the furniture, even your lap on your bed. He will need a scratching post, and every time you see him streaching and clawing you have to take the kitten to the scratching post and put the kittens paws on the post, and show him what to do. You'll have to do this a lot.
Declawing is bad, but if you can't stop your folks from declawing the kitty it isn't the end of the world..my old cat was declawed by my father and it was an indoor/outdoor cat (I know, I know) It still left us dead bird presents on the welcome mat all the darn time.
Keep an eye out for people who would take good care of your kitty should it have to go, it may have to. I had to get rid of my old cat when my dad fell for a woman with allergies.
Now I'm on my own and have two of the little b-tards that are on the furniture all the time and climb up on my shoulder when I'm making coffee in the morning.