christensen@apollo.uucp (Wendy Christensen) (08/12/85)
I seem to have found a good compromise solution to the cat claw issue.
I have two totally-indoor cats who are about 3 years old. I got them as
tiny kittens and they have always lived indoors. Since I work, they
spend most of their time alone in the house, and I have not been around
constantly to watch and "discipline" them. I would never declaw a cat.
(How would you like to have the first joint of your fingers amputated?)
But, this is what I have found: if your cats like you a lot, they don't
want to get you upset. If they know that certain behaviors upset you, they
will avoid those behaviors most of the time (which is pretty good when
you think about it). I have always made sure I had one or two pieces of
"junk" upholstered furniture that I made clear were perfectly acceptable
scratching sites (just old stuff that was still around). I have known MANY
cats (when I was a teenager, we had 45+ cats at home), and most don't like
scratching posts as most posts are too unstable to "kick back" and do any
serious clawing on; also, most are covered with soft carpet, which is just
the wrong stuff for clawing, period. My cats seldom, if ever, attempt to
scratch on the banned furniture; they are allowed to sit on it, treat it
gently, etc., and they do just that. They do an amusing thing, sometimes:
if they really want my attention, for example if their dinner is VERY late,
they will pretend to scratch the good furniture (paws only!) until I
notice them. They are saying,"See what we COULD do if we were rotten little
critters? NOW can we have our dinner??"
My cats have also always been very sensitive about claws-on-skin. I trained
them specifically for this, by NEVER allowing rough claw-play with people while
they were kittens. This kind of play seems cute when they're tiny, but it is almost
impossible to train them out of it later. My cats are fanatic about not ever
placing claws on anyone's skin. They let themselves fall before they will grab
skin. (They'll grab anything else, though. Like Levis. ouch!)
Anyway, I feel that a certain amount of damage is an acceptable tradeoff
for the pleasure, companionship, and love I get from my cats. They
behave much better, I think, because we are tolerant and forgiving with
each other. A cat must feel he is an accepted part of the group in any
home. If he is seen and treated as an "outsider" or as some alien creature,
he will resent it, be unhappy, and make trouble. As with any other member
of a household, it is a give-and-take relationship. If you have kids, you
kid-proof the house for the duration. Having cats requires the same type of
accommodation.
w. christensen
{I don't think apollo computer inc. has taken a stand on the
declawing issue, so these are my opinions only...}