You CAN Have Your Cats and Your Furniture Too
Excerpt : No one wants to invest hundreds or even thousands of dollars in furnishings only to see them ripped to shreds by an overzealous pet, however beloved. To many people the obvious answer is to have
No one wants to invest hundreds or even thousands of dollars in furnishings only to see them ripped to shreds by an overzealous pet, however beloved. To many people the obvious answer is to have their cats declawed, but it this really a reasonable alternative?
Its proponents depict it as a simple and painless operation, but it is neither simple or painless. Most people aren't aware that it's not just the claws that are removed. Declawing involves the amputation of the first joint of each toe, and as any amputee can tell you, the pain persists for months if not years. The only difference is your cat can't tell you it still hurts.
This doesn't mean you have to put up with shredded furniture and drapes, or snagged carpets. I have four cats of my own, none of then declawed, and my upholstery and curtains are intact and my rugs unsnagged. There are a
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Alternately feared and revered, worshipped and reviled, the cat’s natural ability as a mouser ultimately won them a place in the lives and hearts of people.
Now we think of them less as pest control methods and more as members of our family.
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Flea Control With Cats and Dogs
Fleas are the most common external parasite of pets in North America. Fleas are small wingless insects that use their specialized mouth to pierce the skin and siphon blood from their host. When a flea bites, it injects a small amount of saliva into...read more
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number of steps you can take to minimize or eliminate the damage.
1. Give them what they want.
Scratching is not just a means of sharpening claws, it's a vital form of exercise that tones and strengthens the muscles. Even declawed cats go through the motions. It's instinctive. Birds gotta swim, fish gotta fly, cats gotta scratch. Whatever. So give them something suitable to scratch on, preferably not one of those pint-sized carpet-covered pet department abominations. That only confuses them.
If that's what you already have, at least pull off the carpeting and wrap it with good quality jute or sisal rope, half-inch in diameter, wound tightly and secured with glue. If you sew, you might try making a slip cover you can easily remove and replace as necessary. Burlap is good for this, but almost any fabric with a heavy weave or a textured surface will work.
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"Caring for an Older Cat - Cat Health and Cat Care"
Cats are living longer lives thanks to dedicated care from their humans, and advances in veterinary medicine. Most experts consider a cat's "senior years" to begin on her 10th birthday. After this point, the aging process begins to slow in even...read more
Photographing Your Cat with Close-Up Techniques
Other than photographing our kids, there's probably nothing we enjoy photographing more than our pets--in my case my two Ragdoll cats. (In case you've never seen Ragdolls, they're "giant" cats that were first bred in the 1960s. They're big,...read more
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My own cats are partial to upholstery velvet and corduroy. Ideally the post should be at least two inches higher than the cat can reach.
Many cats prefer a horizontal surface to scratch on, and take well to a commercial scratching pad made from corrugated cardboard.
Whatever you decide to use, spray it lightly with catnip extract (not synthetic - they WILL know the difference) and place it near your cat's favorite scratching spot. Once he or she becomes accustomed to the new surface, gradually move it to a more convenient location. These materials tend to be messy, so choose a spot where you can easily sweep or vacuum around it.
2. Use your good judgement when choosing fabrics and rugs.
Pass up all those lovely but delicate satin and damask weaves or the aforementioned textured surfaces. These are cat magnets. Knits and other stretchy fabrics are an
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Cats And Pills - Tablets.
Nearly everything alive becomes ill at some stage in its life,
and pets are no exception. I have been very fortunate in that my
two cats have been very healthy for most of their lives.
Recently the oldest cat become ill and had to go to the...read more
Train Your Cat for Behavior Problems and Basic Commands.
You want to train your cat to come, sit, and stay. You can also
teach your cat not to scratch at things. When you are teaching
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pawing at you and they start scratching you. On this...read more
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open invitation to snags. Leather and faux leathers are also major no-no's. Sheer panels at the windows? Forget it!
Look for strong fabrics with a tight weave such as sailcloth or canvas. Most denims hold up well, also. For curtains, go with something like percale or chintz. Most of the curtains at my house are made from bedsheets, and are not only attractive but virtually indestructible. For carpeting, a medium or low plush is preferable to a berber or a sculptured pile. Remember, minimum texture is the key.
As long as we're on the subject, think brown. That way when your cat upchucks on it, and it will, it won't be such a disaster. If your cat is still drawn to the furniture, a number of companies sell clear plastic corner protectors that self-adhere to most fabrics.
3. Trim the claws.
It's not as difficult as it might seem, especially if you
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Cat Door Training
Are you tired of listening to the cat is meowing up a storm or
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Let us look at some simple solutions to this problem. Let us
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Training Cats with Nocturnal Behaviors
Here the problem the cat is up most the night playing wanting to
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start them as kittens. Use a specifically designed animal nail trimmer and start out slow. Begin by just handling the paws, and practice extending the claws without trying to trim. The cat will become accustomed to being handled and will be less likely to react violently to the actual trimming. After a few days of this, try trimming, just one or two nails at a time, and only take off the very tips. If you still find it troublesome, most professional groomers will do it for a minimal fee.
4. Claw caps.
These are soft plastic covers that are glued onto the claws and last for up to 4-6 weeks. I've never tried them myself, but many people report good results.
Cats and people have shared living quarters for thousand of years, and with a little forethought and cooperation we should be able to maintain a harmonious relationship between ourselves, our pets, and
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Feeding Your Elderly Cat
An elderly cat's metabolism slows down, just as it does in a
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Pet Loss: Should You Clone Your Cat?
Clone a Cat, Go To Jail ...or at least pay a fine. That's the goal of animal welfare activists who announced recently that they are seeking state and federal restrictions on the small but growing pet-cloning industry. The effort has been...read more
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our furniture.
copyright 2005
Kathie Freeman is the author of Catwalk, a Feline Odyssey.
For more of her articles and short stories visit Kathie's Stories and Tails at http://home.att.net/~kathiefreeman/
This article is free to use as long as the byline and this source information is included.
About the Author
Kathie Freeman is a life-long cat person who along with her husband has been owned by as many as 13 cats at once. They currently share their California home with four cats and a dog.
She is the author of "Catwalk, a Feline Odyssey", the captivating story of a wandering tabby cat and the people she meets on her journey of adventure and discovery.
Ms Freeman is also the author of "The Retro", as well as numerous short stories and
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