I have to be honest: I don't like declawing.
I understand why people do it, and I understand how in some cases it's a cat's last chance to stay in a good home rather than face uncertain prospects at a shelter.
But I also know scratching is a natural and satisfying behavior for cats. It provides a good stretch, marks territory and keeps the claws in good shape. If at all possible, I'd rather a cat be allowed to be a cat, and that includes the pleasures of scratching.
If you absolutely, positively have no tolerance for scratching, please adopt a cat who has already been declawed rather than taking home a kitten and having him declawed. If you already have a cat who's driving you crazy clawing your couch, try the carrot-and-stick approach to changing the behavior to one you can live with.
The carrot: Offer your cat alternative places to scratch.
The stick: Make your furniture unattractive to a clawing cat.
The best investment you can make for your pet's enjoyment -- and your furniture's preservation -- is a cat tree with a high perch for your pet to look down on the family. (Cats like being above it all!) Sisal, a natural ropelike covering, is a good covering for cat trees, as is carpet with loops that aren't too shaggy. If you're even a little bit handy, you can make your own cat tree by using scrap lumber, sisal or carpet remnants.
You can make a cat tree even more appealing by playing games with your cat on the tree, and by petting and praising him for scratching there. Some cats may enjoy having fresh catnip rubbed onto the cat tree as added enticement.
Cat trees aren't the only options. Add other approved places for your cat to scratch, such as vertical or horizontal posts, scratching trays filled with corrugated cardboard or scratching pads hung from doorknobs. Experiment to see what your cat likes best.
Once you have approved scratching areas in place, make the places your cat shouldn't be clawing unattractive by putting double-sided patches (such as Sticky Paws) or tape on the furniture. If the furniture fabric is too delicate, put the double-sided material on a piece of cardboard that wraps around the corner of the furniture. Cats hate to touch anything sticky, and so anything mounted sticky-side out will discourage scratching.
Start with your scratching alternative near the problem area. Your cat may shift his attention away from your furniture to the scratching post or tree. Praise and treat for good behavior!
Once your cat understands what the scratching post is for, you can slowly move it to the part of the room where you'd like it. Leave the sticky deterrent on the furniture during the retraining, and be patient.
Declawing shouldn't be the first strategy for solving a scratching problem. Give your cat a chance to learn and follow the rules before you consider subjecting him to painful surgery.
SIDEBAR
Clipping your cat's nails
Keeping the sharp tips of claws blunt will help to minimize damage from clawing. It's best to start clipping nail tips when your cat's a kitten, but most adult cats can learn to tolerate the procedure.
You'll need clippers -- either ones sold for cats or just regular human nail trimmers will do -- plus a product such as Kwik-Stop in case you draw blood.
To clip your cat's nails, push gently on her pad to expose the nail. In the center, you see a pink area coming part way down: This area is a vein, called the quick, and you want to avoid it to prevent bleeding. Slide your clipper to a spot beyond the quick, and nip off the tip of the claw. If your cat moves and you nick the quick, try to daub on some Kwik-Stop to stop the bleeding. (But if your cat goes crazy, just let go before you get hurt.)
Give your pet treats, praise for each nail, and know when to call it a day. If you can get only one or two nails done per session, that's plenty. You'll get farther in the long run by not making nail trimming a war between you and your cat.
Q&A
Some safe options for socializing
Q: We're confused. We have a new puppy, just 9 weeks old. Our veterinarian says he is not to leave the house until he's 16 weeks old and is finished with all his puppy shots. (The exception is going to the veterinarian's office, and then we are to carry him.) But we've read how important it is to socialize puppies. Whom do we believe? -- S.F., via e-mail
A: Your veterinarian's advice and the advice you've read from dog trainers are not mutually exclusive. It is possible to socialize your puppy carefully while protecting him from contagious diseases until his immune system is strong.
Your puppy should never be allowed around dogs you don't know, or where there's a possibility that other dogs you don't know have been. That means no parks and no walks in the neighborhood for the next few weeks.
But socialization is extremely important to a puppy, which is why you need to seek out safe opportunities for your puppy to see the world. I recommend puppy classes. But before you sign up, be sure to ask the trainer what she has done to sanitize the training area to make it safe. Many such classes are held indoors, in areas that are cleaned thoroughly before the puppies arrive.
If you have friends or family who have dogs you know are healthy and have up-to-date vaccinations, you can take your puppy to visit. Car rides are also good to introduce puppies to new sights, sounds and smells.
Once your veterinarian gives the go-ahead, pull out all the stops and take your pup everywhere you can. The more socialized your puppy is, the happier and more relaxed a pet he will be.
Help for 'leaks'
Q: I'm afraid we're about ready to find a new home for our dog because we're at our wit's end. She's not old, but she leaks urine. We can't deal with mess anymore -- she is ruining our carpets. Is there any remedy? -- T.L., via e-mail
A: You didn't mention having her see the veterinarian. If you haven't taken her, you should. If you have, you need to go back. Urinary incontinence in spayed females is not uncommon, and there are medications that can help.
Even if working with your veterinarian only partly fixes the problem, you can cope with occasional leakage by restricting your dog to parts of the house that are easier to clean (such as tiled areas), putting down rubber-backed mats for sleeping, or even modifying human incontinence products by cutting out room for a tail. But see your veterinarian first.
(Do you have a pet question? Send it to petconnection@gmail.com.)
THE SCOOP
Hard to tell girls from boys
Although you can guarantee birds can tell the difference, we humans can't easily tell the boys from the girls in a great many bird species. Not knowing may have no bearing on how good a pet a bird becomes, but some people can't stand not knowing. Even if they have no interest in breeding a pet, some people just want to know whether to choose a masculine or feminine name for their pet.
The answer is easy to come by, with a blood sample drawn by the veterinarian used to check a bird's DNA.
The eclectus parrot is one bird even we humans can't confuse when it comes to figuring out which birds are males and which are females. The male is bright green with red patches under his wings, while the female is a shimmery purple with red head and tail.
Male and female eclectus are so different that the two genders were once thought to be different species.
PET TIP
Kids may like these lizards
Iguanas are just not the most sensible of children's pets. They can grow to be more than 6 feet in length, and their care requirements are beyond the casual pet keeper.
Many children love lizards, and for them, the leopard gecko and bearded dragon may fit the bill. These reptiles are easy to find in the pet trade, are relatively easy to set up and care for, and will remain a reasonable size for life.
Many children are attracted to reptile pets because of an interest in dinosaurs. Caring for a reptile may even spark a lifelong interest in the sciences.
PET Rx
Tempting the finicky cat to eat
Feeding a variety of foods from the start helps to keep cats from becoming finicky, since cats may become overly attached to a single food if allowed to.
Some cats do not like to eat a variety of foods and will refuse to eat anything but their favorite. Others will try to hold out until they get what they like. If your cat is already finicky, you can try offering other foods, warming the food to make it smell more appealing or feeding wet rations instead of dry.
Be aware, however, that your cat may not be as finicky as you think. If you leave dry food down all the time, he may be nibbling more than a dozen times throughout the day and thus never eating very much in any one observed sitting. If your cat is allowed to roam, consider that he may be picking up meals at another house besides your own, or he may be hunting for part of his meals.
Occasional finickiness -- a missed meal or two now and then -- is no reason for concern as long as your cat's not losing weight. But if it goes beyond a meal or two, or if your cat is losing weight, there's reason to worry.
If that's the case, your cat may be at risk and may need prompt veterinary attention.
(Pet Rx is provided by the Veterinary Information Network (VIN.com), an online service for veterinary professionals. More information can be found at www.veterinarypartner.com.)
BY THE NUMBERS
Man's best friend?
Don't get between some people and their pets! A survey by the Hartz Mountain pet-supply company found that:
-- 9 percent of pet owners have changed plans with another person, opting to spend time with a pet instead
-- 13 percent have chosen a specific vacation site because it was pet-friendly
-- 9 percent report a significant owner has expressed jealousy of a pet
ON THE WEB
Learning about holistic care
Alternative medicine, sometimes also called "holistic," includes a wide range of treatment options, from acupuncture to chiropractic to homeopathy to traditional Chinese herbal medicine.
In holistic medicine, the whole patient is generally the focus, rather than the specific disease. Traditional Western medicine tends to do better with acute illness, such as a bacterial infection, or with trauma, such as a broken leg. Alternative medicine focuses more on chronic conditions, such as arthritis.
Some Western-trained veterinarians now embrace alternative care exclusively, but others are accepting elements of alternative care as a complement to traditional medicine. These latter veterinarians often refer to their practice as "integrated" -- that is, drawing from both traditional and alternative care to treat an illness.
The American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association (www.ahvma.org) is a good place to start finding out more about alternative veterinary medicine.
Gina Spadafori is the award-winning author of "Dogs for Dummies," "Cats for Dummies" and "Birds for Dummies." She is also affiliated with the Veterinary Information Network Inc., an international online service for veterinary professionals. Write to her in care of this newspaper, or send e-mail to petconnection@gmail.com. You can also read her frequently updated Web log or view her column archives at www.spadafori.com.
4520 Main St., Kansas City, Mo. 64111; (816) 932-6600
Gina Spadafori is the award-winning author of "Dogs for Dummies," "Cats for Dummies" and "Birds for Dummies." She is also affiliated with the Veterinary Information Network Inc., an international online service for veterinary professionals. Write to her in care of this newspaper, or send e-mail to petconnection@gmail.com. You can also read her frequently updated Web log or view her column archives at www.spadafori.com.
4520 Main St., Kansas City, Mo. 64111; (816) 932-6600