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| Cat's Health Discuss all your feline mal-functions here! Your cat's health is very important. Talk about all things CAT here. Cat illnesses are the main topic, but other cat related chat is fine. |
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#1
06-02-2007, 11:21 PM
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my friends kitten
 My friend got her kid a kitten and it is a boy... he is like 9 weeks or something and she wants to know when to get him fixed? He is also scratching everything he can... I told her maybe it will calm down after he gets fixed, I'm probably wrong about that, but I DO know if she does'nt do it in time he will spray her house, any tips would be helpful.I am also going to give her this site addy but I don't have her e-mail"     
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#2
06-03-2007, 09:25 AM
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I think mine were all fixed before 6 months. The scratching is a cat thing. It has been my expereience that if you can't deal with the destruction the scratching causes, then you should have the cat declawed while being fixed. Most vets recommend declaw of front claws only that way a cat can still climb a tree if it is outside and threatened. All of my cats are front declawed and still sharpen their imaginary claws on my furniture.
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#3
06-03-2007, 10:11 AM
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Please congratulate your friend on her new kitten.
Scratching: Please tell her to buy a scratching post of some kind. These can be bought in pet stores/walmart/etc for fairly cheap. Examples- Cat Scratching Pads] Whenever she sees her kitten scratching something other than the scratching pad, she should tell the kitten "NO" in a loud firm voice, pick the kitten up, put the kitten on the pad, and use the kitten's front paws to mimic scratching. The kitten will learn what should be scratched on and what shouldn't. She should also be sure to keep her kitten's nails clipped short. Short nails reduce the amount of damage the kitten can cause, and the kitten will scratch less because they won't feel as much of and urge to sharpen them (don't ask me why, but this is true). Declawing a cat, should only be used as a last resort since it is the amputation of a cat's toes up to their first joint. When a cat is declawed, it means that they can never be let outside (you didn't say whether this was to be an indoor or outdoor cat). My Grandmother's kitty, Ranger (I got him when she died 7 years ago), was declawed when he was young because he would scratch my Grandma to get attention... enough so that she had bloody scratches up her legs. So, he was declawed for a reason... but he had complications from being declawed. His paws hurt all the time- he shakes them every so often, and he won't let you touch them. The nerves in his paws were damaged. He is 19 years old now. So, my point is... declawing should be a last resort and shouldn't be made lightly. Other than Ranger, none of my cats have ever been declawed- the scratching pads works for them. As for spay/neuter she should call her Veterinarian and ask. Some vets have different policies than others. And she should consider taking her kitten in for a checkup and to get shots since she just got the kitten. Last edited by latergatorj : 06-03-2007 at 10:15 AM.
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#4
06-03-2007, 02:43 PM
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Quote:
You need a scratching post. Also there is a product called "Feliway" it is a cat attractant. It contains "feline facial pheromones", and cats are calmed by it and attracted to it. I spray my scratch post with it. There is another product called "no scratch". Spray this on things you do NOT want the cat scratching. It works, keeps Sarah off my guitar amp, which she fell in love with right away lol. Petsmart has lots of good scratching posts, the bigger the better imo, it gives them a large area to do their mischief on. 
__________________
Pet Health Forums Helping Pets Lead Healthier Lives---   Bitsy's Story --- Here is the story of my little girl's struggle with cancer. A lesson to be learned, have them tested for cancer periodically. Had it been caught sooner she would have fared better. Rest in peace my sweet love, rest in peace. Medical and care advice in this post is for your knowledge and information only. It is not a substitute for a veterinary appointment or an actual diagnosis for your pet. If you feel your pet has a health or behavior problem please consult your veterinarian immediately for specific advice tailored to your individual pet.
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#5
06-30-2007, 05:16 AM
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avoid declawing if at all possible
I second the fact that declawed cats should never go outside!
For example, my neighbor's Siamese cat was one of several cats attacked by a group of feral dogs roaming our neighborhood- the dogs must have gone feral after Hurricane Katrina, who knows??? Anyway, even though the cat wasn't killed by the dogs, the cat died due to complications associated with the attack.
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