Daily Kitten Chat Forum » Purrs

1. 

   Ok Ladies...need help, advice...something. Save Jackson from being declawed. I'm completely serious. I have not declawed Jackson because I don't like doing that and he has been a very good kitty as far as allowing me to clip his nails and he took right to his scratching post.

   Some of you read my post a week and half ago regarding Jackson's new roommate, Opie...the old man. I wasn't getting any sleep because these two were keeping me up all night. Jackson wants to play, Opie (old man) wants to sleep. Opie growls and hisses at Jackson...Jackson doesn't give up and so it goes all night long...under my damn bed, ON my bed, in my bedroom, in the hallway...you get the picture. It was suggested that I shut my bedroom door and just let these two work it out. I did, and it worked the first few nights. Then Jackson started clawing under the door...not just clawing...digging up my carpet. Every couple of hours he starts in on this...meowing and digging and clawing...I get my 6 1/2 mo pregnant butt out of bed...grab the squirt bottle, open the door, squirt him, he runs off and he's quiet for a couple of hours. This goes on for another couple of days. Then I think well...maybe he just wants to sleep with me...he ought to know that Opie isn't in this room. So I open the bedroom door and let him in. He proceeds to do a once over in the bedroom, obviously looking for Opie and wants nothing to do with me. About the time that I've gotten comfy in bed again...he starts clawing and digging and meowing to get OUT!! OMG...he's so lucky I have control.

   He's digging so badly now that not only am I sleep deprived, but he's damaging my HOUSE. So last night I told my fiance...the minute he starts digging and clawing...he's going to the basement. So of course as soon as I begin to fall asleep he starts in. I got up, took him to our finished basement and shut the door. I had a VERY peaceful night sleeping. I got up this morning and went to get Jackson from the basement...he had literally torn up and SHREDDED the entire section of carpeting that runs the length of the door frame. I am FURIOUS. If I cannot get this behavior under control, he will have to have his front paws declawed, as much as that pains me. I cannot have him destroying our quality of life (sleep) as well as my home.

   So...please...any advice, techniques...anything. I'm open to anything. I should add that Jackson is a SIAMESE. For those of you who have these kitties in your homes...you know what a 'special' personality they have...especially when they are young.

   Posted 1 year ago by kstn281 #

2. 

   Have you tried Feliway or Rescue Remedy (animal kind only please, human has alcohol) they both should work to calm him down. I know your frustration as I have one who digs at carpeting too, and normally at doorways.

   Posted 1 year ago by AZDEBRA 5/27 & crew #

3. 

   I have never heard of it...what is it? How does it work? Can I get it from the pet store or is it by RX?

   Posted 1 year ago by kstn281 #

4. 

   Feliway is a plug in type. You can look at Dr. Foster's. Declawing is a hottly contested issue here. May you find a solution and be at peace.

   Here is a link:

   http://pet-supplies.drsfostersmith.com/search?af=type%3Aproduct&view=grid&w=feliway&visitorID=&cartcount=0&wishcount=0&subtotal=0.00

   Posted 1 year ago by SoxsMom #

5. 

   You can get it at PetSmart and PetCo but I would order it from either Amazon or valleyvet.com much cheaper. And no you do not need an RX, the Rescue Remedy is herbel and you can put the 4 drops either in the food or their water....doesn't hurt if the older one drinks it too.

   Posted 1 year ago by AZDEBRA 5/27 & crew #

6. 

   I am certainly not here to debate declawing...I'm sure that it is a heated subject for cat lovers. Obviously I am not a declawing advocate or I would have had Jackson declawed when I had him neutered. However, I am a mother of 3 children, soon to be 4 and my fiance is being deployed in October for 9 months...our baby happens to be due October 5th. This situation WILL be remedied before that time. Declawing will be my last resort. I don't want to do that to my furry baby. I love him. But I have to draw boundaries and limits...and these are mine.

   Does anyone prefer the Rescue Remedy over the Feliway? It certainly is expensive and only lasts 4 weeks. Is this something that I will have to continue to purchase until Jackson is also old and doesn't want to play anymore? Or is this something that will help him with behavior modification and he will only need it for a month or two?

   Posted 1 year ago by kstn281 #

7. 

   You can also begin clipping the kitty's claws...both kitties. They will probably not be happy with you at first, but I can tell you it works for me.

   You can get special kitty nail clippers at a pet store for around $5. They cut the round kitty toenails, unlike human clippers that are made for FLAT human nails. Kitty clippers won't crush the nail.

   Get kitty when he's sleepy, and talk gently while clipping. Reward kitty when you're done, vocally, in petting, and with treats. Soon they will associate the nail clipping with a pleasant experience and won't make too much of a fuss (most of the time).

   You don't have to take off much of the kitty toenails, just enough to clip the ends/pointies.

   Posted 1 year ago by Siobhan #

8. 

   I swear by Rescue Remedy, both for myself and the cats! I also have my mom using it now on her dog that does NOT like to ride in the car, so she gives him a little before they have to travel and he is completely fine the whole trip. I would definitely recommend it. Also, is there a room that is not carpeted? It sounds like he is going to continue to scratch up the carpet. The rescue remedy should help calm him down, but he still might scratch if he wants out enough. Why don't you try putting Opie in a separate room instead of Jackson? That might help as well.

   When I got new kittens, my older cat didn't like them at all and they would make a ruckus at night. I ended up putting Ville (the older cat) in the bathroom with a soft, warm bed and plenty of toys, food, and water. It worked out well.

   Posted 1 year ago by MizzCupnCake #

9. 

   Yes...I have been clipping Jackson's nails with a pet nail clipper since he was a little baby. Keeping those nails short is not a problem. He let's me do...in fact he kind of likes it if I get him in the right mood. I clipped him just about 4 days ago thinking that might help my carpet. NOPE. He has dug the carpet up by my bedroom door down to the WOOD.

   As to putting Opie in a separate room...I've tried that too. Jackson does the same thing. All he wants is Opie. If I put Opie in the basement instead of Jackson, then Jackson tries to dig INTO the basement from the outside. I simply can't win.

   During the day when all the doors are open and the cats are more likely to sleep more (especially Jackson), there is NO problem. They have the occasional scuffle...it's at night that the problem really occurs.

   Posted 1 year ago by kstn281 #

10. 

    And beside all this...I'm starting to feel like chopped liver! LOL...before Opie...I was Jackson's WORLD. I'm talking I was the Mothership. Now it's all Opie, Opie, Opie!

    Posted 1 year ago by kstn281 #

11. 

    Actually I prefer the Rescue Remedy, you don't have to use it all the time and after the kitty settles down those times to use it may be once in awhile. The Feliway doesn't seem to work on mine so much unless I put one in each room, and I surely can't afford that. Plus the Rescue Remedy can be put in the water, their wet food, and sometimes rubbed on the inside of the kitty's ears (cheap massage for the kitty :)). I had to use it with Kitty who also has a love for digging at the carpet, sometimes for no reason at all!

    Posted 1 year ago by AZDEBRA 5/27 & crew #

12. 

    Jackson still loves you--but he has a new four pawwed playmate! They will both love you forever--and you are the Mothership for both--even if they don't acknowledge you as much.

    Posted 1 year ago by SoxsMom #

13. 

    Hmmm...well it sounds like I will try rescue remedy. My house is 2500 sq ft...not a palace by any means...but I cannot afford to buy a diffuser for each room of my home in order for it to be effective.

    And no...they only part of my house that isn't carpeted is my kitchen and it is an open kitchen. I could put him in one of the bathrooms or the furnace room...but the bathrooms are by our bedrooms and he will cry all night and keep us up. And I'm not comfortable with putting him in the furnace room...too much potential danger for a VERY curious and determined Siamese.

    Posted 1 year ago by kstn281 #

14. 

    Oh yeah, and he would definitely find something to get into. I use the rescue remedy drops and just put 4 drops in their mouths. Works like a charm.

    Posted 1 year ago by MizzCupnCake #

15. 

    You know I was so nervous about introducing these two cats. I really though that the issue would be one of territory. Opie was alpha at his house and Jackson was alpha in our house second only to me. As it turned, Jackson has acted more like a little puppy who just wants to play SO badly. Jackson never hisses or growls at Opie or anyone else for that matter. He just wants to wrestle around and run and play with Opie. And I don't blame Old Opie for not wanting to play...he's an old man. I hope we can find a happy medium. Some mentioned before that once Jackson hits 2 years that he will settle down...I sure hope so!

    And by the way...Opie does have his front paws declawed (I didn't do it) so I have been concerned about him being able to defend himself against Jackson...but I keep Jackson's nails clipped and so far so good as far as that goes.

    Posted 1 year ago by kstn281 #

16. 

    To be honest, they don't use their front claws in defence much, if he needed to defend himself, he'd use his back claws. At least, that is what I have observed in my cats. They haven't been declawed but when they are playing they will use their back paws much more then the front ones. And they do settle down, my late cat, Ville, was a holy terror for the first two years and then it was like someone flipped a switch and he became the most chill cat ever.

    Posted 1 year ago by MizzCupnCake #

17. 

    Jackson does sound like he is very excited that there is 'someone' like him in the house, he doesn't get the fact that Opie is an elderly kitty and doesn't feel like playing. Could always get another kitty to keep Jackson occupied, which may be entertaining or enough to drive you over the brink with both of them, lol! Or try to tire Jackson out with playtime, toys, laser tag (chasing the little red dot)...how old are your kids, can they help with playtime?

    Posted 1 year ago by AZDEBRA 5/27 & crew #

18. 

    LOL...ya...it's like once he realized there was someone in the house who was also furry the light just turned on. Jackson doesn't have a mean bone in his body. He is playful, naughty, curious and happy. Unfotunately as to my kids, I have joint physical custody of them...they are not at the house all the time and during the summer even less because they spend a lot of time with their dad. But when they are home...yes they sure do play with him. It's funny because if the kids have been home for 3 or 4 days...Jackson sleeps through the night. That's how much they wear him out. Very funny. He is NOT afraid of the kids at all. In fact it's the opposite sometimes. I have to go "rescue" the boys from Jackson because they will be playing and wrestling with eachother, and Jackson feels the need to join in and it startles them. OR he will play with their toys...I'll hear, "MOM!!! Jackson's playing with my Army guys...get him out!!" (insert whiney tone). My boys are 7 and 8. My daughter is 11. They are very good with Jackson.

    I've thought about getting another kitten for Jackson...but in the end I think it would be irresponsible of me. I'm not sure that I can afford to care for another kitty, nor am I sure that I have the time needed to give to another kitty. And as another poster said...I'm not sure if I could survive another baby Jackson! When Jackson was a baby...it was really like having a baby to a certain degree. I didn't sleep through the night. I had to feed him special food. Give him special attention. I even used to come home at lunch to spend time with him because 9 hrs was too long for him to be alone! LOL. Damn...my cat is spoiled...maybe that's the problem.

    Posted 1 year ago by kstn281 #

19. 

    we had probs with our cats trying to dig into the bedroom and tearing up the carpet in the process. we took a thick-ish piece of cardboard (broke down a box and flattened it) and stuck it over the threshold of the door. It sticks out quite a bit on both sides and the door shuts over it. The cardboard was scratched instead of the carpet. It's easy enough to replace and you can flip it over to whatever side the cat is in on. As they grew up, they just stopped trying to dig in. You just have to be careful not to catch your foot and trip (esp for you being pregnant!)

    Good luck!

    Posted 1 year ago by linda #

20. 

    You could also try 'soft paws', a soft cap that fits over your cat's claws. They mean continuing expense but you probably would not have to use them forever. Check for them online.

    Also, does Jackson have his own scratching pad, just for him? A vertical and horizontal one would be good, maybe driftwood for the vertical one and one of the cardboard ones for the horizontal. (Cats seem to love driftwood.) You can sprinkle catnip onto them and praise him profusely when he uses them. I realise he is doing the scratching to get your attention, not just to scratch but if he has a place he really likes to scratch, he may concentrate on that instead.

    Posted 1 year ago by jcat #

21. 

    Thanks to everyone for the great ideas.

    Honestly JCat, Jackson isn't looking for attention from me. I know...I know...hard to believe but truly all he wants right now is Opie. I spend time with him, talk to him, love on him. He has plenty of opportunity to come and sit with me in the afternoon/evening especially. Even at night when he's doing this scratching...I'll let him in the bedroom because I mistakenly think it's attention from me he's after. Nope. He quickly takes a spin around the room and sees that Opie is NOT in there and then he promptly wants OUT of the bedroom...wants nothing to do with me.

    And yes...Jackson has his own vertical scratching post which he has used since he was a kitten. I have NEVER had a problem with Jackson scratching at anything other than his scratching post.

    I will check into those soft paws. I think I'll definitely get the rescue remedy.

    Thanks Ladies!

    Posted 1 year ago by kstn281 #

22. 

    Soft paws are really great! Jackson still loves you--he just has a playmate!

    Posted 1 year ago by SoxsMom #

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