Cat damage

[sofadoc]

I have a couple that I've been doing work for going on nearly 10 years. I've done every piece of furniture in their home 4-6 times. I know their garage code better than my own. They call, or e-mail and tell me what piece to pick up. I leave sample books, and they call in their selection. When I deliver, there's a check laying on the coffee table. Sweet arrangement, huh?

Their cats shred the fabric almost as fast as I can recover it. Tapestries, micro-fibers, chenille's, even leather.
They say that de-clawing is too expensive. I don't think that I have to point out the obvious flaw in that line of thinking. ;D
They also consider it inhumane.......NO......inhumane is what I would do to the cats if they were mine. ;)
I love animals as much as anybody, but if God had intended for them to freely shred furniture, he would've given them the ability to sign a mortgage.

The husband passed away recently, and the wife is moving out of the area. She wants a couple of pieces done one last time before she moves. But she wants a fabric that is totally indestructible by cats.
There are many tight weave fabrics that the average cat won't bother. But these aren't your average cats. I really don't know what to tell her.

[ajlelectronics]

I trust that comment was in jest? Because .....

1) Declawing is a horrific cruel animal abuse. How would you like your hands removed?
2) Shredding furniture is a behavioural problem which can be addressed. However, just like dog owners, they (cat staff) typically don't have a clue, nor do they have the intelligence nor interest to find out.


We have five, at one time had 13 cats and do not have a problem with damage.

[kodydog]

I have a friend with cats. We have covered many pieces for them. The cats seem to go mostly for the corners. So we cover the corners with a strip of clear vinyl and attach it with several brass nails. Not real noticeable and looks way better than the claw marks.

We do love our pets, don't we.

[SHHR]

I'd recover the furniture for her and when you deliver, bring your side cutters along and de-claw the cats for free :D

[gene]

Declaw a cat?  :o  It's OK to imprison them in our houses, not allowing them to go outside because of "wild animals" and diseases carried by other cats. It's OK to taunt them by making them watch birds through a thick sheet of glass knowing that they will never have the thrill of the hunt. It's OK to feed them food that stinks worse than their poop and is made from carcinogenic floor scraps and puss sacks shoveled up off the slaughter house floor. It's OK to pet them when we want to, and to shoo them away when we don't want to be bothered.

"Spam is cats!!!" (Think of Charlton Heston in Soylent Green.)

Mr. S. Ofadoc: I think the tighter the weave the more enjoyable the scratching will be for the cats. One thought for you is to see if you can find a
product that you can lightly apply to the finished furniture fabric that will repel the cats without staining the fabric or producing an unpleasant odor. Maybe apply it only to the areas that you know the cats like to scratch.

There's got to be a purrfect solution somewhere.

gene

[ajlelectronics]

Declaw a cat?  :o  It's OK to imprison them in our houses, not allowing them to go outside because of "wild animals" and diseases carried by other cats.

Not in my book

It's OK to taunt them by making them watch birds through a thick sheet of glass knowing that they will never have the thrill of the hunt. It's OK to feed them food that stinks worse than their poop and is made from carcinogenic floor scraps and puss sacks shoveled up off the slaughter house floor. It's OK to pet them when we want to, and to shoo them away when we don't want to be bothered.

Not in my book

It's OK to condemn the declawing of a cat but we say nothing at the mutilation done to human babies by some religious faithful.

I condemn ALL forms of abuse and cruelty, animal or human. There can be no excuse for someone to slake their blood lust on another living creature. Religion is just a handy "hook" to try to justify their sadism. Like the way a certain "community" barbarically kill animals for food, because their religion "dictates it". And the same religion forces women to walk around looking like a black post box. Can't be right and I would be up there with everyone else protesting about such abuses.

"Spam is cats!!!" (Think of Charlton Heston in Soylent Green.)

Mr. S. Ofadoc: I think the tighter the weave the more enjoyable the scratching will be for the cats. One thought for you is to see if you can find a
product that you can lightly apply to the finished furniture fabric that will repel the cats without staining the fabric or producing an unpleasant odor. Maybe apply it only to the areas that you know the cats like to scratch.

The cat doesn't scratch for enjoyment. They do it a) to strop their claws and b) Moreso, they mark their territory by doing so, when they are under stress etc. It can happen in multi-cat households where there is competion for the attentions of their staff. In the UK Felliway have been advertising heavily, maybe the client could give that a try? I believe it comes from your continent somewhere.

There are repellant sprays too, but not sure how effective they might be. The cats in that household are probably too old to be trained now, not to do it.

[sofadoc]

1) Declawing is a horrific cruel animal abuse. How would you like your hands removed?

I've heard people say that before. What's so horrible about it?
I had my cat's front paws declawed. As long as you intend for the animal to remain indoors where he won't need claws for defense, I don't see why it's abuse.
I had tried everything. It was either declaw, or throw the cat outside. The surgery didn't seem to bother my cat in the least. It did nothing to affect his very friendly disposition.
He still nurses on my earlobe while I sleep at night.
I know that some people love their animals as much as they do humans, but I wouldn't let any humans come into my home and shred my furniture either. If they did, they would sleep outside.

Clear vinyl strips down the sides won't help for MY customer. Her cats absolutely shred every surface of the furniture. She's tried repellant sprays, and those little claw covers that glue on like fake fingernails. Trimming their nails often only makes them work harder to hone a new point.

If a cat is bound and determined to sink his claws into fabric, no amount of behavioral training will change that.
I have an outdoor cat who used to be indoors. She NEVER touched the furniture. Some cats just aren't into that. THOSE are the ones that are easy to train. She's only an outdoor cat now because she prefers to be outside. On cold nights, she sleeps in the garage next to the water heater.

[ajlelectronics]

I've heard people say that before. What's so horrible about it?

The same way that it would be horrible for me to suggest cutting off your children's fingers because they leave fingermarks on the wallpaper. A cat's claws are a part of the whole and they are needed for many things, not the least is climbing to escape from loose dogs etc.

Have a look for Feliway and see if she gets a benefit from it. I can't say either way, but it gets some good writeups.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=felliway&tag=googhydr-21&index=aps&hvadid=8294897049&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14952337691452486574&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&ref=pd_sl_2dkophzvlu_e

[sofadoc]

The way I see it, claws are not the human equivalent of fingers. They are the equivalent of fingerNAILS.
If the cat is destined to remain indoors, he really doesn't need them.
When I opted for the declawing surgery, I knew that I was making a commitment to keep the cat safely indoors for the rest of his life. One declawing is a lot cheaper than 4 couches.

AJ: I'll pass those products on to my customer. But I won't be surprised if I learn that she's already tried them.

[jojo]

I also have four cats who do not scratch the furniture. We have these cheap cardboard scratchers they have at Walmart and Petsmart, as well as a pole scratcher. When they were kittens and tried to scratch the furniture, we would take them to the scratcher and run their claws over it. They got the hang of it pretty quick, but one or two needed a little spray bottle spritzing for motivation. 

[ajlelectronics]

Yes, that was a good point I forgot to make. They need to be provided with somewhere they CAN strop. Either the commercial wound rope tat or a nice bit of tree on a board that costs nowt and lasts longer. :-)

[sofadoc]

My customer has more "cat trees" than furniture. And she has those cardboard scratchers and ropes laying everywhere. And as I said before, she's tried repellant sprays and glue-on claw covers.
All of those gadgets work to some degree of success for most cats.
But if they DON'T work......they DON'T work.
And if they don't work, you have 3 options:
1) Live with scratched furniture
2) Declaw surgery
3) Have your upholsterer on "speed dial"

[bobbin]

I am a veteran cat "owner", the most recent crop (3) are now nearly 9 yrs. old.  Previous crop lived into their teens.  All of our cats have been allowed to go outdoors, although they are in at night. 

Clawing is territorial behavior, just as is spraying or rubbing their muzzles on things.  They have scent glands in their feet and clawing is actually leaving a scent mark for the other cats to read.  And that's why it's hard to "break" the habit.  We have a scratching post by the door, they use it when they come in or go out.  I have an inherited wing chair and ottoman that has become a scratching post (it's beat!) and when I decide to re-do it, I'll care more than I do right now. 

Generally speaking we don't have a lot of problems with it, but one kitty is more prone to it than the other two; interestingly, she's the one who likes being inside the most.  We think it's her way of marking her territory while the other two tend to mark outdoors. 

I suggest a length of wood (with the bark still on it) cut so one side is flat.  Our cats love to work on logs and trees.  Maybe a liberal rub with some catnip and then make the effort to play with the kitty when it's on the log.  Playing and patting them when they're "tuning up" has been a good way to reinforced the behavior we want to see. 

I love cats and think declawing is barbarous.  Claws are "standard equipment.  JMO
(why do I have to scroll side to side to read the posts, never used to happen to me on this forum)

[sofadoc]

(why do I have to scroll side to side to read the posts, never used to happen to me on this forum)

It happened because ajlelectronics posted that really long Amazon link for Felliway products. Any time a long link is posted, the screen goes wide.

Declawing had absolutely no adverse effects on my Siamese. Still the happiest, sweetest cat you'll ever meet. Of course, he's destined to be an indoor cat for the rest of his life now.
But since he's no longer slicing up my furniture, he has a much better chance of living to a ripe old age ;)
Vets used to seriously discourage declawing. Then they discovered what "easy money" it is. My vet made no attempt whatsoever to dissuade me. I'm glad I choose the surgery. Now I'm happy, my wife is happy, the furniture is happy, and "Napolean" is happy. :)

As far as fabric goes, I really don't know how to advise my customer.

[Joys Shop]

When you get right down to it, no fabric is "cat proof"
Either get them declawed, or accept the consequences

I have had cats for 35 years

Up until one of the cats I have now, they have always been declawed
Never let them out, never intended to

The ones I have now will never go out
I got the 2 cats I have now from the shelter.  One was already declawed when I got her.   Good thing, because she tries to claw everything.  The one with claws, only does it to one throw rug that I have.  If she ever goes for the furniture,  her claws will go too
I think declawing her is much kinder than throwing her permanently outside
Neither of the 2 cats I have now are at all interested in cat nip or cat treats
Hard to train a cat that has no interest in either