I'm sorry if this is an over-done type of thread. My husband

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Please do not declaw the cats! Especially not older ones, give them up for adoption before doing such a life changing operation. It has so many side effects, some that are even potentially fatal, that I urge you to research exactly what you will be doing to your cat before this operation occurs. Since they are older, dramatic personality change is likely to occur as well, and they will have to relearn how to walk entirely as well. Is having fancy furniture worth causing lifelong pain to your cats over?
While you feel that there is no other alternatives, there is actually plenty more within your budget. One particular one I'm fond of is the "Cat Run" with an outdoor cat house that the cats can spend the day out on that has toys for them to play with. Play with your cats more, see what they like, that may actually be the answer to your problem.

Well, it's outlawed in the UK on the grounds of animal cruelty. So, is it cruel? Yeah.

>>2091047

I don't want to declaw them. We are getting the couch before they are scheduled to get declawed...maybe they will treat it alright. They know I get upset when they dig in to the leather ottoman we just got and at least seem to avoid it a little.

They have destroyed furniture and baseboards beyond repair, though. If we don't go through with this, we need a suitable outlet for them. I'm not trying to level 'fancy' furniture with my pets' well being, but our current couch is completely shredded. You can't sit on the damn thing without springs popping up from how much stuffing's been pulled out, and it's an embarrassing eyesore for company.

We tried the 'cat run'. Since we raised them from kittens, they fear/hate the outside. They sit down, freeze, and act terrified.

>>2091048

I know. That's why I'm seeking advice for an alternative. There's got to be something better.

>>2091044
Please don't declaw OP! It's cruel and most vets refuse to do it.

Try getting some cat training books, or if you must, swat their butts with rolled up newspaper. Supervise them and if they start to go over to scratch something, run up with the newspaper and swat them on the butt.

If they start to walk up to their scratching posts, walk slowly and praise them sincerely and give pats or treats. Also entertain the idea of using icewater in your squirt bottle. Have two squirt bottles, freeze them both, let one get halfway defrosted and use it, then switch it off with the other before the ice melts all the way. I guarantee they will think twice when the water isn't just lukewarm.

>>2091072
Also, try not letting them on furniture or places they may scratch. Begin to make these places 'no-no' places and just not allow them near them unless you are sitting there and they want to be on your lap. Don't let them up their otherwise, and if they sneak up there, squirt them and tell them DOWN and NO. Give them alternative places to lay.

>>2091072

I'll try the ice water (room temp didn't phase them). They really don't give two shits about the scratching posts. Our dog honestly uses them more (for whatever reason), otherwise we'd have gotten rid of the things.

It's hard to supervise constantly because we both work. Like I said earlier, they know I get upset when they scratch the new ottoman...but when I come home from work, I still see punctures and scratch marks from when nobody was around. We put blankets on it in the hope that they claw those instead, but the stubborn little guys pull them off to get to the main attraction.

They are particularly bad about scratching when they want food. We feed them according to a reasonable schedule, but they arbitrarily decide when they want to eat again, and if we don't get up and feed them right away, they take out the frustration of being denied food in destructive ways. They aren't obese, but definitely overweight. So it's also a struggle of moderating their diet and making sure that they don't tear everything apart.

They are literally more work to look after than the dog...

>>2091074

I can try harder at this, but they're very set in their habits.

Especially where water is concerned. I keep their water dish very clean, but if one of us has a glass of water, it's instantly the center of their attention. They jump onto whatever piece of furniture the water glass is on and try to drink out of it.

They usually listen when we scold (albeit somewhat reluctantly), but I can walk out of the room for a few seconds and return to find them face-deep in my glass of water. Out of sight, out of mind I guess.

I do know we spoil them as far as their comfort goes. I'll sit on the floor if I see one of them stretched out and snoozing on the couch. And it's hard for me to want to move them if they make themselves at home on my lap or beside me.

My dad had an issue with our cat scratching at his door when he was sleeping, he solved it by throwing light pillows at the cat if it woke him up. Our cat is a lot better behaved now, all we had to do is show her that we weren't going to put up with her shit and we've got a chair that she uses as a scratching post in a separate room.

>>2091084
>>2091086
Welp, I will tell you right now, I am always one to say positive reinforcement, but if it's coming down to the point you are considering declawing, then I think you seriously need to look into what you are doing as an owner.

I won't say that cats are comparable to children, but you are responsible for their wellbeing, and it is your roof and your money that is providing for them. You need to step it up a notch and either outsmart them, or put your foot down more. A swat with a newpaper is a little scary, but it isn't painful. Same thing with the icewater, and it would help greatly if you are just firm in your ways.

You do not have to be mean, but you do need to be firm about them not getting on furniture and it takes a not of repetition. If in your presence, they go to do something wrong, pic them up and put them where they are supposed to be. If they try to go back, clap your hands, be loud, run at them. That's not being mean, that's just letting them know that they disregarded the first warning, so another harsher warning is being showed. If they refuse to listen to the second warning, then a consequence follows-like the squirt bottle or the newspaper.

Now, I have heard of people doing this but I don't know if it works-you could try wrapping where they scratch in tenfoil or something equally weird while you aren't there. When they go to scratch it, they shouldn't like it.

Or, for a while until you have the bad behaviour trained out of them, lock them both in a cat-proofed room and let them out when you get back from work. They have each other to keep company, and they will sleep a lot, so having a few hours of less access to the house really won't be cruel.

You could also look up some youtube videos on harness training and let them get some energy out outside.

>>2091096

I'm going to give this a sincere try.

I do compare my cats to kids, which maybe has led to us spoiling them a little too much. Perhaps that's why they don't take our scoldings seriously. In the meantime, I think we should get some wrap for the new couch and just try to work with them. My husband is pretty hardline about the notion that we shouldn't drop money on a piece of furniture that will get destroyed by them, but I can't bring myself to let them have their 'finger tips' cut off.

>>2091044
https://youtu.be/5fP4emqw7O4

Get fresh orange peels and rub them on the spots they're scratching.

Declawing as you know is cruel, but it's so much worse on adult cats. Furniture is not that important that your cats have a high chance of literally being in pain the rest of their lives. It's good your looking for ways to avoid it, but if they don't learn, it's better you find a home for them that song cut their toes off for goddamn replaceable furniture.

>>2091138
I think he's right in the way that maybe you should get some secondhand furniture that still looks nice but is cheaper. This way you aren't wasting money while you try to train your cats.

The other thing is, even if you did consider them along the lines of your kids, you STILL should not be letting your kids walk all over you. You have to be a parent, and part of being a parent is being responsible and not letting your kids-or pets, put themselves in harms way through certain behaviours. These behaviours are putting your cats in harms way by consideration of declaring. And, similarly with kids, you do not have to be harsh and scolding. It's just as possible to be firm and fair. The only difference with the cats is that the cats can't learn english, so you have to learn their language and deliver messages in a way that they can understand, otherwise you'll just be going around in circles with the cats not really understanding why you are doing the things you are doing.

>>2091086
They want water from your glass? Dump it on their head.

>>2091086
>I'll sit on the floor if I see one of them stretched out and snoozing on the couch.
looks like your cats trained you well.
you seem like the pet in that relationship.

>>2091172

Nobody wants middle age male cats with their claws still intact. It was hard enough re-homing the cat that we rescued from outdoors. She was already declawed when we found her.

>goddamn replaceable furniture

Wanting to have nice things and keep them nice is not some unpardonable crime, jesus.

>>2091179

It's probably a good thing I don't have kids...my pets walk all over me as it is.

>>2091508

I just wish they didn't take out their annoyance on the furniture.

>don't feed them the second they cry for food
>start clawing the shit out of something aggressively
>push them off the end table away from my water
>aggressively claw the legs of the couch
>one loses a wrestling match to the other
>starts clawing the shit out of the ottoman

Feisty bastards.

>>2091044
How old are they? Over a few months and the cats will not be able to handle the surgery. The weight they would need to bear on their open wounds would cause extreme pain. Cats have to be euthanized because they can't learn how to walk on their new paws or just don't want to fight through the pain.

I know you don't like scratching furniture, but how do you feel about pissing/shitting on furniture? That's what you're trading out for.

>>2091511

Yeah...pic related.

>>2091518

They're six years old. For what it's worth, my parents rehabbed adult feral cats often throughout my childhood, and always got them declawed. They had no trouble walking after 2-3 days recovery. Still doesn't make it okay.

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>>2091511
>>2091523

Sorry, forgot pic.

>>2091523
Adult cats getting declawed are much more likely to have complications after the fact, including infections, regrowth, cancer, arthritis, and the inability to walk among other things. They are also reported to be more likely to have behavior problems like biting and refusal to use the litter box. It generally takes adult cats many weeks to recover; the bandages alone need to stay on, removed and rewrapped a few times to prevent infection. If pissing/shitting everywhere is not as bad as the scratching, then by all means go ahead. I'm worried about the cats making messes and you trying to rehome them. They can not be outdoor cats, and cats that don't always use the box are nigh impossible to rehome and often times end up euthanized.

Anecdotal evidence is just that; anecdotal. Just because something happens to you, doesn't mean it's the norm.

My cat was also an aggressive scratcher. He was destroying my upholstered chair and would not take no for an answer. So, for a month or two I put doublesided tape on the spots he scratches the most. It was hideous but it worked. He gets on the chair but no longer scratches it

>>2091543

I'll try the tape. We're picking up the couch on Saturday, their appointment isn't until next Thursday. That will give us a few days to see how they fare with the couch.

I'm kind of hopeful that it being a different couch will also discourage scratching. They're used to scratching the old one, but maybe will treat this one better. Kind of like when we had an apartment, they destroyed the baseboards there, but since we moved, they haven't touched the baseboards we currently have.

>>2091545
It's a good time to start over and use double sided tape, tin foil, spikey mats, bad smells etc to discourage them right off the bat with the new couch. Don't wait until they begin scratching.

I recently read somewhere that there are two ways to declaw. the common way is the digit removing, but supposedly there's also a way where really only the claw is removed from the digit, but it isn't done much because the procedure is much more difficult. At first glance i think that might be true, you sometimes hear of people who have to get their nail removed and it stays away, but i don't know if the same thing goes for cats. But I don't remember where I read it, or how 'proffesional' the site was. it seems a bit like a pro-declawing person sugarcoating it.

>>2091551

That's the plan. We're getting it used, but it's a nice looking piece and I don't want them to even think about sinking their claws in.

>>2091555

I read about that, too. I'm curious to see if any vets in our area would be willing to do that. I'm sure it's a lot more expensive. I think it's called 'cosmetic' declawing.

Originally I thought the lasering process worked that way too, but it's really not different from the standard surgery. Just less blood, and slightly more humane.

If it gets to the point where you're going to declaw anyway, at least consider getting the poor fuckers a tendonectomy instead. It's still not recommended or considered humane, but at least it isn't an amputation or as painful for the cats to walk on, it leaves their claws permanently retracted rather than cut out.

>>2091517
Then euthanize your cats, because no one wants middle aged male cats that are declawed and piss everywhere.

You are choosing an object over a living creature, don't act like you care about your cats when the couch is more important

>>2091517
>Wanting to have nice things and keep them nice is not some unpardonable crime, jesus.

Motherfucker you're considering putting your cats through a lot of suffering and potentially early death for the sake of a nicer couch. Don't expect sympathy. Just give them to someone who isn't a piece of shit.

>>2091065
You think scratched furtniture is embarrassing? Imagine how embarrassing its going to be when people think you're a cunt for declawing your cats. If you're lucky they won't say it to your face but shit talk behind your back.

>>2091138
If you had a daughter would you get a female circumcision to put her off having sex if you were worried she would get pregnant too young?

Mutilation is not the answer.

>I love my cats
>but I love this couch
>I know, I'll amputate my cats toes
>even though I know it's a painful, traumatizing thing to do
>thank god my living, breathing companions will be in too much pain to ruin this piece of furniture now

>>2091044
we take out their nuts and ovaries and they're even more proud of those.

If some new couch is so important to you and keeping it nice is your #1 priority then just euthanize your cats. Even if they don't scratch it I'm sure they will get hair on it or do some other bullshit that will upset you and soil your precious couch. Dumb cunt.

how hard is it to keep your cats in a different room while you're out? why wouldn't you just give them a space in your house that they can be unsupervised in without destroying anything while you work on training them?

>>2091044
if you love your furniture more than your pets then find someone better suited to be a pet owner, scum. i don't like you

Wow no one has suggested getting the cats special cat furniture like scratching posts with combination hang out spots. OP if you're indulging yourself get them a piece of furniture for them to do what they're feeling forced to do with your furniture.

>>2091044
Hey OP, I know this is an old thread and you might not be around anymore. I understand your frustration in having cats that can be destructive, please understand that their clawing is not only a stress release for them but also necessary for the upkeep of their claws.

Here are my suggestions to you:

>get a large cat tree where the posts on it are scratching posts and absolutely cover it with catnip/catnip spray
>they may not use it at first regardless when they do give them their absolute favourite treat
>hide some treats round the tree for them to find
>play with them around the tree and between the posts so they get used to grabbing at them

Another great alternative to the sisal cat posts is to get an actual bit of wood/tree for them to claw at. My cat loves them.

Do as one of the previous posters suggested and scare/warn the cats when they use the objects they're not supposed to or claw at it. Go a step further by locking them out that room for a while. You have to act INSTANTLY or the cat will not make the connection that you're shouting due to that. Example:

>cat starts scratching
>come towards it shouting
>if it stops leave it at that but withold affection/attention for a while
>if it does it again come towards the cat shouting or clapping, pick him up and take him to an isolated spot for an hour.

When you are not there, either leave the cats in a cat run or a room with furniture you don't care about.

If you can, keep them out of the room with the nice furniture.

Try to introduce them to the outdoors again using positive reinforcement with treats and playing with them. One of the reasons they're clawing your shit is that it's natural for them to do so, your home is their entire world and they're probably full of energy because they're cooped up indoors, these are incredibly athletic animals. If they went outside and you had lots of places for them to mark their territory there, they'd let up on the destruction indoors.

>>2093837
Another thing to do? Trim the claws and file them down so that they are rounded. Or put little cat gloves on them when you're out the house.

The thing with all cats is that when you punish them, they don't learn "this is wrong I shan't do it" they learn "I wont do this when my owner is around"

So all you can do is A) provide alternatives B) reward kitties for taking alternative route C) preventative measures so they can't destroy your shit when you're not around.

If none of the above works then you need to choose between a nice home and your cats.

>>2093838
AND OLD CARPET!

Scratching posts all around the new furniture, stick old carpet on the areas of the new stuff they might scratch.

pls dont declaw them, you just need to be creative OP.

Don't declaw your fucking cats, Jesus Christ. Shit should be outlawed.

Soft paws FTW.