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In need of kitten help..

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  • Sea Oats wrote:
    I know a lot has already been said, but! I keep Sophie's nails trimmed so she doesn't try to claw me up. When she was a tiny baby she just scratched everything, but now she's almost 9 months old and she's grown out of clawing people, and just scratches what she's supposed to. I know PetSmart (dunno if you have those down there) has the claw caps, but I think keeping them trimmed helps them resist the urge to scratch everything.<br><br>And Sophie is a tortie.. which I think is just a whiny breed also. Because she follows me around crying all the time, but it's usually because she wants to be picked up and loved on. xD
    <br>She's still got itty bitty paws and claws so I'm honestly too scared to attempt trimming them D: <br><br>I thought that with Vera, but if I pick her up, 70% of the time she'll keep crying and squirm out of my arms :| She'll eventually get bored of crying and crawl onto my lap for a snooze or go play with her toys under my feet.
  • Some vets will trim claws, my friend used to take her rabbit and her cats to get their claws trimmed at the vets cause she was too scared to do it herself, it will probably cost a bit but better than doing it yourself if you arent comfortable with it
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  • Any and all veterinarians should and will trim the claws of almost any species. Cat's are very easy and teaching your sweet kitty at a young age about getting her paws handled and clipped is a very good idea. It should cost no more than 15 dollars and some vets even have specials to do a free teeth cleaning as well.<br><br>So not declaw your cat if you ever plan it going outside or you think it may ever go out. You are taking away once of it's main defenses and offenses. Clipping takes minutes, saves you from scratches (well most), and is completely humane.
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  • Vera got taken to the vet today as we found a stitch on her tummy that hadn't dissolved from when she was desexed. Was safely removed and now she just has a little red mark that we have to keep clean!<br>The vet commented on her little sharp claws and I asked about them trimming them, but they said they didn't have enough time and they'll do it at her next check-up on the 27th :)<br><br>It's been a couple of days since she's been on the kitchen benches, sweet sweet success ^.^<br><br>She's moved on to washing baskets... :P<br><img src="http://i572.photobucket.com/albums/ss170/clozobozo/341360_125328094253835_100003299344089_117454_1911860728_o.jpg"; alt="http://i572.photobucket.com/albums/ss170/clozobozo/341360_125328094253835_100003299344089_117454_1911860728_o.jpg"; class="bb-image" />
  • thats sooo cute :)
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  • <span style="font-size:85"><span style="color:#800000">L'e learnt the hard way when she was a kitten. We didn't abuse her, but she got a smack if she was doing something she wasn't allowed to be doing, or even a growl. So now she doesn't -ever- sit on a couch or chair, and she doesn't get on benches or scratch things she shouldn't.</span></span>
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  • SimStar wrote:
    <span style="font-size:85"><span style="color:#800000">L'e learnt the hard way when she was a kitten. We didn't abuse her, but she got a smack if she was doing something she wasn't allowed to be doing, or even a growl. So now she doesn't -ever- sit on a couch or chair, and she doesn't get on benches or scratch things she shouldn't.</span></span>
    <br>Yeah we've started pushing her off things... it felt so cruel at first but she's learning. <br><br>Is there such thing as a kitten teething toy? -.-" <br>She's biting EVERYTHING! <br>My school work is suffering from tiny teeth marks and I don't want to have to lock the cat up everytime I want to do school work.
  • Anything wrapped in rope/hemp, or thick/unwinding string, is a goood chew toy. Cats don't like plastic chews because of their overly sharp teeth, but giving them something to destroy is good. A strong rope mouse rubbed dow with a pinch of nip will amuse any cat.
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  • + Maitre + wrote:
    Anything wrapped in rope/hemp, or thick/unwinding string, is a goood chew toy. Cats don't like plastic chews because of their overly sharp teeth, but giving them something to destroy is good. A strong rope mouse rubbed dow with a pinch of nip will amuse any cat.
    <br>The annoying thing is that she doesn't chew her toys, and she has 2 hemp mice plus much more!
  • I guess when Lily was teething I was lucky. Clover had a whole bunch of bones that she rarely chewed that were hard. Lily would play with them and hold them while chewing on the ends that seemed to soothe her teeth and saved my furniture. She also still have her hard rubber teething toys that worked well as well. As for the nails, I've seen the caps at Petsmart but even as a kitten, Lily used to use her claws when walking across us. Now she doesn't at all, not even when playing.<br><br>On another note... ((Excuse me for the hijack)) but does anyone know how to stop a cat from "peeing" on a pile of clothes? Lily has the tendency to do this if she manages to get into the bedroom, so we have to keep the door closed. I'm not sure if this is spraying and she will go there time after time instead of the litter box. She will pace back and forth in front of the bedroom door crying to go in, despite the fact we have cleaned everything and deodorized the carpets and our clothing. I even went and washed the walls. She's not fixed... Yet. We were going to wait until Whiskey was old enough to get fixed and do them both at the same time.
  • <br><br>On another note... ((Excuse me for the hijack)) but does anyone know how to stop a cat from "peeing" on a pile of clothes? Lily has the tendency to do this if she manages to get into the bedroom, so we have to keep the door closed. I'm not sure if this is spraying and she will go there time after time instead of the litter box. She will pace back and forth in front of the bedroom door crying to go in, despite the fact we have cleaned everything and deodorized the carpets and our clothing. I even went and washed the walls. She's not fixed... Yet. We were going to wait until Whiskey was old enough to get fixed and do them both at the same time.
    <br><br><br>Biggest thing: Keep the rooms of your house neat and tidy. No piles of clothes, no open laundry bins, ect. She is a cat in a house full of dogs you are her person. As a sign of possession, cats will pee on the things that smell most like you, which for the most part is used clothes/towels/shoes/ect because of how much dead skin you leave on them. I know it is hard to pick up clothes right away, especially if it is late at night and your are tired. To say a lot of time, invest in a tall close-lid hamper, that is not made of wicker or plastic with breathable holes or cloth (All those let go of your smell and the cat will try to pee on it). Something like this one:<br><br><img src="http://common2.csnimages.com/lf/47/hash/8447/3802133/1/Household-Essentials-Double-Hamper-in-Coffee-Linen-with-Lid.jpg"; alt="http://common2.csnimages.com/lf/47/hash/8447/3802133/1/Household-Essentials-Double-Hamper-in-Coffee-Linen-with-Lid.jpg"; class="bb-image" /><br><br>Secondly, get her fixed as soon as possible. It will cut back her hormones that are making her feel the urge to spray.<br><br><br>Sorry for the hijack!<br><br><br>Clozo- I suggest taking your kitten to the pet store with you (On a leash with collar) and play with toys until you find one that is strong, durable, and she enjoys. Then, invest in a small bag of catnit. Putting on the things she is SUPPOSE to play with will reward her every time she does and should help stop the behaviors you don't want. But also, if you see her doing something you do not like, scold her and remove her from the room, but only if you see it. Cats are strong willed, but they love being around their people, so it will take time.<br><br><br>Hope this helped!
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  • + Maitre + wrote:
    <br><br>On another note... ((Excuse me for the hijack)) but does anyone know how to stop a cat from "peeing" on a pile of clothes? Lily has the tendency to do this if she manages to get into the bedroom, so we have to keep the door closed. I'm not sure if this is spraying and she will go there time after time instead of the litter box. She will pace back and forth in front of the bedroom door crying to go in, despite the fact we have cleaned everything and deodorized the carpets and our clothing. I even went and washed the walls. She's not fixed... Yet. We were going to wait until Whiskey was old enough to get fixed and do them both at the same time.
    <br><br><br>Biggest thing: Keep the rooms of your house neat and tidy. No piles of clothes, no open laundry bins, ect. She is a cat in a house full of dogs you are her person. As a sign of possession, cats will pee on the things that smell most like you, which for the most part is used clothes/towels/shoes/ect because of how much dead skin you leave on them. I know it is hard to pick up clothes right away, especially if it is late at night and your are tired. To say a lot of time, invest in a tall close-lid hamper, that is not made of wicker or plastic with breathable holes or cloth (All those let go of your smell and the cat will try to pee on it). Something like this one:<br><br><img src="http://common2.csnimages.com/lf/47/hash/8447/3802133/1/Household-Essentials-Double-Hamper-in-Coffee-Linen-with-Lid.jpg"; alt="http://common2.csnimages.com/lf/47/hash/8447/3802133/1/Household-Essentials-Double-Hamper-in-Coffee-Linen-with-Lid.jpg"; class="bb-image" /><br><br>Secondly, get her fixed as soon as possible. It will cut back her hormones that are making her feel the urge to spray.<br><br><br>Sorry for the hijack!
    <br><br>I figured it was something along those lines. Either way, the pets are not allowed in the bedroom anyway since my husband has allergies. I know, weird eh that he's allergic to animals and we have three. O.O Thanks for the advice, we are getting her fixed in a month when Whiskey turns 6 months. Our vet, who is amazing and owns her own practice, has offered us a deal that she'll do one for half price if we do both at the same time. She's been a family friend forever. <br><br>Once again, sorry for the hijack.<br><br>Vera is super cute by the way!
  • + Maitre + wrote:
    <br>Clozo- I suggest taking your kitten to the pet store with you (On a leash with collar) and play with toys until you find one that is strong, durable, and she enjoys. Then, invest in a small bag of catnit. Putting on the things she is SUPPOSE to play with will reward her every time she does and should help stop the behaviors you don't want. But also, if you see her doing something you do not like, scold her and remove her from the room, but only if you see it. Cats are strong willed, but they love being around their people, so it will take time.<br><br><br>Hope this helped!
    <br>I've got to get her kitten harness yet, and I don't know how well my pet store will take to having a cat around in the store. Plus, Vera tends to freak at loud people she doesnt know, last time that happened I suffered large deep scratches all over my shoulder :\ <br>I'm kinda avoiding giving her catnip... at least until she's older! She is only 3 months after all... <br>
    <br>I figured it was something along those lines. Either way, the pets are not allowed in the bedroom anyway since my husband has allergies. I know, weird eh that he's allergic to animals and we have three. O.O Thanks for the advice, we are getting her fixed in a month when Whiskey turns 6 months. Our vet, who is amazing and owns her own practice, has offered us a deal that she'll do one for half price if we do both at the same time. She's been a family friend forever. <br><br>Once again, sorry for the hijack.<br><br>Vera is super cute by the way!
    <br>xP My boyfriend is allergic to furry animals as well! He adores Vera though which is great, though he still avoids my dog :\ <br>Good luck with the fixing, I've had to deal with 6 greyhound puppies all being fixed on the same day at the vet and my gosh... those puppy cries get on your nerves! Hopefully the cats are better though!
  • <br>I figured it was something along those lines. Either way, the pets are not allowed in the bedroom anyway since my husband has allergies. I know, weird eh that he's allergic to animals and we have three. O.O Thanks for the advice, we are getting her fixed in a month when Whiskey turns 6 months. Our vet, who is amazing and owns her own practice, has offered us a deal that she'll do one for half price if we do both at the same time. She's been a family friend forever. <br><br>Once again, sorry for the hijack.<br><br>Vera is super cute by the way!
    <br>xP My boyfriend is allergic to furry animals as well! He adores Vera though which is great, though he still avoids my dog :\ <br>Good luck with the fixing, I've had to deal with 6 greyhound puppies all being fixed on the same day at the vet and my gosh... those puppy cries get on your nerves! Hopefully the cats are better though!
    <br><br>Yeah, he's especially allergic to cats. We have to be strict with her, having to use the cat wipes. Not only does she get less hairballs because we wipe away the loose fur, but it also helps with the dander. Luckily Whiskey is a short haired dog, American Bulldog/German Shepherd mix and Clover is a Husky/Lab mix... Can't wait to get a place with hardwood floors and not wall to wall carpet. xD<br><br>Ouch, six greyhound puppies on the same day. O.O As for the catnip, I found that Lily doesn't like the actual stuff that you eat... But they have catnip spray that she loves and has the same effect.
  • <br>I figured it was something along those lines. Either way, the pets are not allowed in the bedroom anyway since my husband has allergies. I know, weird eh that he's allergic to animals and we have three. O.O Thanks for the advice, we are getting her fixed in a month when Whiskey turns 6 months. Our vet, who is amazing and owns her own practice, has offered us a deal that she'll do one for half price if we do both at the same time. She's been a family friend forever. <br><br>Once again, sorry for the hijack.<br><br>Vera is super cute by the way!
    <br>xP My boyfriend is allergic to furry animals as well! He adores Vera though which is great, though he still avoids my dog :\ <br>Good luck with the fixing, I've had to deal with 6 greyhound puppies all being fixed on the same day at the vet and my gosh... those puppy cries get on your nerves! Hopefully the cats are better though!
    <br><br>Yeah, he's especially allergic to cats. We have to be strict with her, having to use the cat wipes. Not only does she get less hairballs because we wipe away the loose fur, but it also helps with the dander. Luckily Whiskey is a short haired dog, American Bulldog/German Shepherd mix and Clover is a Husky/Lab mix... Can't wait to get a place with hardwood floors and not wall to wall carpet. xD<br><br>Ouch, six greyhound puppies on the same day. O.O As for the catnip, I found that Lily doesn't like the actual stuff that you eat... But they have catnip spray that she loves and has the same effect.
    <br><br>I'm lucky that my boy isn't that allergic... he just gets nasal issues. Mind you he only see's Vera like once every 2 weeks... might be an issue in the future when he's always around her >.<<br>Most of the toys I go to buy Vera are 'infused with catnip', hence why most of her toys consist of napkins, pen grips and those things you put on the bottom of chairs to stop the scraping... xD <br>I haven't seen a spray yet but I'll keep my eye out for one!
  • I would support you in that - don't give her catnip until she's MUCH closer to being an adult. Some studies have suggested that it is harmful to kittens. <br><br>As for her pricklepaws, have you considered sitting her down with a file and trying to soften the tips a bit? My muffins were getting nail trims from the age of 4 weeks on, as long as you only nip the very ickle needly point then its fine. I would always err on the side of caution, because one bad experience is bad enough, but it's not hard! Actually, working with her from kittenhood is a good thing for you as it will make nail maintenance easier in the long run and the thin keratin of kitten claws make the quicks very easy to identify. If you are still nervous, then using a file to gently (geeentllyyyyy) round the tips of her claws will help a lot. after all, it isn't the whole nail that's bugging you, just the sharp bit :D A cat scratcher will NOT file her claws, because cat claws shed in sheaths, exposing sharper "new" sheaths as they go. Cat scratchers that do file nails are often bad for the cat and cause abrasions to paw pads and can damage the quicks if the cat is an innocently enthusiastic scratcher. You don't want to accidentally teach your cat that using a cat scratcher is a painful experience!<br><br>When working with her paws (and you should be frequently harassing her at this age: handling her paws, looking at her gums and teeth, peering into her ears, the whole nine yards) just be consistent. The idea isn't to be forceful, but that the experience isn't going to end just because she objects. If she has a tasty nom and you're being encouraging and upbeat, these will become everyday activities that will make your life much, much easier in the long run. <br><br>As for training her what hurts you, it's just like a puppy in some regards. Whenever she hurts you, any high sharp sound will do. Immediately discontinue play or pets and walk away. She wants your love and attention, and if you stop giving her those things when she hurts you then she will have an incentive to WANT to learn what will cause that so she can avoid chasing you off. Cats are very straightforward. They don't understand complicated concepts and are very in the moment. I recommend things like what was mentioned before, the compressed air with the motion sensor. It isn't designed to spray the cat with anything or even really touch the cat at all. Cats respond instinctively to a hissing noise as a negative one, and the strange sourceless hissing that is a consistent and instantaneous response is enough to do the trick with most skittles.
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  • Xaetian wrote:
    I would support you in that - don't give her catnip until she's MUCH closer to being an adult. Some studies have suggested that it is harmful to kittens. <br><br>As for her pricklepaws, have you considered sitting her down with a file and trying to soften the tips a bit? My muffins were getting nail trims from the age of 4 weeks on, as long as you only nip the very ickle needly point then its fine. I would always err on the side of caution, because one bad experience is bad enough, but it's not hard! Actually, working with her from kittenhood is a good thing for you as it will make nail maintenance easier in the long run and the thin keratin of kitten claws make the quicks very easy to identify. If you are still nervous, then using a file to gently (geeentllyyyyy) round the tips of her claws will help a lot. after all, it isn't the whole nail that's bugging you, just the sharp bit :D A cat scratcher will NOT file her claws, because cat claws shed in sheaths, exposing sharper "new" sheaths as they go. Cat scratchers that do file nails are often bad for the cat and cause abrasions to paw pads and can damage the quicks if the cat is an innocently enthusiastic scratcher. You don't want to accidentally teach your cat that using a cat scratcher is a painful experience!<br><br>When working with her paws (and you should be frequently harassing her at this age: handling her paws, looking at her gums and teeth, peering into her ears, the whole nine yards) just be consistent. The idea isn't to be forceful, but that the experience isn't going to end just because she objects. If she has a tasty nom and you're being encouraging and upbeat, these will become everyday activities that will make your life much, much easier in the long run. <br><br>As for training her what hurts you, it's just like a puppy in some regards. Whenever she hurts you, any high sharp sound will do. Immediately discontinue play or pets and walk away. She wants your love and attention, and if you stop giving her those things when she hurts you then she will have an incentive to WANT to learn what will cause that so she can avoid chasing you off. Cats are very straightforward. They don't understand complicated concepts and are very in the moment. I recommend things like what was mentioned before, the compressed air with the motion sensor. It isn't designed to spray the cat with anything or even really touch the cat at all. Cats respond instinctively to a hissing noise as a negative one, and the strange sourceless hissing that is a consistent and instantaneous response is enough to do the trick with most skittles.
    <br>Yeah I have noticed her claws tend to randomly split, it worried me at first but they would always be gone the next day so I didn't worry about it anymore. <br>I'll try giving the filing a go once she's calmed down from yet another hyper mood.<br><br>I always play with her paws >.> it's fun and fascinates me :oops: <br><br>Dad and I were literally just talking about the motion sensor thing! We're going to look into it when we get back from holidays. <br><br>Thanks for the info Xae :3
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