Softpaws

May. 14th, 2009 09:58 am
moonwise: (:<)
[personal profile] moonwise
On the recommendation of several of you cat-lovers out there in LJ-land, I purchased a set of Softpaws to attempt to curb Biscuit's scratching issues. She was very good as a kitten about using her scratching post and the various items for that purpose that we'd left around the house, but she's a brat cat now and is starting to prefer the couch. Although we can discourage Biscuit from this behavior when we're home, she has free rein when she's home alone.

Some of it is clearly attention-seeking. If we go into a room and close the door behind us, Biscuit wants to come inside too, and she'll start pulling at the carpet because it gets a reaction. I don't care as much because I hate our carpets and I'd like to have an excuse to replace them with hardwood, but husband does not share that view. But, once he found a claw-nick in his prized leather chair, something had to give. Biscuit also likes to get us up in the morning, and her preferred tactic is to pick at the mattress to make noise. This is extremely annoying.

I was nervous about how Biscuit would react to the claw-sheaths, but it turned out that she was much more cranky about getting her nails trimmed than anything else. We've been very careful with the claw nippers, so Biscuit complains and wiggles rather than turning into a Screaming Ball of Rage like Natalie did. Once the fronts were done, I put glue in the Softpaws tips like the instructions directed, and one two three they were on the claws. Biscuit didn't and doesn't seem to mind them too much - she picked halfheartedly at one paw and then ignored them completely.

There's been one unintended side effect. When Biscuit wants something at night, like a drink of water from the faucet or a snack, she bugs me because she knows I'll get up. Husband is a much more sound sleeper and will ignore her. Last night, Biscuit realized that clawing at the mattress was not getting the effect she wanted. I woke up to a warm lump on my chest and a paw very gently and persistently patting my nose. My husband thought it was adorable.

Date: 2009-05-14 02:40 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] morgi.livejournal.com
It does sound cute. :)

Plus they come in colours so you can colour-code the cat, or accessorize with the seasons, or just make it real obvious when one's fallen off...

Date: 2009-05-14 05:21 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] arafel.livejournal.com
Hee. I decided to go with clear caps because I thought colored ones would look silly, but it might be fun for holidays. Good point about knowing when they've dropped off, though.

Date: 2009-05-14 03:05 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] archaeologist-d.livejournal.com
It sounds cute to me, too! Glad to hear that they have something to curb scratching the furniture. One of the reasons we don't have cats any more.

Date: 2009-05-14 05:21 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] arafel.livejournal.com
I'm glad these things have been invented, too. It's much nicer than cutting off kitty's toes because you want to save your chair.

Date: 2009-05-14 04:21 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mebil.livejournal.com
Softpaws worked fairly well with Belvedere. The only negative is that the plastic cover will come off as the natural claw sheds its outer layer. You will find those coverings scattered across the house. The cat will become annoyed when you are checking the paws daily.

Congrats to Biscuit on her task of human domination. : )

Date: 2009-05-14 05:26 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] arafel.livejournal.com
Biscuit is actually very well-behaved about paw checks. We played with her toes when she was a kitten, so she is used to it. I imagine the sheaths will go up in the vacuum! But, it's good to know when they've dropped off so that you know they need to be replaced.

Date: 2009-05-15 02:02 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] tiggymalvern.livejournal.com
Soft paws can be great for cats that don't mind wearing them. A small subset of cats will obsess and tug with their teeth till every last one is gone, usually less than a day.

Date: 2009-05-15 06:26 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] arafel.livejournal.com
She seems to be OK with them so far. Do you use them on your cats?

Date: 2009-05-16 01:45 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] tiggymalvern.livejournal.com
No, we but we put a fair number of them on for clients at the clinic.

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