Behavior Modification
Give your cat a manicure, it’s best to start when it’s a kitten. Take
your
cat to a professional groomer or do it yourself. Get your cat accustomed
to
having you touch its paws. You will need to have a good source of light
and you
will want to be able to gently, but firmly, control your cat. Only
trim the very
tip of the cat’s nail. Scratching and stretching are a natural
part of being a
cat. You cannot punish your cat for scratching with his
claws, however you can
provide your cat with a place to scratch that is
acceptable for both you and
your cat which will re-enforce desirable
behaviour. Here are some examples: ·
Either purchase a scratching post or
build your own using carpet samples and
wood. · Get a chunk of log - cats
love this since it feels just they're
scratching on a tree! · If you have
several cats in your household, be sure to
provide several scratching areas.
Cats mark their territory when they scratch:
they actually release small
amounts of oil or a "scent" from glands
located under each claw. Therefore,
it is very important to teach your cat early
on where he can and cannot
scratch. Once an item is marked, the cat will prefer
to return and scratch
there again. If you can train your cat to mark his
scratching post, he will
use it over and over again! Aversion therapy is very
effective, keep a squirt
bottle filled with water near areas you don't want the
cat to scratch. When
he approaches and starts to scratch on a
"forbidden" object, startle him by
squirting water on his back (never
his face!). Then, simply pick the cat up
and take him to his scratching post.
Start to play with the cat by
dragging a string on the post. When he scratches
the post, give lots of
positive reinforcement, praise and show excitement - your
cat will love the
attention and repeat this to get more attention. Be consistent
don’t permit
undesirable behavior "sometimes". Be clear what you
will and will not allow
and ensure that everyone in the household (including
your cat) knows, and
follows, the same rules. Behavior modification techniques
are very powerful
and will work if used
correctly.
Bibliography
http://amby.com/cat_site/cattrain.html Online
site Humane Society of Delaware
County:
http://www.delawarecohumanesoc.org/declaw.htm