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Post by anti-nonsense on Nov 25, 2010 2:46:58 GMT -5
We used to have a cat that would catch mice and birds on occasion, on several such occasions the birds were still alive and we had to chase them through the house to get them out.
But I had two pet rats for a while, so I have no problem with rodents and would use humane traps if I ever had an infestation of rodents.
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Post by katsuro on Nov 26, 2010 11:44:44 GMT -5
Are glue traps even legal in the UK? Just seems like the sort of thing we'd have banned, like de-clawing cats etc.
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Post by Admiral Lithp on Nov 26, 2010 17:30:10 GMT -5
De-clawing cats is banned in the UK? Practically every cat I've ever had has been declawed.
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Post by katsuro on Nov 26, 2010 17:39:30 GMT -5
De-clawing cats is banned in the UK? Practically every cat I've ever had has been declawed. Yup. Wiki quote: "In the United Kingdom, declawing was outlawed by the Animal Welfare Act 2006, which explicitly prohibited "interference with the sensitive tissues or bone structure of the animal, otherwise than for the purposes of its medical treatment".[22] Even before the 2006 Act, however, declawing was extremely uncommon, to the extent that most people had never seen a declawed cat. The procedure was considered cruel by almost all British vets, who refused to perform it except on medical grounds. The Guide to Professional Conduct of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons stated that declawing was "only acceptable where, in the opinion of the veterinary surgeon, injury to the animal is likely to occur during normal activity. It is not acceptable if carried out for the convenience of the owner ... the removal of claws, particularly those which are weight bearing, to preclude damage to furnishings is not acceptable."" It's a pretty fucked up thing to do just to protect your furniture - www.declawing.com I mean if your child kept drawing on the walls you wouldn't cut his fingers off. I know its not quite the same but you know what I'm getting at.
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Post by Admiral Lithp on Nov 26, 2010 22:06:41 GMT -5
I am aware that declawing is an invasive surgery. I am also aware that the animal is sedated for it, which the article conveniently neglects to mention. The unfortunate fact is that it's not easy to get a cat to not claw the shit out of your stuff. Trimming a cat's nails, for instance? I can't even get them to let me cut knots out of their fur!
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Post by Vene on Nov 26, 2010 22:59:48 GMT -5
I am aware that declawing is an invasive surgery. I am also aware that the animal is sedated for it, which the article conveniently neglects to mention. The unfortunate fact is that it's not easy to get a cat to not claw the shit out of your stuff. Trimming a cat's nails, for instance? I can't even get them to let me cut knots out of their fur! Catnip.
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Post by Admiral Lithp on Nov 27, 2010 0:27:49 GMT -5
I am aware that declawing is an invasive surgery. I am also aware that the animal is sedated for it, which the article conveniently neglects to mention. The unfortunate fact is that it's not easy to get a cat to not claw the shit out of your stuff. Trimming a cat's nails, for instance? I can't even get them to let me cut knots out of their fur! Catnip. I wasn't talking about scratching posts. I've never had one.
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Post by priestling on Nov 27, 2010 2:59:39 GMT -5
I guess I'm weird here, I love mice (and rats... Ratties are adorable <3), and... hearing about this... I'd start with a tasering and work my way up!
Death is too good for some people... those that torture animals are on that list.
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Post by Napoleon the Clown on Nov 27, 2010 4:03:08 GMT -5
Lithp, declawing involves amputating the last joint of the toes. If keeping a cat from clawing up your shit is too difficult, just don't get a damn cat in the first place.
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Post by Aqualung on Nov 27, 2010 5:04:56 GMT -5
I wasn't talking about scratching posts. I've never had one. Maybe that's why your cats clawed up your furniture. Yes it's hard, but it can be done. Also, squirt gun.
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Post by Napoleon the Clown on Nov 27, 2010 5:14:08 GMT -5
I prefer spray bottle set to jet. Better range than most squirt guns and you don't need to charge it like you do with Super Soakers.
The sound alone becomes enough to get the cat to behave. Point, make the sound, and the cat realizes it has displeased you and bolts.
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Post by chad sexington on Nov 27, 2010 6:17:33 GMT -5
Also, spray a bit of air freshener around the base of your curtains and your cat won't go near them for a couple of days.
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Post by Mlle Antéchrist on Nov 27, 2010 6:22:34 GMT -5
I just yell at my cats to stop when they claw at the furniture. A quick "Hey!" usually stops them. Plus, there are cheaper alternatives to scratching posts, like scratching mats, those cardboard thingies, etc. I'm really not a big fan of declawing. Lithp: www.softpaws.com -- these provide a great alternative. Trimming a cat's nails does help a bit, too, although it's often a 2-person job. Get one to hold the cat still, the other to trim. I know that some cats make it impossible even if you've got 20 people trying to control them, but there are definitely other alternatives to declawing. If any of you ever get a kitten, make sure to start gently petting/rubbing (don't be rough) their paws as soon as possible after getting them, in order to get them used to having their paws touched and make trimming easier. A lot of animals hate having their paws touched if you don't do this when they're young.
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Post by Shane for Wax on Nov 27, 2010 6:57:40 GMT -5
Dogs are the same way. It isn't just cats that you have to train to like getting their nails trimmed. My big ol' greyhound was a huge baby when it came to that until we started messing with his paws. When he roached, when he was sleeping, when he was laying on the couch, we'd mess with his feet until he got used to it. Course that didn't prevent him from coming unglued when he pulled out one of his nails and we had to wrap his foot to get him to the emergency vet's.
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Post by katsuro on Nov 27, 2010 10:48:05 GMT -5
Lithp, declawing involves amputating the last joint of the toes. If keeping a cat from clawing up your shit is too difficult, just don't get a damn cat in the first place. This. If you care about the state of your furniture, then you shouldn't have any pets. Because if they don't at least claw your furniture, then at some point they're going to vomit, shit or piss all over it. Would you fit your cat with a colostomy just to stop it shitting on your carpet? Cat's often like to chew and bite soft furnishings, why not have all of it's teeth removed just to be safe? Also, don't forget that cats essentially walk on their toes, not on the flat part of the foot like humans, so amputating the last toe joint is a pretty big deal. And I think the article neglected to mention that cats are sedated during the operation because for 99% of people that fact should be bloody obvious and not need special motion.Generally people assume serious operations involve anesthetic. It doesn't change the fact that the recovery is painful and it's unnecessary major surgery just for the owner's convenience. IMO, if you get it done that shows you value your inanimate possessions over the wellbeing of a living, sentient creature. Your sofa doesn't feel pain or suffering, the cat does. I literally cannot imagine ever mutilating my cat to protect my furniture. Fuck, I'd destroy all my possesions in a heartbeat to save my cat from harm (although how that situation would ever arise I'm not sure lol). Plus, and this applies even more to pedigree breeeds, the cat probably cost you mroe than your sofa when you conisder vet bills (like getting it declawed), feeding it etc etc. My cats a year old, in that time she cost us a hell of a lot more than any of our furniture.
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