| Don't get caught holding the bag when | | | | which had startled both of us. |
| your cat decides to claw houseguests and | | | | There are some cats that are afraid of |
| unsuspecting members of your family. | | | | children, but I think most pets respond |
| Even after you have gotten your cat used | | | | well to acclimatization. You can expose |
| to using her own personal scratching | | | | your cat to young children, like I did. |
| post to sharpen her claws on a regular | | | | Just wait a while before you let them |
| basis, there are still times when your | | | | loose around your cat. Sit the child |
| pet may suddenly lash out to claw | | | | next to you and feed your kitty treats, |
| people. | | | | then gradually let the child take over. |
| But before you rush to judgement and | | | | Do this for small stretches over several |
| perhaps punishment, ask yourself to | | | | sessions. This worked well for me. Abby |
| consider the motivation behind such | | | | is now comfortable around the |
| acting out behavior. Cats, like most | | | | neighborhood children. |
| animals, will lash out when they are | | | | I'm grateful that Abby was able to get |
| afraid. So when your cat suddenly claws | | | | used to being around children, but I |
| people, before you play the blame game | | | | could detect that at times she would get |
| with your pet, try to consider both | | | | jealous of the attention the children |
| sides of the equation. Is it your cat's | | | | received, and would proceed to jump |
| fault, or the people around her who have | | | | between us. Some cats do get jealous of |
| provoked her or made her frightened? | | | | certain people. Some cats start acting |
| I was prime witness to just such a | | | | out and being mean to certain people |
| situation when the family who gave me my | | | | too. If this situation persists, the |
| cat Abby dropped by for a spontaneous, | | | | only thing to do is remove the cat from |
| unannounced visit. They had not seen | | | | the situation. When your cat starts |
| Abby for about a year. As she had been | | | | growling or clawing, pick her up and |
| an exclusively indoor cat, she had no | | | | take her to the bathroom until your |
| contact with people outside my family. I | | | | guest is gone. You may also advise your |
| could tell she was startled when a group | | | | guest that if they are also a pet owner, |
| of five people barreled into the house. | | | | your cat may be responding to the scent |
| Abby's first response was to dive under | | | | on the person's clothes. |
| the dining room table. The children | | | | The worst thing is when your cat |
| proceeded to try to yank her out from | | | | consistently claws a family member. If |
| under the table. I could tell she was | | | | it's a family member, try a commercially |
| frightened. From under the table I could | | | | available cat repellant or lemon juice |
| hear her hissing. A low rumbling growl | | | | to keep the cat away, then |
| which I had never heard before was | | | | acclimatization to get them used to the |
| coming from the pit of her stomach. The | | | | other person. If all this fails, you may |
| children kept poking and prodding her | | | | be forced to consider declawing your |
| even though to me it was obvious she was | | | | pet. |
| distressed. They kept waving their hands | | | | Remember that when your pet acts out, |
| in front of her face and then pulling | | | | there is usually a reason for it. When |
| them away. To make matters worse, they | | | | animals are frightened, they go into |
| had also brought one of her littermates, | | | | defense mode. In these situations, we |
| who she now seemed to consider a | | | | can often forgive their clawing |
| stranger. In a panic, I rushed to open a | | | | mistakes. To avoid cat clawing |
| sliding glass door so Abby could jump | | | | catastrophies, try the steps outlined |
| through before the two cats could square | | | | above. Small doses of exposure to people |
| off against each other. | | | | will usually cure your cat of its' |
| I remember thinking that this whole | | | | clawing outbursts. Then again, cats like |
| experience was so abrupt and | | | | people, can be finicky with their |
| traumatizing for Abby that I couldn't | | | | affections. If you have tried and tried |
| blame her when the claws came out. Yet | | | | for instance, to get your cat used to |
| I'm sure from the looks on the faces of | | | | your mother in law, but to no avail, |
| my guests that day, that they blamed me | | | | what can you do? How can you blame kitty |
| and my cat for their claw marks. They | | | | for not liking her? After all, if the |
| assumed Abby was afraid of or didn't | | | | truth be known, it's not like you like |
| like children. I didn't think that was | | | | her that much either. |
| the issue, it was their sudden entrance | | | | |