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