So how do you housebreak a kitten

If i do get a cat how would i teach it not to claw my stuff and to use litterbox..

Are you getting a cat or a kitten? The water bottle idea has worked good for me. When you see them scratch spray them. If you get an older cat look for one that is already declawed that will help you out!

Heidiho,why would you get a kitten,don't you have enough probs with Damien?
Anyway,kittens are usually litter-trained right of,I have never ever had a kitten who did not use the litter-box.
If you are too worried about your sofa getting scratched,don't get a kitten,no matter how many water-bottles you have and scratch-posts,they will still try the sofa.
Again I ask,why would you get a kitten,did I miss something? Are you giving up on Damien?

Heidi lets wait until we cross that line when Damien is gone. Then we'll give you advise on how to make your home safe for kitten/cat etc...

You have enough to do right now rehoming Damien.

Anita she's decided to rehome him, thankfully realizing that it's the best thing to do for him.

Have your vet show you how to clip your kitten's front claws. It's easy to do and they will not mind if you start them early. The only time Puss-Puss scratches is when her claws need trimming. And, she is still able to climb and defend herself. :)

Your rehoming Damien? Where are you located heidi? I have a friend who lives in Bridgenorth, Ontario with lots of land that's looking for another dog. They already own a King Shepherd named Zeus.

I don't think she'll be back until monday, so I will answer that... She lives in Pheonix Arizona.

Why do I have such a strong sense of deja vu? :confused:

ooh, that's far from Ontario :p I guess I'll tell her about my friend who mentioned his friend breeding theirs. :( I'd rather them not breed her, really. But I don't know them, so I guess I can't really say anything to them.. but my friend can :p

Why do u have deja vu?

Why do I have such a strong sense of deja vu? :confused:


I have no idea what that means.

Luba,that is the first I hear of it,poor Damien,hopefully he'll not be pushed from one home to the other.
I am a little concerned about Heidiho and a kitten,she does not seem to know much about cats/kittens...the first time she or her furniture gets scratch,she might rehome him/her.
I've had LOTS of cats in my life-time and there is no guarantee cats will not scratch furniture even with their nails clipped regularly.
My two older cats 6 & 8 do not scratch furniture anymore,but young Vinnie still tries,cats are cats :p
Heidiho should think long and hard before getting anything for now,a cat would be with her for up to 20yrs,is she prepared for that?

Deja vu is an appropiate term...took the words right out of my typing fingers.

Deja vu:

1 a : the illusion of remembering scenes and events when experienced for the first time
b : a feeling that one has seen or heard something before
2 : something overly or unpleasantly familiar

:p

I know what it means.. I just didn't know why you were saying u had deja vu...

I just had deja vu my self...then realized I had already read this thread!!


hahah

lame brain I know ;)

Cats are quite easy to train - show them the box, and keep their access to it easy. If they make a mistake just pick them up and put them in the box right away. It may help to confine them to a bedroom for the first couple of days with litter box and food/water. Use whatever type of litter they were using before you got them.

You must must must must get a scratching post or two or three or your cat will scratch furniture. Take the cat up to the post and scratch your own nails on it. If you see the cat scratching somewhere else, pick them up and take them to the post - squirting them doesn't teach them anything except to avoid the squirt bottle. You may need to gently rub their paw on the post, but don't force them. Sometimes rubbing catnip on the post helps to attract them.

I hope you take some time to think about getting a cat, and get properly equipped BEFORE you bring it home.

You need one or two litter boxes depending on how big your place is. Dishes, cat food, litter, and a scoop - scratching posts, a few cat toys, a good book on normal cat behavior, and money for the vet bills.

Please consider keeping the cat indoors only as they will be much much safer, happy and disease free. And please don't amputate their toes. :(

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This thread is heading off-topic...but...

I disagree with declawing, it is very painful for the cat, takes weeks to heal from, and exposes them to risk of infection when they use their litter boxes. Also, my Copper-cat has been known to hang around the door and, on one occasion, even managed to outsmart me and run outside. Luckily, I got her back in (using a can of cat treats). If she had been declawed, I would hate to think of what would happen if she had had to spend any time outdoors before I found her.

My two, both rescue cats, came with a clause in the contract that I do not declaw them that I happily signed. My first, Copper, has made it her mission to claw everywhere but the $200 cat tree that I have for her, along with many other sisal posts, tree trunks, pieces of pine furniture, and other manufactured claw-friendly cat items. So, I do not speak from inexperience...I know the consequences of not de-clawing a cat!

The second, Kai, didn't have the same need to claw the furniture and always used the cat trees. While, from time-to-time, he has tried to pick up on her bad habits, he is much more reactive to my admonishments. Clapping immediately sends him off when he leans on an inappropriate piece of furniture.

Anyway, there are so many management tools out there that there is no reason to declaw a cat. Bitter apple spray, sticky paper, tin foil, press-on nails, the list goes on and on. Find something that works and stick with it.

Me...I have chosen not to fixate on the material possessions that Copper is damaging. She brings far too much to my life for me to worry about a couple of pulls in my couch fabric. It is all about perspective (and a lot of positive reinforcement when she does claw on the cat tree or other cat-friendly piece)!!

Please consider this in your decision to adopt a cat. If the cat is not already declawed and you cannot deal with the potential that it might damage your furniture, then do not adopt it!!!

Thanks for giving this some thought!!

Hfd,very well said,could not have said it better myself :D
In all my years with cats and many sofas,our final solution was leather,where a few scratches just adds character :D
If you are too worried about damaged property,chose an aquarium,a guinea-pig,rat or hamster....or like someone mentioned before,a pet-rock :D

Here we are with the smart ass comments,de ja vu..........Little did i know damien was gonna have issues with toys,or me having a guy in my house,so for the person who said if i got a cat and i would get rid of it because it clawed my furniture,there is a BIG difference between a dog that is gonna be 80 pounds and mean,to a cat clawing my furniture,i dont get pets and then get rid of them thank you very much,but to live with an aggressive dog is not something i was up for.................So de ja vu for all of you that are smart asses like always...................................

Heidi - it's a JOKE. We are kidding around, because this is the second thread discussing you getting a cat.

As for cats - the top two reasons cats are dumped are: Not using the litterbox, and clawing furniture. It may sound impossible, but a 10lb cat can destroy a sofa, and this is something to seriously consider if you value your possessions.

But that is probably moot, since you said you are a dog person, and won't get a cat just to have something in the house, and that is smart.

Little did i know damien was gonna have issues with toys,or me having a guy in my house

there is a BIG difference between a dog that is gonna be 80 pounds and mean

i dont get pets and then get rid of them thank you very much,but to live with an aggressive dog is not something i was up for

Heidi, none of "Damiens problems" were his problems! They were things you had no clue how to properly deal with as they came up. Consistency with training a dog is key. From what I've read of your posts(and I think you'll agree) you were not consistent. You were given excellent advice and did not follow through.

Dogs are basically puppies till around 2. Test test test is what they do!

Do not have another animal till you can properly afford the problems you MAY encounter.

This may sound cruel, but I don't think you should go and visit Damien at all. Let him move on! It's the kinder thing to do.


http://www.websmileys.com/sm/happy/1281.gif

Well chico2 didnt sound like a joke,but that is fine,i do love cats,i just have my heart set on a dog,so i am gonna wait.....

I hear what you are saying,and i would not ever get another gsd unless i could afford everything i need for one,yes i will get another pet in time,,From the get go when i went and got him,he would not come to me at all,the other pup came right to me,damien was off in a corner,that should of been my first sign,so to take all the blame about his problems i will not,i know i did alot of things wrong,but as for him out of the blue after i had someone over and he had to go in his crate,most dogs would have not turned that bad that quick,so go ahead and let me have it,because i firmly believe this dog had some previous problems that i just added to......................And i did try alot of different things with him,actually you know what he is gone and i dont need this sh$% from you..

and i dont need this sh$% from you.. http://www.websmileys.com/sm/crazy/134.gif http://www.websmileys.com/sm/crazy/134.gif http://www.websmileys.com/sm/crazy/134.gif http://www.websmileys.com/sm/crazy/134.gif http://www.websmileys.com/sm/crazy/134.gif http://www.websmileys.com/sm/crazy/134.gif http://www.websmileys.com/sm/crazy/134.gif http://www.websmileys.com/sm/crazy/134.gif http://www.websmileys.com/sm/crazy/134.gif

I'm not sure what I said that ticked you off! Maybe once when you reach the emotional maturity level of your physical self, you will see how ridiculous you are being.

Now go and dye your roots. The pissing contest with me ends right here. Your repetition is oh so incredibly boring.... http://members.shaw.ca/wenpigsfly/smileys/yawn.gif

God i love a good fight,made my appt for my roots wed.. thank you ,then i am gonna go get another pet so i can f&* it up also.......

And what ticked me off was telling me i did not follow through with my dog................I just love the people that know everything that goes on in someones house without being there,god that is talent..........

Heidi - it's a JOKE. We are kidding around, because this is the second thread discussing you getting a cat.

As for cats - the top two reasons cats are dumped are: Not using the litterbox, and clawing furniture. It may sound impossible, but a 10lb cat can destroy a sofa, and this is something to seriously consider if you value your possessions.

But that is probably moot, since you said you are a dog person, and won't get a cat just to have something in the house, and that is smart.
WITH MY EXPERIENCE WITH CATS I HAVE NEVER HAD TO TEACH ONE HOW TO USE A LITTERBOX. IT COMES NATURAL EVEN LITTLE KITTENS. NOW,THE CLAWING IS ANOTHER THING. THEY DO TEAR UP AND CLAW FURNITURE,RUGS ETC. WHATEVER YOU DO DO NOT HAVE YOUR CAT DECLAWED THAT IS A TERRIBLE THING TO DO TO AN ANIMAL. THEIR CLAWS ARE THEIR DEFENSE. MY DAUGHTER HAD HER CAT DECLAWED AND IT IS HEARTBREAKING TO SEE HIM FALL AFTER TRYING TO DO WHAT CATS DO. CLIMBING AROUND. THE PROCEDURE OF DECLAWING IS THE SAME THING AS CUTTING YOUR FINGERS OFF!! I DON'T CARE HOW BAD YOU WANT THE CAT TO STAY IN THE HOUSE AND NOT TEAR UP YOUR FURNITURE BUT DECLAWING IS NOT THE ANSWER!!

If i do get a cat how would i teach it not to claw my stuff and to use litterbox..
WITH MY EXPERIENCE WITH CATS I HAVE NEVER HAD TO TEACH ONE HOW TO USE A LITTERBOX. IT COMES NATURAL EVEN LITTLE KITTENS. NOW,THE CLAWING IS ANOTHER THING. THEY DO TEAR UP AND CLAW FURNITURE,RUGS ETC. WHATEVER YOU DO DO NOT HAVE YOUR CAT DECLAWED THAT IS A TERRIBLE THING TO DO TO AN ANIMAL. THEIR CLAWS ARE THEIR DEFENSE. MY DAUGHTER HAD HER CAT DECLAWED AND IT IS HEARTBREAKING TO SEE HIM FALL AFTER TRYING TO DO WHAT CATS DO. CLIMBING AROUND. THE PROCEDURE OF DECLAWING IS THE SAME THING AS CUTTING YOUR FINGERS OFF!! I DON'T CARE HOW BAD YOU WANT THE CAT TO STAY IN THE HOUSE AND NOT TEAR UP YOUR FURNITURE BUT DECLAWING IS NOT THE ANSWER!!

I would not do that,i actually saw these things you glue to there claws i think,they come off in a month i think it said,if i ever decided to get a get a cat,i would not de claw it..................

Southernfilly,I agree 100%..
Heidiho,I was not being rude,Just saying some people are better off with a pet-rock,not necessarily you..
When getting an animal,you have to think of the pros and cons,cats are wonderful pets,I've always had them,but they do a certain amount of damage, no matter what you do....I too have never had litter-box problems,even an eight weeks old kitten will go in the box.
But it seems you would prefer a dog,why not adopt a smaller dog from HS,one already mature,who will not eat your furniture,hence does not need to be in a crate.He could already be trained and would love you to bits for saving him.

Yeah that is a thought,i actually didnt think about that[a dog from hs]..I just might do that in a month or two..I just feel that i am getting put down here cause of the fact that i should of left damien there the first time,and i know i SHOULD OF i just dont need to be told i dont know what i am doing and i am a bad pet owner,maybe some people here should sit down and watch that animal police show,THAT IS what a bad pet owner is,i have seen dogs that have alot worse living situation then whatyou[certain people here] think i have given.My dog had it made with me and any pet i get will have it made,bad is dog chained outside,bad is collar growing into neck,bad is your burnt dog getting no help,bad is dog freezing outside on a chain...Alright i dont even know where all that came from,bottom line some people here have no idea what a bad pet owner is....Not everyone can give an animal 24 hours of there time......................................

If anyone doesn't feel able to reply or participate in a discussion without using profanity or personal insults, please do not post until you ARE able to.

Thank you.:)

heidi don't let get ya down. you did the right thing givin him back to the rescue. Let me share an experience had with a gsd. i got him a year ago for free from a county cop here. Something was just wrong from the get go not from when i got him but since he was born. He was real shy, standoffish. will i just thought he was shy and he would be ok after a few days. Well i was wrong dog went nuts in a matter of hours at my home. holed himself up in a corner in my house. growling and stuff. we let him out on our back porch hoping he would calm down will he found a way out. Well knowing the dog was a little nuts so we went out to find him well we found him but he bit the heck out of my husband. now this didn't have a good ending for us we had him put down for the agression. but i just goes to show you some dogs just come this way(for lack of a better term). I honestly do not think you did anything wrong with him all across the usa people feed their dogs once or twice a day without this agression problems. so please don't be to hard on yourself these things happen. but damien is at the rescue where he can find a really good home with people better able to handly his issues. just be strong everything will be ok..... :) :) :)

Thanks again,i read your post on the other one....Words just cant describe how much i miss him,everyone here at work keeps asking so is your dog doing better and i have to just say yeah he is great,cant take his pics off my desk or they will all ask why>..... And i dont want to explain every 5 minutes what happend and listen to all there crap........................So it just makes it that much harder,moving to another dept i am gonna try and be sneaky and not hang his pics hopefully no one will notice...............

A cat not using the litterbox is generally a cat that needs to visit a vet. Training them is not a big deal.

My cats have done pretty well being given alternatives to scratching the couch, such as a climbing post and whatnot. The post I have was not too expensive and doesn't take up too much space. I got it at WalMart for what I believe was about $30 US and it just has a spring function to make it stand, floor to ceiling.

I haven't followed all of your problems with Damien, Heidi, but as someone catching up after the fact, it appears to me that he had issues which were beyond the scope and ability of an inexperienced dog owner to handle, and I think you've done right by him in the end. I would encourage anyone to think long and hard before getting any pet (I honestly could have thought longer and harder about getting Ellie. I count my lucky stars each day that she's turned out so well and that my father has been able and more than willing to help me out with her).

Cats, obviously, are very different from dogs. :) In almost all respects, they're easier. I thought I was a cat person until Ellie came along. Turns out I'm just an animal person. I'd encourage you not to jump right into getting a new pet. It will take some time to grieve for Damien. Even though he's happy where he is, you're missing him and that's hard no matter the circumstances. But keep me posted if you decide to get a cat. I'll fill you in as much as possible on care and what's involved. I wish you the best of luck.

A cat not using the litterbox is generally a cat that needs to visit a vet.


I don't tend to agree with this... there are many instances that a cat might need to go to the vet... but there are other things to consider...a cat might not use the litter simply because it is too dirty. they will go near by, but cats are very clean animals and if the litter is too dirty they will refuse to use it. I moved into a house a couple years back ( not there anymore), but the previous tentant had pets that they left down in the basement dirty litter and a dog too. my cat refused to poop in his litter, but marked all the spots that the previous animal did before - they have a VERY sentitve smeller!! Anyway, we had to move. Once in the new place, not one poop on the ground. I think that if you check there poop to see that everything is fine, it might be something other that a vet visit that's necessary - like and extra cleaning, or moving the litter to another location might be the first option.

a cat might not use the litter simply because it is too dirty. they will go near by, but cats are very clean animals and if the litter is too dirty they will refuse to use it.

I agree. I took this as a given, but I realize that even with my own cats that's not necessarily been the case. In the house that I rescued them from, the lady was going to take them to the shelter because they wouldn't use the litterbox. I've never had a problem with them. Even now, they will, every now and then, pee on clothes if I leave them on the floor and you're right. It doesn't make me think they need to go to the vet because it happens so occasionally.

Yeah i am starting to accept the fact it was beyond what i could do and i would never fully trust him..Dont get me wrong i do love cats i just know my goal is to get a dog,so i am gonna wait,thanks for the support.................Walked in the door last night and my heart just sank,so different without him...........