Bookmark
I appreciate new cat owners concern about their furniture. Leather couches can be an irresistable scratching target for a cat. Declawing might seem like an option, but I think it is best to save that for a very last resort.
I found a couple of products that may work a lot better than declawing.
Please take the time to read this article by a veterinarian about why cats scratch, etc.: http://www.catscratching.com/
For balance, this vet disagrees with some of things said about behavior changes, but he doesn't minimize how serious the declaw surgery is: http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_declawing_and_its_alternatives.html
And the cat shelters are claiming declawed cats are harder to get adopted: http://www.pawproject.com/html/faqs.asp
So what to do? Here are a couple of great solutions to try:
Take a look at this product, its so cool, its nail caps for the cats. Makes them look like they had a salon visit. Watch the pictures of cats wearing this: http://www.softpaws.com/
And here is the best scratching post out there: http://www.purrfectpost.com/
Get one with the sisal material, that will be better than one that is covered in carpet. I have the one covered in carpet, and my cats do like it.
All my cats use our scratching post, the cat tree, once or twice a day, and they haven't been scratching anything else. Scratching is an important part of their daily exercise.
For a little while, get a fabric couch cover to protect your couch, until your cat is well trained to use its scratching post. Give the cat a couple of months to establish a good habit. You can enjoy the couch cover as a change to your decor.
Other resources:
- Wikipedia article on declawing - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onychectomy
- Claws & Paws Veterinary Hospital - http://www.cpvh.com/Articles/9.html