stray cat

[MaggieMae]

We have a stray cat living on our back porch. We have decided we are going to take it to the shelter. I guess they told my mom that they hold them for four days and then they can be put up for adoption if they are not micro-chipped.

So my mom has decided to take it in and then if we can't find the owners she wants to adopt it.

We are currently up in the air about whether or not de-clawing a cat is what we want to do. There are actually quite a few options and roads to explore. Any ideas would be awesome.

However, the bigger issue is the whole guinea pig thing. I said I was willing to let the litter box be down with me if the cat did not have claws or had claw guards or insert your own solution here. I do not want the cat in the basement if it DOES have claws because it could reach in and swipe my piggies.

I see all these ideas for cat proofing. I would of course put a lid on the cage. Is it a good idea to elevate the cage also?

Am I right for the being worried about the claw issue? Is there any way to prevent the paws from getting in the cage? I thought about some screening or something but I don't want to constantly have wire or screen around my guinea pigs cage.

Is there a cat proofing checklist or something I could use?

I just want to be sure I am prepared in case we end up with a new kitty.

 

[mmas4]

Please do not declaw the cat. It is very painful for them. Elevating the cage might help but my cat has climbed my piggies cage and gotten into it (my cat is harmless, the piggies actually chased her back out). You could put it on a table so there is noting to climb. You can also get nail caps. They are little plactic caps that you glue on to their nails. You could also baby proof the cage, like if you had baby piggies. Then the cat should not be able to get its paws in the cage.

 

[MaggieMae]

Please do not declaw the cat. It is very painful for them. Elevating the cage might help but my cat has climbed my piggies cage and gotten into it (my cat is harmless, the piggies actually chased her back out). You could put it on a table so there is noting to climb. You can also get nail caps. They are little plactic caps that you glue on to their nails. You could also baby proof the cage, like if you had baby piggies. Then the cat should not be able to get its paws in the cage.

I agree about the declawing thing. That is why we were talking about what our options were and we read about nail caps. Essentially I am calling all of that the same thing. I don't want it to be able to claw my piggies.

I think the major concern for the time being is we do not know HOW it will act. I don't want to come home from work and find out the kitty decided to go crazy on my piggies.

My sister read something about laser nail removal. I would assume it was the same thing and be painful. I mean we have read about all sorts of things.

I think I could keep it from getting in pretty easily. I just don't know about keeping paws out.

I thought about the baby proofing thing but I don't know that I will have enough grids. Maybe if I covered the lid with some coro for a while and then just baby proofed the sides... However then I couldn't put it up on a stand.

How important is having it on a stand? I mean, with as high as they can jump does it really help a whole lot?

 

[mmas4]

If you baby proof the cage and the cat cannot get its paws in then I dont think its that important that the cage is on a stand.

 

[MaggieMae]

Can cat paws reach in far enough from the top to get them?

I've never had a cat..... I see some pics in the gallery that makes me ask. None of those cats appear to be able to get their paw down far enough.

 

[Silverbeat]

Double your grids, like you would to baby-proof a pig cage.

ETA: I just read your replies more thoroughly.
WHen I baby-proofed my cage I used 1" galvanized wire. If your pigs are bar-chewers you'll want to put it on the outside of the grids, as it can hurt their mouths if they are constantly chewing at it.

 

[Kimberly713]

My cat is declawed but it was done when he was a kitten so the recovery time was much shorter than on an older cat. Nail caps don't work and are probably very uncomfortable, I guarantee he will get them off or drive himself crazy trying to get them off.
I actuall just measured my cats arm and it is 8inches stretched so yeah I don't think it could really get your pigs unless they are 6inches tall lol. My cat will reach his paw from the side and tap one every now and then but then again he also sleeps in there with them when I open it to clean and stuff and they could care less.

I would elevate it though so he can't reach from the side. He may not even care about the pigs like my kitty, but he's weird so probably not hahah

 

[MaggieMae]

Double your grids, like you would to baby-proof a pig cage.

ETA: I just read your replies more thoroughly.
WHen I baby-proofed my cage I used 1" galvanized wire. If your pigs are bar-chewers you'll want to put it on the outside of the grids, as it can hurt their mouths if they are constantly chewing at it.

Thanks, neither of these pigs are bar chewers. Maggie sticks her nose through but that is about it.

I am trying to figure out a cage design that I might be able to baby proof using grids. I have a couple ideas. But that really helps me.

I also thought, if I was really worried, I could kiwi tile the top, but it might get kind of hard for me to see them then. It was just a "creative" idea I had. I have a few tiles already, but even then I would need to buy more.

I can't find mesh cubes anywhere... I thought that might be a good option once I got some money.

I can get screen door screening for $5 a roll (a big huge roll). I mean the wire kind and not the cloth type. I could put that on for a temporary thing also. I just hate the idea of leaving it.

I appreciate the ideas! I suddenly feel creative and empowered!

 

[MaggieMae]

My cat is declawed but it was done when he was a kitten so the recovery time was much shorter than on an older cat. Nail caps don't work and are probably very uncomfortable, I guarantee he will get them off or drive himself crazy trying to get them off.
I actuall just measured my cats arm and it is 8inches stretched so yeah I don't think it could really get your pigs unless they are 6inches tall lol. My cat will reach his paw from the side and tap one every now and then but then again he also sleeps in there with them when I open it to clean and stuff and they could care less.

I would elevate it though so he can't reach from the side. He may not even care about the pigs like my kitty, but he's weird so probably not hahah

This is like, not a kitten, but not a full grown cat. It is so skinny it is hard to tell because it is crazy long. It used to run away from us and we assumed it belonged to someone. Then one day it just acted extremely needy, we saw how skinny it was, it hung around the whole day begging, so we fed it. The next day it gave us a chipmunk.

We don't want to leave it outside. I don't like when people leave their cats outside.

Thank you for measuring your cats arm! lol That makes me feel a lot better about it. I am sure cats arms vary in length but at least that gives me some type of idea about the possibilities.

 

[Shurrim]

I can tell for having had many cats.. they can stretch pretty long when they want something.
If he was living outside, he was probably hunting much more than a house cat, be prepared as he will see your piggies as food.
He will try to remove the claw caps for sure. He will gnaw like crazy on it until it's done.
I was trimming the nail of my last cat, got it pretty short (the thing inside gets smaller and smaller.. ) and I was filing it too. But maybe the stray cat wont let you do.
I would seriously catproof my cage if I had a cat.
I had cat and rats, cat was always sitting on cage and watching them. Bars were close enough he couldnt do anything, just the rats were able to get his fur for nest...

If you elevate the cage, be sure it is safe cause the cat will still try to jump on. You dont want the cage to fall down. They are hunters and it will not change.

 

[MaggieMae]

I can tell for having had many cats.. they can stretch pretty long when they want something.
If he was living outside, he was probably hunting much more than a house cat, be prepared as he will see your piggies as food.
He will try to remove the claw caps for sure. He will gnaw like crazy on it until it's done.
I was trimming the nail of my last cat, got it pretty short (the thing inside gets smaller and smaller.. ) and I was filing it too. But maybe the stray cat wont let you do.
I would seriously catproof my cage if I had a cat.
I had cat and rats, cat was always sitting on cage and watching them. Bars were close enough he couldnt do anything, just the rats were able to get his fur for nest...

If you elevate the cage, be sure it is safe cause the cat will still try to jump on. You dont want the cage to fall down. They are hunters and it will not change.

I read that no matter how short their nails are they will always start trying to sharpen them right away. Does cutting or filing them actually work?

I am more worried than normal because it was an outdoor cat. I understand if it is determined to get one it will try very hard. That is why I am trying to figure out the best security measures.

I can take its paw and "pop" the nails out and it just stares at me. It is probably thinking it is in heaven on my lap so it doesn't want to move. However, I am sure trying to actually cut them will be much more difficult.

Poor thing, you can just tell how happy it is to feel safe for once. It crawls in our laps and just passes out. When it first showed up it wouldn't lay down for more than two seconds but it looked like all it wanted to do was take a nap.

 

[Shurrim]

He will try to sharpen them, but it's not really working (wasnt with mine) as long as you watch them (lot of work) I was trimming mine about once a week, sometimes twice, sometimes it could go for 2 weeks almost.
Good if he lets you do
I can understand him, you sound like a very good mommy. I hope everything works just fine if you adopt him.
You can probably teach him to behave next to piggies, but it will take time and it might never works. Depends on his personnality and how long he had to hunt his food too. Better try after he ate and just before he's falling asleep after a good playtime. And once he's used around house

 

[VoodooJoint]

Nail caps don't work and are probably very uncomfortable, I guarantee he will get them off or drive himself crazy trying to get them off.

He will try to remove the claw caps for sure. He will gnaw like crazy on it until it's done.

You both are saying the same thing BUT do either of you have any real experience with nail caps? It doesn't sound like you do. It sounds like you are simply guessing and because of that are giving very bad advice.

I have lots of experience with nail caps. I worked in a pet supply store that had 2 store cats, both of whom wore nail caps. I have had to place nail caps on 2 of my own cats at various times and I worked with a groomer who regularly placed them on people's cats and I got to hear the feedback from all of these people.

The caps work. The caps work well. None of the cats I have known of who had them placed on their nails were made uncomfortable by them (any more then fake nails make a human uncomfortable) and there was no problem with the cats trying to get them off. If put on properly, with a good nail glue, they last 6-8 weeks. Best of all they are HUMANE unlike declawing.

There is another thread about nail caps on this forum https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/others/57253-your-thoughts-nail-caps-cats.html

Here are some links about the cruel and damaging affects of declawing
FAQs on Cat Declawing, Declaw Surgery and Feline Scratching Behavior
Top Reasons Not to Declaw a Cat
The Facts About Declawing
Cat Health Problems: Declawing
the Declawing Menu - Educate!! Don't Amputate!! (tm)

There are plenty more. Your clue that declawing might be a horrid practice can be easily seen.

Imagine life without any of the last digits on your fingers or toes. Imagine you always go barefoot. Your world is drastically altered. You can't feel or balance properly. You have nerve damage because the surgeon did not take any time at all to insure your nerves weren't damaged. Your tendons are shortening and tightening causing your fingers and toes to curl under abnormally all because the structure of your hands and feet have been altered. Walking is painful and standing in a litterbox to urinate is a sensation you can no longer stand. Your base instincts are irrevocably altered making your world one that is very foreign. You can no longer properly defend yourself and you realize how vulnerable and helpless you are. You have a higher tendency to react angrily and even bite. This behavior can get so bad that you are no longer tolerable by the people who did this thing to you.

There is no need to alter the cats nails in any way until you know how the cat will react. I run a rescue and regularly have up to 10 foster cats/kittens in my home as well as my own 6 cats. NONE of the cats have ever tried to harm my GPs or house rabbits. I did have to put a lid on my GP cage but not because of any danger but because the cats kept climbing into the cage to lie in it (ignoring the GPs). I placed the lid on the cage so the GPs wouldn't keep getting their space invaded despite the fact that the GPs didn't seem to mind the cats at all.

Make the cage lid and wait and see how the cat responds. You can make any further decisions from there. If there are any issues it's probably nothing that regular nail trimming wouldn't take care of.

 

[fresian.m]

Jeez. I feel awful. My cats are declawed, against my will. My mom forced it and I had no choice. Begging didn't work. God... I feel so bad.

 

[Shurrim]

I've never said she should declaw the cat. I'm against too. And yes I tried these nail caps and they didn't work at all for me. That's why I was talking about the trimming. I'm talking from my own experience with cats and little animals.
Good if her cat can support it. That would be the solution.
I personnally adopted 2 stray cats, and their attitude weren't the same. They were hunting much more, even other animals in the house.
Even my most laid back one (not a stray cat) tried to get to the rats. That's why I was warning about it.
I would never give an advice about something I don't know or didn't experiment myself.

 

[MaggieMae]

Thanks Voodoo, that makes me feel better about it.

I know, we don't want to declaw him/her. We just weren't sure what to do. I am glad to hear a good review on the nail caps also. My mom thought that might be the best option but then people were saying they wouldn't work. :/ I guess it is worth a try right?!?!

It has learned pretty quickly not to climb on our screen door so I would hope it will learn other things quickly. I also thought maybe some placemats with double sided tape might help discourage climbing on top of the cage for a while.

The big issue is the cage being downstairs and unmonitored while I am at work. We are still discussing litter box placement however. It just still sounds like it is going to end up down here.

Oh and by the way if anyone was interested the shelter wasn't open today so we are taking him/her in tomorrow.

 

[fresian.m]

I also tried the caps on one of my cats, and he had them off within a week. I hate declawing. I wish it had never been done to my cats. But I can't reverse the past, and they don't exactly seem that unhappy. They both zoom around the house, sprawl out on the couch, and occasionally try to climb walls. After all, they still have their back claws.

Good luck maggiemae!

 

[VoodooJoint]

I also tried the caps on one of my cats, and he had them off within a week.

Did you use the glue that came with the caps? The glue the company supplies is really bad. It's weak and the few times the groomer used it the cats did have the caps off quickly. We recommend using a good nail glue or super glue instead. With a good glue the caps stay on.

 

[fresian.m]

I can't remember, but we probably did. But after that, we had to throw away a destroyed couch and my mom decided without me to get them declawed.