cat lovers: are items like these things that cats *really* utilize?

[orodwen]

we're moving into a smaller space & i want to give our cats something they'll enjoy. i'm wondering if something like this would be an area that they'd use:

http://www.stepsforpets.com/62546.htm

http://www.stepsforpets.com/gd169.htm

http://www.stepsforpets.com/62543.htm

http://www.stepsforpets.com/gd62.htm

http://www.stepsforpets.com/62537.htm

http://www.stepsforpets.com/gd63.htm

here's a link to everything this site has:
http://www.stepsforpets.com/cattrees.htm

tia!

 

[mac_obsession]

hahah we were just lookin at somethin in petdoctor magazine or some shit like that for our cat punkin. Its hilarious, I wouldnt personally spend $300 on a condo for a cat, but he does have a little condo. My best friend bought steps for her doggies cause they couldnt jump on her bed tho lol...and you can store toys in the bottom step...very cool but expensive!! lol...my cat would look at me as if I were insane if I brought somethin like that home tho, lol.

//edit //

those are much cheaper than the ones in the catalogue I have...hrmmmm I might be tempted...

 

[martygreene]

If you have indoor-only cats, yes they will use them. Maybe not at first, but they will. Cats naturally equate superiority and domination of territory with height. If they are on the tallest thing, they are dominant in that area. They also naturally want to climb, hide, and play in things with multiple levels. Keep in mind that these sorts of cat furniture do not work for declawed cats.

If you have indoor-outdoor cats, they are most likely satisfying their needs outdoors, but sometimes they like to have a little of the outdoors indoors. I've built my own cat furniture and my cats loved it.

 

[orodwen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by martygreene Keep in mind that these sorts of cat furniture do not work for declawed cats.

thanks, marty. my cats are declawed (at the time i knew of no other alternative & even then i hated doing it) so what would be something good for them? :crap: they've been in 2000+ sq ft homes w/ stairs w/ stairs since late 1998 & now they'll be in something less than half that size w/ no stairs. one is is lithe & small & loves to escape the house but won't be able to now due to the busy street we'll be on (they will have a pen outside to hang out in once we get settled) so i have to find objects that will entertain & satisfy them. thanks again!

 

[orodwen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mac_obsession those are much cheaper than the ones in the catalogue I have...hrmmmm I might be tempted...

yup. tempting aren't they?

 

[orodwen]

ok, here is one that really caught my eye. btw. my cats still love to scratch even though their front toes/claws are gone so all the posts being covered in sisal isn't a bad thing. the thing on this one i'm concerned about is if it's bottom heavy enough to be that tall (center of gravity & all)? there are others that i'm looking at but this appears to be a good one for 2 female cats that like to duke it out:
http://www.petsupplyguy.com/catalog/...6acd526cfc39d5

 

[Jillith]

Those are very good prices! I know my own cats love their own little jungle gym. As soon as I brought it home they knew it was theirs.

 

[mspixieears]

Martygreene is right; I've always found it funny how cats like to sit higher above than us! They can also do some mighty big jumps, unless they are of the larger inclination (and believe me, I've seen a fat cat really struggle to climb my house fence).

Indoor cats do and will use those if they haven't anything else to play with. Was very sorry to hear that your cat has been declawed; I read this very old cat care book, British I think, from the 70s and it says that the practice of declawing is inhumane and not generally practised anywhere outside the US. Australia doesn't follow it either; must take from the UK (as it does so many things). Apparently, it hurts them a lot, as does cutting their claws.

You can see the blood supply and nerves do run into the claws; like pulling out our own fingernails. I'm sure they do everything they can so that it doesn't hurt when they remove the claws though, right? *hands clasped in prayer and anxiousness*

 

[Eye<3Colour]

the cats are in dreamland when they are declawed. i have three, two which are declawed. having a 5 year old who love to pick the cats up, has caused some scars from the scratches. we bought a gym for them, and they didnt use it. my fat one couldnt get up it lol. it was tall tho. so if you do get one, maybe the shorter ones would work out. ive been lookin at short ones for my cats now.

 

[mspixieears]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eye<3Colour the cats are in dreamland when they are declawed. i have three, two which are declawed. having a 5 year old who love to pick the cats up, has caused some scars from the scratches. we bought a gym for them, and they didnt use it. my fat one couldnt get up it lol. it was tall tho. so if you do get one, maybe the shorter ones would work out. ive been lookin at short ones for my cats now.

Does it hurt them afterwards, I wonder, when they are declawed? Dreamland, that sounds sweet

 

[martygreene]

Quote:

Originally Posted by orodwen thanks, marty. my cats are declawed (at the time i knew of no other alternative & even then i hated doing it) so what would be something good for them? :crap: they've been in 2000+ sq ft homes w/ stairs w/ stairs since late 1998 & now they'll be in something less than half that size w/ no stairs. one is is lithe & small & loves to escape the house but won't be able to now due to the busy street we'll be on (they will have a pen outside to hang out in once we get settled) so i have to find objects that will entertain & satisfy them. thanks again!

The main reason that these don't work well for declawed cats is they do not have the ability to climb via their claws, and lack some of the sure-footedness that clawed cats have on this same principle. Having ample hiding places for the kitties is ideal, such places can be as simple as boxes with a kitty sized hole cut out so they can get in and hide when they feel like being alone. Access to window sills is also important for indoor cats, so they can look out and watch the goings on outdoors.

Getting verticle cat furniture can work for declawed cats, but make sure that the cats can traverse the distance between platforms withouth knocking the furniture down- since they will have to jump rather than climb to each level. You can probably contact the makers of cat furniture, or your vet and ask them about the suitability of various pieces for declawed cats.

 

[Hawkeye]

all my cats do is pee on theirs

 

[orodwen]

thanks everyone.

yes, i know how the claws are removed. i'm such a non-interventionist when it comes to nature & surgical issues i spent a number of nights crying over this. i was pretty much given an ultimatum by dh regarding the cats staying declawed & leaving intact. i couldn't tell my only son, who was 9 at the time, he couldn't keep his kitty.

i can tell w/ the lithe one (bunny) that she has something like phantom limb going on & has sensitivity but i have to fess that other than needing them to defend herself her ability to hunt or her agility wasn't affected at all. my son's cat (cutie, aka QQ), on the other hand, was notoriously clumsy before she was declawed & that didn't worsen afterwards. i think they could both traverse a taller tower or tree, particularly ones that have the platforms staggered. they both still love to scratch as well so the sisal would be a nice texture for them.

i'll post a pic of the one we chose after we get settled. i'll also post a pic of the pen we get for them so they can hang out outside w/out having to worry about them running out onto a busy street. i wish i had tried to lead train them when they were young, though.

thanks again! this whole direction to go into feels really promising.

 

[mac_obsession]

Orodwen, they have a new procedure that they do for cats that doesnt hurt them to not declaw them, but they dip their nails in a rubber...so it doesnt come off, and they cant scratch anything!! Im not sure how much it costs, but I know that on Queer Eye for the Straight Guy they did it for this dude...
This is my headache right here




and he climbs walls, and couches and does all sorts of things I dont want him to do

 

[orodwen]

hehe, he looks klike a redheaded bully!

i always think of that when i see an orange tabby tom (fixed or not.)

ya, too late for my kitties for that procedure but if i ever have an indoor kitty again i'll definitely have more options to consider. thanks.

 

[mspixieears]

Personally, I lurve ginger pussycats! Mac_obsession, your one looks very cheeky, just the way I like my cats too! We have a big fat ginger cat that visits my place. Him, me and my puss are all friends.

The rubber thing sounds great. I'm sorry if I made you feel bad orodwen - I'd hate to part with my cat and it really sounds like you chose it as a last resort. My curiosity is piqued; what does it feel like to have their paws touch you? You know how when cats paddle they also dig their claws into the soft surface (which means my body sometimes! ouch). Good to hear it doesn't affect their agility or balance etc.

 

[orodwen]

ya, i only had a few ginger/orange tabbies during my life (and i've been around DOZENS of cats) & i think of the bully in the xmas story movie from the early 80's when i see an orange cat.

in fact, our next door neighbor's cat, macbeth, IS a redheaded bully & broke through a window screen to get to our cats. i was quite pissed.

thanks. i do NOT advocate declawing & i am a hypocrite for what i did but at the same time i did feel cornered.

well, their paws are like little hands. when they're kneeding (which i call a titty-pat) it feels like short, tiny fingers giving me a massage.

 

[mac_obsession]

hehe punkin is a what I call a transdogual...Hes a dog trapped in a cats body. While he does some feline things, he acts more like a dog than anything. He drinks out of the toilet, jumps in the shower with us, or after us, licks toes, chases his tail, and such...He was never around dogs, so I have NO idea where it comes from!!
I saved him from the pound, adopted him and gave him to (myself) and my daughter for her 6th birthday. I love him so much, and recently had my moms 13 year old cat over...Punkin stayed trailing her, he loved her!! But he is 2 and she is 13 so you know she isnt having it at all!!
So Im going to get another kitten, for myself, and pawn it off to my daughter cause I cant clean the litterbox! lol. (too much risk of infection for me)
So anyways yeah..he is very cheeky and bullheaded all at the same time. Hes so sweet though

 

[daystar]

The "rubber things" you guys were talking about are called Soft Paws or Soft Claws (same product, different name). We use them and they are great! They're actually vinyl claw covers that you put superglue in and then they go onto the cat's claws. They last 4-6 weeks and are easy enough to apply once you get the hang of it

Here are a couple pictures of Furry-Butt sporting her pretty blue nails:

http://www.makeupalley.com/account/g...s.asp?id=55703

 

[kimmy]

haha my younger cat LOVES his cattree. that and his tail can entertain him for HOURS haha.