Pinky is a 10 yr old, spayed, female who likes to go out at night but will tear up the soft garage door insulation around the doors to get in if I’m not there to let her back in. This also applies to any door she seeks entry to, even if she’s inside, such as the pantry door leading to the garage. She has clawed carpet under doors of rooms inside the house that she seeks to get in or out of as well. I don’t want to de-claw her and I’m at the end of my wits to redirect this behavior after applying a battery of methods which have only worked for short periods. So, if any of you has another idea, I’d be grateful.
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I’d never declaw a cat, cats need their claws for all sorts of things, one example is defense against other animals while outside.
When our cat used to do this we wiped a mild chilli sauce over the insulation strip, he stopped within days.
Pinky does this to get your attention. We had to replace the insulation strip on door at least once a month. BUT! We tied a bell to string by the door and ignored the cat when he clawed the insulation..BUT when he rang the bell… we let him in. Took a little bit for him to get it, but the bell worked. It has to be at a height he can bat to make it ring, but give it a try. Worked for us.
Try using a light spray of citric acid ont he area on and around the doors or areas in question. You can also use red pepper or camphor calls mashed up and rubbed on the affected area.
Clip the tips of her claws. Talk to your vet about possible sprays or materials to use to stop the clawing.
If yuou clip the nails do so only at the last 1/8″ or less. there is alittle blood vessel and some nerves in there and you do not want to clip too much and hurt the cat.
If you are considering “Decalwing” – another word for mutilating – the cat, cansider how much you would like to have the last joint of your fingers removed and how would would manage to use your hands after that.
You do have to be patient. You have taught the cat to signal for in or out by scratching the doors. Now you want to undo that.
One thing is to ignore the scratching signal. How about a cat doorbell that it can step on to signal let me in.
There are alternatives to being driven crazy – Be patient.
keep your cat inside and get some soft claws for her, they are plastic caps that go over the cat’s claws.