Watch this clip and then read this article…

The CatAWhack Crew Purrforms "Free Your Mind - Free Felines!"

We’ve laid the scratch down!  I bet you didn’t know that The CatAWhack Crew is also musically feline inclined. We took En Vogue’s “Free Your Mind”, released in 1992, and gave it our own new special scratchin’ interpretation. Play the YouTube video while singing our lyrics.

“Purrrejudice, scratched a song about it
Like to hear it? Here it go
Free Felines!

I have claws loaded, all four paws
It doesn’t mean that I’ll do harm to ya, no no
I like a scratchin’, like scratchin’ posts
That doesn’t mean that I’m out scratchin’ folks no no no

Oh my forgive me for scratchin’ here, no
You should have placed a scratchin’ surface right there yea yea
I might scratch another chaise or carpet
It doesn’t mean that I won’t scratch other options

Why oh why must it be this way
Before you declaw me you gotta
Learn how to see me, I said
These claws are mine and don’t take them from me
Be feline kind, don’t be so hasty
Free your mind and the rest will follow
Be feline kind, don’t be so shallow

So I’m a kitteh scratch things and dash
That really doesn’t mean that my behavior’s bad, oh
So why amputate me and change my life
Because you don’t think the price is high for me

I can’t scratch without being shamed, no
You changed my life before I learned what to do, ow
Oh now attitude, why even bother
I can’t change your mind, and now I’m permanently altered

Why oh why must it be this way?
Before you dismiss me you gotta
Learn how to see me, I said
These toes are mine and don’t take them from me
Be feline kind, don’t be so hasty
Free your mind and the rest will follow
Be feline kind, don’t be so shallow
Free Felines!

Why oh why must it be this way?
Before you dismiss me you gotta
Learn how to see me, I said
These claws are mine and don’t take them from me
Be feline kind, don’t be so hasty
Free your mind and the rest will follow
Be feline kind, don’t be so shallow
Free your mind!”

Have other lyrics about cat claw retention?  Land that scratch on our Facebook or Twitter Page.  You can also leave a scratch below this post.

Scratch On Felines…Scratch On!

It’s important to us that we provide you with information that will help you make the best decisions in the care of your feline family members.  That’s why we’re happy to provide an article by L. Kathleen Hickman, a former Veterinary Technician, who offers an inside look at declawing, what you can do to support your cat, and why it’s critical for their care and well-being.

I’ll admit I have strong feelings about feline declawing.  Many people do, whether for or against; it’s an issue that’s becoming more and more controversial among many members of the cat-owning public.  Others remain on the fence, unsure who and what to believe in regard to this procedure (which is also known as onychectomy or phalangectomy).  If you are a person who happens to be contemplating declawing your cat and you research the subject online, it can sometimes seem as if you have landed on a battlefield, with the veterinary community telling you that most cats recover just fine from a declaw, and a growing number of animal welfare activists seeming to say that every declawed cat is condemned to a life of suffering.  In my experience of working in the veterinary field for 7 years (including 2 years as a technician assisting with surgery and patient aftercare at a state-of-the-art, feline-exclusive hospital), the truth of the matter, as with most controversial issues, probably falls somewhere in between, but the risk of a life lived in chronic pain from this procedure is real and significant (see ”Physical Consequences of Declawing” by Dr. Jean Hofve at http://www.littlebigcat.com/health/physical-consequences-of-declawing/ ), and is only one of the potential negative effects of a surgery which is, in my opinion, never justified.

Do the CatAWhack Scratch!

We Say Knick Knack CatAWhack
Give That Cat a Throne
We say Knick Knack CatAWhack
Scratchin’ Up Your Home
We Say Knick Knack CatAWhack
Leave the Claws Alone
We Say Knick Knack CatAWhack…
Get a CatAWhack!

Your Cat Needs a Purrsonalized Space
It’s No Wonder He’s Scratchin’ Up In Your Place
Get A CatAWhack, Hey What Do You Say?
Cats Have Claws, They Were Built That Way!

Your Cat is Just Tryin’ to Mark Out Some Room
Run Around Your Mattress Like ZOOM, ZOOM, ZOOM
The Boundaries You Mark with Scratch Surfaces They Prefer
Will Keep Claws Off of Your Furniture!

Hey Ho, Paws Up, Let’s Go!
Hey Ho, Claws Out, Scratch Low!

Scratch, Scratch…Let the Cat Scratch
Scratch, Scratch…Let the Cat Scratch
Scratch, Scratch…Let the Cat Scratch
Scratch a CatAWhack!
Don’t Give Your Cat A Whack for Scratching… ABSOLUTELY NOT!… Give a CatAWhack for Scratching!

We use the term “Cat Scratch Reconditioning” to explain the process of redirecting natural, healthy cat scratch practice from “claws off” scratch surfaces to “claws on” designated scratch surfaces within a shared home environment with the use of pawsitive reward and reinforcement through repetition.

So what is the basis of Cat Scratch Reconditioning?

Let’s start by clarifying what IT ISN’T:

Cat Scratch Reconditioning IS NOT about imposing your will on another being; it is not about demanding that another being change to suit your needs or make you more comfortable at the expense of their own comfort; it is not about a hierarchal relationship in which you are the top cat roosting on a perch of superiority; it is not about ‘training’ a being to purrform on demand; it is not about another relenting to your control in order to avoid a negative consequence; it is not about ‘breaking another beings spirit’ in order to make them subservient; it is not about becoming the Top Cat, Leader of the Pride, King Kindle, Clowder Commander, Lord Litter or Princess Pounce; it is not a game of power and intimidation;  it is not meant to be a tug of war to determine whether human or feline is ‘in control’.

What IT IS:

Cat Scratch Reconditioning IS about greeting your cat on a platform of equanimity; it’s about having an understanding of your feline family member and the species-specific needs associated with health, well-being, and thriving; it’s about having an appreciation for their purrescence, their contribution, and their unique expression; it’s about working WITH your cat in creating a mutually beneficial home environment that addresses the species-specific needs associated with you both; it’s about providing inspurration, incentives, and rewards that are linked to coordination and behavior; it’s about developing pawsitive associations between you, behavior, outcomes, and them; it’s about supporting the natural inclinations of your cat, their pawticular purreferences, and their unique purrsonalities; it’s about embracing the reality that cats scratch as a natural, healthy form of communication, hygiene, exercise, and play; it’s about taking that knowledge and providing strategically placed scratch outlets throughout the home that provide them with an opportunity for expression; it’s about providing them with consistent assistance in identifying and utilizing the scratch surfaces that were designed and designated with them in mind; it’s about integrating natural cat scratching behavior into the home environment in the interest of claw retention and interior preservation; it’s about creating, discovering and utilizing resources, products and information that support claw retention initiatives; it’s about mapping out purrsonal space, setting boundaries, and assisting each home inhabitant in establishing their ‘place’ within the family structure; it’s about the purrfect collaboration where human and feline actually SEE each other and establish a form of interaction, interdependence, and coexistence that benefits both.

"Yo! Put yourself in my paws would ya?!"

Imagine the following scenario:

You’ve volunteered for a social experiment hosted by a nearby college or university.  You agree to be isolated in a contained space for a 4 to 8 week period.  The space is equipped with basic necessities such as a bathroom and a compact refrigerator with snacks and beverages as well as a few nonessential elements like a few windows overlooking campus and a couple of pieces of furniture such as a bed, desk, bean bag chair, a knotted rope hanging in the middle of the room, a light, plants, and a rubber bouncing ball.  You are not provided with any communication outlets:  No cell phone; No laptop; No paper; No pens or pencils; No television; No radio; No magazines; No books.  However, a Research Assistant (known as RA from here on out) will check on you briefly first thing in the morning and provide you with breakfast; noon to provide you with lunch; late afternoon/early evening to provide you with supper; and around 10:00 pm before lights out leaving you to your own devices for the duration of the night.

At first, you find your accommodations to be an oasis from the accelerated pace of your life, the potential hazards and threats associated with the outside world, and the ever present noise and distractions constantly calling for your attention.  The first few days are bliss.  It’s nice and quiet except for the occasional sound of the air condition blowing through the duct work.  The first day you snooze off and on; enjoy the warm delicious meals that are provided on schedule; and enjoy an occasional look out the window at the activity below.  By day three, you’re feeling rested, refreshed and revitalized.  You decide to release that pent up energy in the great room by swinging from the rope attached to the vaulted ceiling in the middle of the room.  You climb up and down the rope, you swing from side to side, you challenge yourself by swinging high enough to touch an imperfection on the ceiling.  You’re occupied for a few hours.  Day four, you begin to incorporate the rubber bouncing ball into your day.  You begin by bouncing the ball up and down, then against the wall, then challenge yourself by creating games like ‘how fast can I bounce this ball’; ‘bouncing the ball and catching under your chin or behind your neck’; or ‘throwing the ball at a target’.  By day five, you’ve pulled the mattress into the large room and positioned it so you can fling yourself from the rope and onto the soft cushion.  By day seven, boredom is setting in and you notice that you long for human interaction, communication, and companionship.  You place your finger tips on the elevated window seal, pull yourself up and attempt to catch the attention of those passing below to no avail, they cannot see or hear you.  Although you find yourself looking forward to the visits from the RA, they are brief, hurried, and you often feel like you’re being talked AT instead of talked TO.  You can’t understand what the RA is saying.  It’s a language you can’t understand.  You attempt to make a connection by noticing and responding to body movements, postures, facial expressions, tone of voice, gestures.

“Cat scratching is a natural form of self-expression for felines that satisfies multiple needs associated with health and well-being.  Scratching provides a natural manicure that strips the outer sheath or layer of the claw for hygienic purposes; allows stretching of the muscles, ligaments, and tendons for health and vitality; provides an outlet for responding to stress and crisis; and provides an enjoyable species-specific activity associated with excitement and play.”

This list was created to assist those who need solutions to cat scratching behavior and alternatives to declawing. Our goal is to create an exhaustive list so that people have the information necessary to understand natural healthy cat scratch behavior and practice while feeling empowered and adept at redirecting it to designated scratch surfaces.

NOTE: This list is long and varied in recognition of cat’s individual purrsonalities, pawticular purreferences, and unique cat scratch expressions and impressions. Another words, some of these solutions will work with your cat while others will not. The purrpose is to offer sufficient pawsibilities that can be chosen and implemented based on your specific needs, the needs of your cat, and the needs of your interspecies household. Although we’re wanting to collect 100 pawsibilities, we want people to understand that we’re not suggesting that you use all of these with one cat. We do suggest that people observe their feline family members behavior for cues and clues in order to determine the solutions that will be most effective and functional in their particular cohabitation situation. Although it won’t be necessary for a person to employ every option, solution, or intervention mentioned in the list…more pawsibilities ensure that some solution can be found for any cat, any purrson, and any household.

The American Veterinary Medical Association {AVMA} is holding a 4 day convention from July 16th-19th in St. Louis, Missouri with declawing being one of the topics of discussion.

Below is the current policy regarding the declawing of cats.  The CatAWhack Crew aligns with the points indicated in GREEN and provides additional commentary within the policy indicated by italicized text:

15.  Your cat calls 9-1-1

14.  Your cat attempts a vertical 3-foot scratch and falls whiskers first into the 2-foot post

13.  The post mysteriously shows up at the neighborhood block sale

12.  The texture of the post creeps your cat out (evident by the frenzied self-cleaning after pawing)

11.  Your cat circles the new post and then reminds you that he’s a horizontal scratcher not a vertical scratcher

10.  Your cat has staring matches with the post from across the room

9.  Visitors see the post and exclaim, “What IS that ugly thing?”

8.  Your pawsitive reward attempts have your cat thinking the post is a treat dispenser not a scratch outlet

7.  The pawsitive reward supply has been exhausted and still no scratch or interest in the post

6.  The couch continues to get more paw and claw action then the post

5.  TIM-BURRR!

4.  Your cat passes off the post to the dog as a fire hydrant

3.  Your feline family members show up at the PAW-N Shop with the post in tow

2.  You notice neighborhood cats looking at the post through the window shaking their heads

1.  First Scratch…Wobble, Wobble…Thump!