Scratching Education Toolkit
The best method to advance feline welfare is through education. Many cat caregivers are unaware that scratching is a natural behavior for cats. The AAFP has created the educational resources below to assist your team in educating cat caregivers about why cats need to scratch, ideal scratching surfaces, troubleshooting inappropriate scratching, training cats to scratch appropriately in the home, and alternatives to declawing.
Guiding Clients on Living with a Clawed Cat (Summary Flyer)
Train your veterinary team to how to appropriately counsel and assist your clients to live in harmony with a clawed cat. Topics include why cats scratch inanimate objects, ideal scratching surfaces, troubleshooting inappropriate scratching, and training cats to scratch appropriately in the home. DOWNLOAD
Claw Counseling: Helping Clients Live Alongside Cats with Claws (In-depth Article)
This comprehensive article provides more detailed information to help you counsel clients on why and how to live with a clawed cat. It provides information about why clients declaw, short and long-term complications, what causes cats to scratch excessively and on unfavorable locations, and how to work through inappropriate scratching situations. DOWNLOAD
Claw Counseling: Living in Harmony with Clawed Cats (Webinar)
This webinar teaches clients how to live in harmony with their clawed cat. This presentation reviews the natural scratching behavior of domestic cats with guidance on how to target this behavior to desirable surfaces. It will describe the goals behind Claw Counseling, providing the necessary information for veterinary practices to implement this program immediately. VIEW WEBINAR
Online Resources
2017 AAFP Position Statement on Declawing
The American Association of Feline Practitioners strongly opposes declawing (onychectomy) as an elective procedure. It is the obligation of veterinarians to provide cat owners with alternatives to declawing. MORE
Alternatives to Declawing Client Brochure
Share this brochure with your clients to educate them on scratching resources and nail care as appropriate alternatives.
Download Electronic Viewing
Download Print Ready Booklet Color
Download Print Ready Booklet Black and White
Limited additional copies can be ordered by filling out this form.
Links to AAFP’s Client Website – Catfriendly.com
You can share links to these educational pages with your clients via social media, website, and newsletter.