In the main these devices are ineffective and its usually best to remove them so there s less to get caught up in bushes and fences. If you have an indoor cat that you d like to introduce to the great outdoors, try buying a cat harness and attach a leash. You should first practice with this indoors until the cat becomes accustomed to it. Although advances in veterinary care, better nutrition and better educated owners have helped improve the quantity and quality of these years, studies reveal that senior cats continue to struggle with weight as the result of reduced activity levels and a steady decline in senses, nutrient absorption and fat digestion. Every one in your house, should agree with what you are going to allow the cat to do. Do not change the rules when you ve decided them, as this can cause difficulties. If your cat trusts you, it will probably do what you want, so speak in a calm tone. Your cat can tell if you are anxious, so don t worry if things go wrong. When the cat starts to scratch, lift the cat and place him/her next to the scratch post, they will soon get the message and use the post instead of the furniture. If you are concerned about your cat going missing, or it being involved in an accident, you can have a micro-chip (approximately the size of a grain of rice) inserted into the back of the cat s neck. Leave the cat for a while in the bathroom, with the door closed, privacy is something that cat need and want and will the cat will explore that the litter in on the toilet and use it there. If there seems to be a problem with the cat going, you may want to put the litter box next to the toilet, this way the cat will get use to this and see the toilet, before getting the training started. Before you head off to have him de clawed, you may want to try out some of the alternative methods of preventing the scratching. Alternatives One way is to provide them with scratching pads or posts. There are a wide variety of them available including those that are part of a cat condo. You can even make your own by using two foot high section of a four by four, two foot by two foot piece of heavy plywood and a carpet remnant.