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Marshall County Humane Society News

With your patience and efforts cats can keep claws

Your cat is destroying your upholstery and all the chair legs and door facings. You read all these articles about how painful and inhumane declawing is but that’s not helping your furniture. The Marshall County Humane Society would like to offer the following suggestions. Some may work better for you than others and we encourage you to use your imagination so everyone can keep their tempers and body parts.

Nail trimming is probably the least complicated. All you need is a pair of clippers. Catch your cat when he’s relaxed, gently squeeze the middle of his paw so his claws come out and snip off the hook part of the claw. It’s pretty easy to see where the quick is on a cat’s claw. Be prepared to take several days to complete the pedicure. If you are gentle and persistent your cat will learn not to be threatened and it will get a lot easier.

Scratching posts can actually work if you do them right. Of course, all kinds are available at pet stores for a price but if you want to make your own it should be at least three feet tall or taller, depending on how big your cat is. He wants to be able to reach up, grab and pull and really stretch those back muscles. Cover it with something like sisal, burlap or upholstery. If you use carpet turn it back side out; cats prefer the woven back to the fluffy front.

Don’t stop at one scratching post. Putting one close to where the bad scratching has been happening and another near where the cat sleeps helps encourage him to use them. Decorate the post with eye-catching objects to excite his curiosity. Put treats and/or catnip on the post. The idea is to attract his attention to it. Place posts at different heights and positions until he shows you which he prefers.

In the meantime you may also need to protect your furniture with plastic or foil or use repellent like red pepper or antiperspirant until using the posts becomes habit. Don’t hit the cats; that just makes them fear you. A squirt bottle with water in it, especially if they don’t see where the squirt comes from, gets the point across. If you are gone a lot and inventive, you can set booby traps like balloons.

Cats love cardboard. A cardboard box can provide entertainment for hours, part of which involves scratching. A log with the bark still on it also works well. (We all know cats love wood.)

If you and your cat are glamorous you might prefer the glue-on nail covers that come in assorted colors.

Good luck. With a lot of patience and effort your cat can keep his claws and you can have furniture.

For an appointment at the Humane Society sponsored, low-cost Spay/Neuter Clinic call 662-252-6196. For information on adoptions, fostering or anything else about the Humane Society, call 662-564-2900.

Correspondence and donations should be sent to the Marshall County Humane Society, P.O. Box 625, Holly Springs, MS 38635.

Pages from the Past

10 Years Ago - March 5, 1998

Habitat for Humanity house will be dedicated Saturday

Less than a year after construction began, the first Habitat for Humanity home in Marshall County will be dedicated Sat., March 7, at the new home, located on the corner of Neely and French Roads in Byhalia. The three bedroom, two bath home cost about $40,000 according to Greg Taylor, Habitat director. The family who will own the home also put in about 400 hours of “sweat equity.”

State tournament bound

The Byhalia Indians, with a 32-2 record, will make their first trip to Jackson to the State Championship tournament. If they win, they will play in the championship game next Tuesday. Team members are Mario Moore, Marcus Jones, Deadrick Bogard, Reginald Moore, Dennis Isom, Antonio Thomas, Contrell Alexander, Kendrick Duncan, Fred Falkner, Daniel Brown and Steve Walker. They are coached by Henry Gilliespie.

25 Years Ago - March 3, 1983

Ribbon Cutting

Holly Springs Mayor Sam Coopwood cut the ribbon to kick off the grand opening of Family Dollar Store this week. Family Dollar Store is located in the Big Star shopping center.

Hickory Flat Rebs winners of State Class B Boys title

All year long the Hickory Flat Rebels have had one dream -- to win the state championship. Last Saturday night, before a jam-packed Mississippi Coliseum, the 1982-83 Rebels did something no other Hickory Flat team can boast -- they won the Class B Boys State Championship! Hickory Flat defeated Pelahatchie, 60-53, in the championship game.

Signs with Mississippi State

William Henry French III has signed a football grant-in-aid with Mississippi State University. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Ted French of Jackson and the grandson of Mrs. W.H. French Jr. in Byhalia. A senior at Jackson Prep, French is 6’5” and weighs 225 pounds. Listed in the Top 40 Recruits in Mississippi French selected Mississippi State from offers which included Southern Miss, Ole Miss, Northeast Louisiana, Tulane and Rice.

50 Years Ago - March 6, 1958

Town and Country Garden Club wins two awards

The State Garden Clubs of Mississippi announced at their annual meeting in Biloxi last week that the Holly Springs Town and Country Garden Club, of which Mrs. Garrie Burdett is president, won two state awards for their annual chrysanthemum show.

Soldier of the week

Sergeant William H. Lewis of Slayden was selected as soldier of the week by the local National Guard. Lewis is 21 and married. He attended high school at Slayden, where he now owns his own place. Sgt. Lewis is a tank commander in Company A.

Holly Springs boy on college news staff

Among the reporters for the Purple and White Milsaps College newspaper is Warren Wilkins of Holly Springs.

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