Alternative to declawing or rehoming

[lollie]

Does your cat have plenty of “up” places to be when the dog starts annoying her? Kitty trees, shelving, etc? I would make sure she had a cat highway, the ability to get from place to place, without coming down to dog level. If the dog doesn’t interpret, and act on cat body language- her posture, ears, etcetera- then her next move will be to smack. If instead, you feel this is boredom or inappropriate play on her part, more play time, and a catio should help. I usually try to trim my cat’s nails every couple of weeks, just taking off the tips.