SoftPaws/Claws or Declawing?

Question

SoftPaws or Declaw?

Hell no.

I'd never declaw any living being.


Its just that some people think declawing is "better" than using soft paws.

Answer 1

Do not declaw - the cat may turn out aggressive or end up biting. I know bc we had one that got antisocial. Our cat also didn't like it's paws touched afterwards and also would try to bite if we touched her back.

Cats need their claws so they can properly climb, play and balance. The cat's gait can be changed and weight distribution affected. Imagine if part of your hands were cut off.

A cat's claws are used for balance, for exercising, and for stretching the muscles in their legs, back, shoulders, and paws. They stretch these muscles by digging their claws into a surface and pulling back against their own clawhold - similar to isometric exercising for humans. This is the only way a cat can exercise, stretch and tone the muscles of its back and shoulders. The toes help the foot meet the ground at a precise angle to keep the leg, shoulder and back muscles and joints in proper alignment. Removal of the last digits of the toes drastically alters the conformation of their feet and causes the feet to meet the ground at an unnatural angle that can cause back pain similar to that in humans caused by wearing improper shoes.

Our new cat is natural. We have scratching posts, kitty condo, plenty of toys. Use a squirt bottle and squirt your kitty if he claws furniture. If you are consistent, he will learn not to do it and to instead go to his scratching posts. Some cats like the corrugated cardboard things on the floor, some like real bark, and some like carpeted posts. You will have to find out what he likes.

Soft Paws may be an option, but we haven't tried them.

http://www.pawproject.com/html/faqs.asp

Tenectomy is a procedure in which the tendons in the toes are severed. The cat still has its claws, but is unable to control them. This procedure does not necessarily protect people from being scratched, and it is associated with a high incidence of abnormal claw growth and muscle atrophy.

http://www.declawing.com/htmls/declawing.htm

Study the info on the anatomy of cats before assuming declawing won't affect your pet.

Most animal organizations agree that there is no medical reason to declaw and the owners want to do it for convenience.

If you are more worried about your furniture than your cat's health and happiness - maybe you should get a stuffed cat instead.

Answer 2

I don't know anything about Soft Paws, but I will tell you that I have two declawed cats and I would NEVER declaw another cat as long as I live. It is so traumatic for them and they can enver go out again because by declawing you are taking away their only means of self defense. If you are having a problem with the cat clawing everything, just get a scratching post and put some cat nip on it. The cat will love it.

Answer 3

I have three declawed cats; no regrets. Two were declawed before they realized what their claws were for. The other was maybe five years old. He's 16 now; the other two are 6. haven't lost balance. They all have very sweet personalities. Never tried soft paws. Tried clipping. i was going to leave the 6-year-olds claws intact until one bit a hole in my finger when I was clipping and I just had them done when they got spayed and neutered. (about 4 months) I watch these guys "clawing" at the woodwork in the condo we bought in February, and it would just be trashed if they had claws! I love my kitties, but I also appreciate nice things.

Answer 4

I just bought Softpaws and put them on my 11 week old kitten for the first time. I love them! They're amazing!

I wish I'd known about them before I ignorantly got my other cat declawed 2 years ago :(

I'll never declaw again!!!

Answer 5

DO NOT DECLAW!!

The cat's claw is not a toenail at the end of the toe as in other animals. It is movable digit attached to muscle as a finger might be.
Without this your cat would not be able to properly grasp, hold or establish footing for proper walking, running, springing, climbing or stretching.
Think of the cat as having 10 toes on each foot.

Declawing is akin to cutting off half their toes!

When the end digit, including the claw is removed, the sensory and motor nerves are cut, damaged and destroyed. They do not repair themselves or grow back for many months. Following the surgery there is a wooden lack of feeling, then a tingling sensation during the long convalescence while the cat must walk on the stub end of the second digit. Remember that during all this time the cat may not "rest" his feet as we would after a similar operation but must continue to scratch in his litter box, walk and attempt to jump as usual regardless of his pain.


There is also a new surgery for your cat that will hurt them as well they go into the wrist and cut the tendon where the cat will be unable to extract her claws. you still have to clip them and it's just as bad as declawing!

Answer 6

Only you can know the answer to that. I have tried Soft Claws, and was LESS than impressed. Hard to put on!!! Sitting there trying to glue little nail covers on a cats nails IS NOT fun or easy. You will begin finding them around the house the next day. One of my cats HATED them and spent a lot of time chewing at his claws.
The couch was still getting trashed because they still tried to scratch and the things fell off.
We finally gave up and got 2 more very destructive Siamese and just decided to not buy a new sofa and get slipcovers. It was just easier.

I have some of those cats that seem to totally ignore the scratching posts. Cheap,expensive,sisal,carpet,catnip spray....we have tried them all and the do not use them enough to make a difference. The couch is it for them.

I do have 2 cats that came declawed, and they are fine. They will "scratch" at the posts all day. They have no odd behavior issues,do not bite,and have no house soiling problems. All of those CAN be side effects of declawing.

OMG!!! It does NOT cause them to lose their balance!!!!!!!

Answer 7

id you declaw your cat, as they get older the toes will start to seperate making it very hard to walk, my moms cat who is now 13 years old was declawed when it was a kitten, now all it does is lay there because it is too painfull for her to walk. I have three cats of my own and I use softpaws they work well its just a pain to get them on in the first place

Answer 8

First off, if the cat is still a kitten, declawing is not "inhumane" or the Veterinarian wouldn't DO IT! Secondly, they suture them with glue usually so they don't take long to heal and usually bounce right back. So, just call the Veterinarian and ask THEIR opinion, not someone who has no idea (including me!).

However, the older the cat, the more the difficulties with "getting used to being declawed." Which is just natural.

Answer 9

Declawing is exceptionally cruel and agonisingly painful, the same as if the tips of your fingers and toes were cut off, you were given no painkillers and had to walk on your hands and feet. It is actually outlawed where I live.

I have an indoor cat and I have trained her from a young age to have her nails clipped weekly, which keeps them blunt but intact for things like climbing and having a scratch. I just do them when I cut my own nails (with a different clipper obviously!)

This is a humane way to keep the nails in good shape and avoid scratches yourself.

Answer 10

I would go with leaving the cat with its claws. Because I think it is mean to declaw them. All my cats have there claws even the kitten that has dewpaws on all four paws