Is it ok to declaw a older cat?

Question

And will it be painful for them?

Answer 1

If declawing is the alternative to getting rid of the cat, then declaw. I worked for a vet who had the best reputation in town for declawing. He gave pain med afterward, and put pain medicine in the wound before suturing it closed. Yes it will be painful. Kittens take to declawing alot better than the older ones, but he will be just fine. Make sure that you take him to a vet that has had ALOT of experience doing this, and nowadays some are even using a laser. DO NOT go to a vet who sends them home with their bandages on. That is a terrible experience to go through. The bandages can come off the day after surgery and the cat should come home without them. If they want to send him home the same day as surgery find another vet. They should be observed overnight.

He will limp, walk around shaking his paws and then sit in front of you with one paw or the other in the air to make you feel guilty as hell. You will both get over it. If you have small children make them understand to leave the cats feet alone until he/she is healed. You will have to use the non clumping litter for about 2 weeks if you don't already. The clumping litter will stick to the paw and then you will have trouble. If you do get it done and there is some minor bleeding just take a paper towel, press firmly but not to hard on the paw for about 30 seconds and it should stop.

I realize a lot of people think it is cruel, but if you can't control the problem by trimming the nails, or having the vet trim them then get it done. I can't stress enough to go to a vet who has had experience, alot of experience doing this, and if you have a cats only clinic in your town that's where I would suggest you go.

Good luck.

PS cats use their hind feet to fight. I have had declawed cats that could run up a tree like, no problem. They can still catch mice, lizards etc. But should be kept indoors any way. All cats should be kept indoors in my opinion.

Answer 2

No it's not OK. It is too hard for an older cat to recover and this is not a minor surgery. I USED to have it done to my cats, but even some vets won't do it anymore. Really, declawing is unnecessary, it is easy to stop them from scratching 1)provide scratching areas..they LOVE cardboard if you can anchor some down somewhere (don't bother with all the store bought items) 2) keep a water spray bottle at hand with a new kitten around and spray them while saying firmly NO if they start scratching furniture or climbing drapes- they soon quit!

Answer 3

personally I don't agree with declawing, there are so many other alternitives to declawing. but each person has their own values and all. you can talk to your vet and find out if your cat is too old to be declawed or not. but yes, no matter what age a cat is declawed it is very painful for them and the older they are the longer the recovery time for them is.

Answer 4

I will try to NOT bash the 'DECLAWING IS EVIL' statments. I understand that many people believe that whole heartedly, and can even show valid evidence of really BOTCHED and AWFUL operations.

However.

I live in a farming community. And as such, we care for our pets as much as the next cat-lover. But we also do what is necessary to protect others/the furniture/itself from the claws if it is an indoor critter.

I have an indoor/outdoor cat. (This is also debated over. Long story short is that my cat *loves* being able to prowl outside at night and sleep in the air conditioned house all day.) He is declawed. I did all sorts of research before taking my kitty home. And all I ever saw was horror storys of declawing and people loosing their heads over the description/definition of the operation.

In the end, I bit the bullet and did what I thought was right, despite warning of the 'agonizing pain' the 'spurting blood' the 'sudden mood change' and so forth.

My cat was declawed at the proper age under my vet's advising. And after a few weeks (I believe that was the time span), off came his bandages. With in seconds of this, he was jumping around on the furniture, rubbing his scent pads, purring, and being a completely happy, carefree, and unpained animal. He remains the same slightly cranky but cuddle-loving cat that he started out as.

I know many people know only the supposed horror stories, and also love their pets to the point of not wanting to deny them their natural adaptations. However, I think that if people claim that cats should only be indoor pets (...wth? You think thats the way their desendants lived?? I'm pretty sure a cat can tough it out in the 'scary outdoors'.) they should also realize that declawing is not harmful just because someone (in this case...armies of usually older and stubborn cat-loving someones) says so.

I love my cat(s) deeply. I am not a hateful owner, and I think of Aspen and Fox (who is a complete outdoor mouser) as my own sort of children. ...You really think that I would declaw them if it was going to cripple, harm, or cause them chronic pain?

....If you are going to neuter a cat (also a temporarily painful procedure...you are also removing a 'natural part' of it.)

If it was absolutely awful...it would be illegal. And no vet in their right mind would do it. As it stands, very few vets I have met would refuse to declaw. And many would actually encourage it in most situations.

...There. Rant is over. I am just so tired of people going 'NOOOOES, the KITTY, you are EVIL' over declawing.

Answer 5

Well, i don't agree with declawing since it is a cats way of defending themself, but yes is it OK to declaw an older cat. Im not sure if it'll be painful, but i don't think it will hurt anymore than it hurts a younger cat.

Answer 6

It depends on how old your cat is. If it is a very old cat, I wouldn't. And also you should have a very good reason to declaw your cat, like if your cat is tearing up things, hurting people, or climbing up things. This will be painful for your cat so make sure you have a good reason to declaw them, and if you do, DO NOT LET YOUR CAT OUTSIDE! They have no defenses to the outside world, which they need. If your cat is an outdoor cat, don't declaw him. It is not fair to keep him inside. but if the cta has been inside his whole life and you have a good reason to delaw them, there shouldn't be a problem. My grandmas cat is declawed and he gets along inside just fine. But please, before you do anything talk to your vet!!!!

GOOD LUCK!!!!

Answer 7

I would never declaw any cat.

You need to be aware that declawed cats frequently become biters and that's much worse for humans than a scratch.

They are also supposed to stay inside when they have been declawed and are known for having inappropriate urination behavior.

So while you might think you have solved one problem you are leaving yourself open to others.

Answer 8

It's always okay depending on your reason for doing it. However, there are times when it's just wrong. For example, I have one cat that I had to get declawed because he would injure people with them. I had small children that came to our house, and they would to go pet him, and he wanted to scratch them, so we had him declawed. I have another cat that has all of his claws and he does not hurt anyone with them. All kittens scratch on things, teach them not to and they will outgrow it. Their very own scratching thing can help. So if your older cat is being mean to humans with his claws, go ahead and get him declawed. But if he is just sharpening his claws, get him something to scratch on first before your rip his nails out.

Answer 9

I don't thinks it's OK to declaw any cat. How would you like it if someone cut your nails off, clear up to the first knuckle?

Trim you cats nails regularly (easy to do), and teach them not to claw the furniture. It's quite simple with a squirt gun.

Answer 10

No. Cats do not need to be declawed and it's an inhumane thing to do to any animal. Their claws can be easily trimmed with a fingernail clipper.