Is a 3-year old cat too old to be declawed?

Answer 1

Its too cruel. Let the cat keep the claws.

Answer 2

De-clawing involves chopping off the cat's 'fingers' up to the first joint. Because of that, the tendons that attach to those bones no longer have a place to attach. The muscles on the other end of those now loose tendons are rendered useless. Cats then lose a lot of strength in their forelimbs. Declawing is not good for the cat.

Why not learn to clip your cat's claws instead? If you are concerned about the furniture or your hand when you are playing together, you really only need to clip the front paws. Just be careful not to clip the claw too short because you can nick the vein inside the claw. Usually about 4mm will do the trick.

Answer 3

No it isn't too old to be declawed. If the cat goes outside, I wouldn't get it declawed. My cat is an inside cat. I had to have her declawed 'cause she would not stop using my furniture for a scratching post. She , after I'd had the front ones taken out I also had to have the rear ones done too because she kept putting holes in my water bed. I love my cat and have had her for over 18 years. She has gone blind, but vet says that she is in good health for her age.

Answer 4

You can get a cat declawed at any age though many times the older a cat the more likley the cat may have behavior problems after the proceedure is done. I suggest that you do not have the cat declawed. The behaviors that the cat may display after it has been declawed often tend to be worse then when they had their claws. I encourage the scratcher and keep their nails clipped frequently.

Answer 5

While I could not say it is TOO old, I DO have to say- based on experience - that the cat will not heal as quickly as a kitten or younger cat, My friends 2 year-old cat was sore for a LONG time and she regretted having done the surgery. Why at 3 years of age do you want to perform this painful and deforming surgery on this cat? There must be other alternatives. If it is a furniture thing, then take the time to do proper training. Declawing means removing the last digit, not just the nail! Contact me PLEASE if you'd like training advice, it's a lot cheaper!

Answer 6

My daughter had her two cats declawed when they were about 3 years old. They did fine! She waited because so many people told her it was cruel to declaw cats--like removing fingernails. But they tore up her furniture so she finally had them declawed. Both her and the cats have done so well since the surgery. They are perfectly happy now. And her furniture is happy too.

Answer 7

There's no age limit to this procedure. It's equally cruel to all cats, regardless of age.

Declawing a cat is basically the same thing as amputating the tips of all of your fingers. It's very painful and requires a relatively long recovery.

And besides, declawing leaves your cat defenseless and unable to behave like a cat. Scratching surfaces is the least offensive way a cat has of marking its territory. Take that away, and you've left a naturally territorial animal without any pride at all.

If you can't handle cat behavior, you shouldn't have gotten a cat at all. It's not fair to change the animal, through surgery, to make him more suitable for your household.

Answer 8

Technically, no.

However, I personally advice against it and would only suggest the declawing procedure as a total last resort. People who like cats and want one as a pet have to consider that scratching is an instinctive behavior much like how you scratch an itch.

It's not really fair to the cat to remove what amounts to the tips of his or her fingers. Not only do cats suffer from bone wasting disorders and arthritis as a result of this procedure, once you do so, cats become completely unable to defend themselves.

I would urge you to try the 'softclaws' product that cover the cats claws, clipping the nails, or training your cat to stop clawing first, then if all else fails and he or she is still destructive, declaw them.

Answer 9

It is not too old, but declawing a cat can change their personality. My friend had the sweetest cat but after she got it declawed he became mean and very aggressive with strangers. He has bitten me twice and I was just sitting on her couch not even touching the cat and he came up and attacked me. He may be an extreme example, but I would ask your vet about personality change.

I personally clip my cats' nails. I have done it since he was a kitten and he likes it. He sits and purrs and lets me do it.

Answer 10

A cat can really be declawed at any age I guess...most people believe it is cruel, which I believe it is too...but if it has to be done like if another pet is in danger of being hurt by the cat then i would recommend it..if you can do without it then i wouldn't do it...might i suggest soft paws

Answer 11

A cat may still be declawed at three years of age.

However, I would like to direct your attention to the site listed in the source for this answer.

Declawing is an unnecessary, painful, disfiguring process equal to removing the last joint on all of your fingers. It also tends to lead to behavioral problems--including ones relating to the litter box.

Please look into other options, such as Soft Claws, or simply trimming your cat's nails as often as possible.