Should I get my house kitten declawed?

Question

I have brand new leather furniture and these are 2 baby kittens that i'll be adopting.

Answer 1

Please, please don't declaw your cat! I know alot of people don't understand, but it really is painful... in some cats it can lead to arthritis and joint pain in their poor little paws. And ESPECIALLY don't declaw their back paws... they need those to scratch their ears and such! They make these little tips that dull cat claws... they are hard to find, but work VERY well! Each tip goes over the cats claws, and makes them unable to scratch.

However, I'll tell you from experience, that the best way is to simply train your cat not to scratch furniture! They make furniture repellants (which honestly, have never worked very well for me), also.

The thing that worked for me was when I got a scratching post covered in sisal rope... it's an often expensive type of rope scratching post that cats are particularly attracted too... even better if you coever it with catnip to boot! :) When I got that, my cat never scratched furniture again! The rule of thumb is, when they have enough scratching material of their own, they won't want to stratch furniture! :)

I hope this helps, but please, if you love your kitty, spare them the agony of not having thier claws! :(

PS: If you happen to live in the northern regions of the US, there is a new trend running around where people simply cover the entire cat paw with a sort of baby booty, also... recently heard of that one... they say it works well when you start young, but they do take time to get used to the booties.

Answer 2

I just got 2 kittens also, and I haven't had any problems with them scratching furniture (they have 3 scratching posts and are happy to use them instead). I've had a cat declawed in the past, and while she seemed okay, I wouldn't do it again. If you start trimming their nails once a week when you first get them, they'll get used to it and it will be easier (it's easier when they're sleeping).
I've heard that double stick tape on your furniture will help train them not to scratch the couch (I don't know what the tape does to a leather couch though, so you might want to test it on a back corner first). A few holes here & there are worth it though, because having cats is so great. And your furniture is going to get worn in or messed up by someone eventually anyways.

Answer 3

Furniture is never a good reason to put cats through the pain and trauma associated with declawing. This procedure involves amputating their toes...they remove the bone and everything to the first knuckle. Many cats never fully recover, and some develop behavioral problems as a result. I've seen cats with deformities, cats that had to have a leg amputated, and cats that have turned to biting people as a result of this surgery. If you've got leather furniture and you don't want it scratched, don't get cats. Many places won't allow you to declaw cats that you adopt. There are things you can do so they won't scratch, but if someone cares about their furniture enough to declaw their cats, they probably won't accept trying these methods...scratching post, nail trims, soft paws, etc. In my opinion, if you care that much about your new furniture, you shouldn't get cats...scratching is in their nature.

Answer 4

I agree, give them a chance. Pick up a copy of Cats for Dummies (I'm not trying to insult you, I own it, and it's an excellent resource), and read the section on behavior modification. There are so many ways to train cats to keep them from clawing on furniture, carpets, drapes, etc. When we adopted our male last year, he had all of his claws. I was raised in a household where cats were declawed as a default....but after reading up on how horrid it is (and how some vets refuse to do it anymore), I refused to, as well. Now, Blaze tried going after my couch, chair, box spring, and rugs....but a clap and a loud "NO!" deterred him. He's a very sensitive cat, so that was all I needed. Some people take stronger measures, but it usually works. And there are protective things you can put on your couch until your kittens are trained.

We just adopted a 3 year old female last week. She hasn't ONCE tried to claw on anything other than the cardboard scratchers we have out for her and Blaze. Despite what anyone tells you, not all cats scratch up your things. Both of my cats are very respectful and dainty with their daggers:)

Answer 5

Do not declaw your cat. It is inhumane, and will leave them defenseless if they ever get outside by accident. You don't have to worry about your furniture. Get a few scratching posts (depending on how big your house is), put some catnip on them and the kitties will learn to scratch them. If and when you catch them scratching the furniture, you can spray them with a little water but ONLY while they are scratching. Better yet, just clap your hands loudly and say "NO!" Then, gently move them over to the scratching post and place their paws on the post. Do not hit your kitties.

FYI: if you delay getting a scratching post for them, you have no right to prevent them from scratching the furniture in the meantime. Kitties NEED to scratch, it's just a matter of providing them with a place where they are allowed to do it. Imagine if your nails were splitting and breaking and you couldn't do anything about it!

Answer 6

wow, I never thought I would read so many crybabies whine about declawing being inhumane. I personally wouldn't do it, just because I let my cats outside. But saying not to because it "hurts" them is BS. Those are the types who are against dog ear cropping. Seriously, your cat won't care 30 seconds after its done. It's not that big of an ordeal. With new leather furniture you might want to get it done, but don't get mad if your cats get killed by a dog or a racoon because you took its weapons away.

Answer 7

no.

when someone asks whether they can cut your fingers off at the knuckles, maybe that will put this into perspective. i've had three cats and none were a problem with scratching. if the kittens seem to have a scratching problem, train them when theyre little to behave and they will. be a good owner. don't just chop your kittens body apart because you don't have the time to deal with what COMES with having a kitten.

and if you have new leather furniture, maybe you should consider animals that wont be sitting on it.

Answer 8

No. Declawing cats is inhumane. They actually cut the tips of each of their toes off in the procedure. Its cruel and shouldn't be done to any animal. If you have brand new leather furniture then don't get cats!!!!!

Answer 9

No way! Don't get the kitty declawed because it is the equivalent of taking our finger nails and ripping them off completely. Not good. Just get one of those awesome floor to ceiling scratching posts that is treated with catnip, from Wal*Mart, and set it up and take each of them and take one of their feet and start clawing the post with their feet to show them that's where they should be going instead of your furniture. And when they use your furniture, go tap their behinds and say NO in a stern voice. That's how we trained ours. She tried the couch like twice and we got her that huge post and scolded her with a stern voice each time she tried the couch and she stopped! For added fun, run over to PetSMart and buy a small tub of Kookamunga brand catnip and sprinkle it on the post after you set it up. Best of luck to you!! :)

Answer 10

Okay...let's see...do you wear panty hose? If yes, then you realize the damage that your own nails can cause when putting them on...have you ever considered removing your finger nails????I doubt it. It is a painful and unnatural procedure for cats. They need their claws to be real cats. If the leather furniture is more important...I'd say to not adopt the kittens until it is worn out.