Is it painful for cats when they're declawed?

Question

My cat ruins my Mom's leather furniture. He runs across the material and leaves claw marks everywhere! I don't wanna get rid of him, but this is becoming a serious problem

Answer 1

Yes, it would be like cutting off the tips of your fingers.

Answer 2

I don't know......do you think it would hurt if someone cut the tips of your fingers off? Yeah? Then declawing is probably painful to cats.

I know some people will tell you that any pain is "short-lived" and "a part of life". Well, any needless pain is horrid, be it short-lived or not. And the pain of declawing is NOT part of a normal cat's life. Yes, they have to go through some painful procedures for their own good (altering, shots, etc.), but declawing is merely an aesthetic pain, more for the owners than the cats. It would be like me cutting off my son's hands because I'm tired of him playing in the house and breaking my things. And, believe it or not, cats are easier to train than a 6 year old boy.

Does your mom HAVE to have leather furniture? No. Do cats NEED their claws? The answer is a resounding yes.

Answer 3

Naturally it hurts. It's removal of a body part. However, if I needed to remove my fingers (or arms, etc.) in order to continue living, I would make the decision to do so. While I'm not a particular fan of de-clawing, many, many cats are sent to the shelters because they're clawing things. Some cats simply don't like to use scratch posts, etc. I have seen a friend's cat who was driven nuts (literally!) by those claw-covers .... I truly felt sorry for him!

Any cat without claws must be kept indoors, but then all cats should be kept indoors if they are pets. Even cats with claws are incapable of defending themselves against feral dogs, raccoons, even possums. While my cats do have claws, they are always cut short - once per week. This helps immensely, you might give it a try.

Final word would be if you can't place the cat in a trusted, loving home and the only alternatives you feel comfortable with are either declawing or sending to the shelter, I would vote for declawing.

Answer 4

Hi there...although so many cats are declawed there are several problems that occur as a result of the surgery and for some years later as well. Some cats will begin to inappropriately soil (urinate) the home because the think the litter is hurting their feet so they avoid using the box. Other cats begin biting more to overcompensate for the lack of claws. Some will have a personality change. These are just some examples as each cat is different and responds differently to the surgery.

Here's a very good website that explains everything about declawing and how it affects a cat's overall health:
http://www.pawproject.com/html/faqs.asp

Three alternatives to consider instead of declawing:
1) SoftPaws is a glue on product to dull the nails. It needs to be reapplied each time one comes off. (http://www.softpaws.com/_

2) Clipping the cats nails weekly to dull the nails. Here's a website that shows photos with step-by-step instructions to clip your cats nails: http://www.catscratching.com/htmls/article.htm

3) Adding double-sided sticky tape to areas where you would like to stop the cat from clawing. This usually is the best deterrent as cats truly dislike getting stuck to the tape. Packing tape works the best as it is not only very affordable, but can be purchased just about anywhere.

For actual photos of a declawing surgery:
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/pointe/9352/declaw.html

Answer 5

Very. Our clinic administers pain medication before the procedur, and sends home pain meds after the procedure. We use a laser for the procedure and the cats seem much less painful. The laser provides much more delicate disarticulation of the joint leaving a much smaller deficit. Also, because the laser cauterizes as it cuts, the is much less chance of infection. We just performed a 4-paw declaw on a 4 year old cat and this cat was moving comfortably within 2 hours of the surgery. WhAnother option to consider is Soft Paws. These are nail caps plced on the cat's toenails and does not generally require anesthesia.

Answer 6

Of course, not being a cat--and not having any scientific evidence here in front of me--I would think it would be comparable to having one's fingernails surgically removed.

Also, the cat would have a hard time defending itself, climbing trees (which aids in defending itself), and even scratching itself (imagine not being able to scratch yourself!); declawing somehow seems like the creature is being mutilated for the owner's comfort or convenience.

Why are you considering having the cat declawed? If it is to keep it from scratching the furniture, you might check out the latest products from your local pet or feed store. For example, there is a product you can buy to spray on a handtowel, and place over the arm of a chair that will repel cats from going near it. Do you have a scratching post that the cat can use as an alternative? My daughter used repellent on things she didn't want the cats to scratch and rubbed catnip on the scratching post until they learned new habits.

Good luck in your quest!

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Answer 7

There are alternatives...they have caps now that can be adhered to the nails to prevent the cat from doing any damage. I have 4 cats myself and only 1 declawed. My cats personality changed proceeding the declaw. I don't know for certain about pain but several SPCA shelters refuse to adopt out to people who may potentially declaw as they feel it is inhumane and the state of California recently outlawed the procedure.

Answer 8

It probably is painful...but then again, the pain doesn't last forever. Pain is a part of life, it's inevitable. Kind of like getting a shot...it only hurts for a few seconds and then you get over it. I know that cats use their claws to defend themselves, so it would be a good idea that if you get your cat declawed, to just get the front declawed, not his back two legs. That way, if he needs to defend himself, he can use his back legs, but when he kneads, he won't tear up furniture and the carpet.

Answer 9

It sounds like the furniture is already toast. Does your mother want to get new?

To understand the pain involved in the surgery, lay your hands on a granite countertop then have your mother slam a hammer down on your fingers. Then do the "experiment", you with the hammer and your mother's fingers on the counter.

Fingers and toes are the first joints, that is what is removed in the declawing operation. You know how sensitive and important they are to you in your life. Nothing hurts more than stubbing a finger or a toe. Of course the pain goes away and you heal. Imagine what it must be like to be anesthetized and wake up to that terrible pain. Even with pain medication, the shock and trauma of the surgery will remain in your cat's psyche for the rest of its life.

The declawing surgery is outlawed in all of Western Europe.

Answer 10

I had my cat done as a kitten and I,m sure it,s somewhat uncomfortable for a few days although the vet does give them some medicine for it which makes them kind of slow for a couple of days to promote healing but in the long run it,s going to possibly save you a lot of ruined furniture. Before having mine declawed she would climb up the curtains and was constantly digging her claws into chairs and people to so it,s a lot more pleasant now that I,m not constantly nicked up from her little claws.

Answer 11

I think it's painful after the operation for a few days, but then they heal. My cat is declawed and we keep her indoors. She still has back claws.
My cat was ruining my furniture, too, with her front claws. It has gotten much better, but it's not a perfect solution. She has scratched my leather sofa with her back claws.