Anyone know how old a kitten has to be to be de-clawed?

Question

I hate the thought of doing this, but it needs to be done to save my house. In the long run it will be worth it.

Answer 1

DONT declaw...that s cruel! There are other options you know. We use the soft claws and they work wonders. Try this before you jump into declawing. Declawing is like amputating the a person fingers. It is also very painful and your cat with generally hide and lay around 24/7 after you do this. There is no need to declaw with softclaws. They have saved my furnture!

Heres the website...http://www.softclaws.com

The US is the only country that declawing is legal...everywhere else it is banned.

Answer 2

Before you make the decision to declaw your cat, there are some important facts you should know. Declawing is not like a manicure. It is serious surgery. Your cat's claw is not a toenail. It is actually closely adhered to the bone. So closely adhered that to remove the claw, the last bone of your the cat's claw has to be removed. Declawing is actually an amputation of the last joint of your cat's "toes". When you envision that, it becomes clear why declawing is not a humane act. It is a painful surgery, with a painful recovery period. And remember that during the time of recuperation from the surgery your cat would still have to use its feet to walk, jump, and scratch in its litter box regardless of the pain it is experiencing. Wheelchairs and bedpans are not an option for a cat. Cats scratch,so I have to ask you,WHY DID YOU GET A CAT!!!!!!!!!! NOTHING IS WORTH MAIMING A CAT!!!!!!!! There are other alternatives.
The following is a list of countries in which declawing cats is either illegal
or considered extremely inhumane and only performed under
extreme circumstances.
England
Scotland
Wales
Italy
France
Germany
Austria
Switzerland
Norway
Sweden
Netherlands
Northern Ireland
Ireland
Denmark
Finland
Slovenia
Portugal
Belgium
Spain
Brazil
Australia
New Zealand

Answer 3

NEVER declaw a cat !!! That is a horrible thing to do & it can cause severe problems. You can buy "claw covers" from a pet store or on-line. These caps slip on the claws & don't cause any problems for the cat.

Answer 4

I really would not recomment this. We thought the same thing and de-clawed my cat and he was always inside until he ran out.....well he got into a fight with another animal and well couldnt defend himself and he got what they call a "fatty liver" so he got so bad we had to put him down...! Buy some things for the cat to scratch on then he will leave your things in your house alone.

Answer 5

Never. Don't declaw your cat. Imangine cutting off the tips of your fingers. That's what you're doing when you declaw a cat. It can also cause deep psychological problems for your cat. Try using "Soft-Claws" or clip it's nails with a nail clipper. Have someone at the vet show you how. If you start clipping their nails when they are young, they won't mind when they are older. This is what we do for our 6.

Answer 6

Don't do it!!! There are several methods, that work, to teach your cat not to scratch furniture. Do you know what they do when they declaw a cat. They actually find the first knuckle and cut the bone. It would be like cutting off the portion of our fingers that hold our finger nail. I declawed my first cat and will never do it again. My second cat has all claws (4X4). We found that giving them a scratching post and shooting them with a water gun filled with vinegar when they scratch furniture works great.

Answer 7

Bla bla, don't do it, bla bla. Your vet may tell you different, so ask, but I think it's 6 months. It could be earlier, but we usually get it done when we take them in to be spayed or neutered (only one anesthetic). It's cheaper and easier on the cat that way. Both my cats, and all the cats I ever had growing up, were just fine without their front claws. Some of them were even outdoor cats and were some of the best hunters I've ever seen. The downside was the bring-home-the-prize thing, but that's another story.

Answer 8

Declaw if you don't want your house ruined and the cat is not going to be going outside where it would need to defend itself. It needs to be atleast 8 weeks old, from what my vet told me.

Better to declaw and the cat has a home than to not declaw and get rid of it after it ruins your house.

I declawed only the front and I wish I would have done the back too, then still scatch tables when they jump off and the bed/nightstands when they walk on them and they rip your clothes/blankets when the back nails get caught on them! Good Luck!

Answer 9

well... you should know that it's equal to taking off the end of all your fingers. If you would.. try this. start by getting kitty used to you touching it's feet.. while sleepy or so.. and extending it's claws.. then.. use the bigger clippers (human toenail).. and just snip the ends of the claw off. It keeps the razor end off. then get a scratch post or one that hangs on the door (so it can streach while scratching). Use a water bottle to spray it when it scratchs somewhere it shouldn't. it's ALOT less $... and w/ a little training... it'll only use what it should... just be patient like you would a child. :-)

Answer 10

I have always declawed the same time as I spayed/neutered so that the cat only had to be sedated once, as well as feel bad only once. Around 4-6 months of age.