declawing kitty?

Question

i need some more info....


i know im going to get alot of **** for this one but it has to be done, im yet im worried. I have a 6 month old neutered male (he was netured at 1 month before i even got him) and we had trained him to use his scratching posts and he was doing really well for the first few months, now its like we never trained him. We just had to replace our boxspring because he tore through the lining and into the wood, it finally broke! I want to get him declawed. We are renting so if he starts at the carpets or walls we'll be paying double what is would usually cost to have things fixed. I want to hear from people who have had there cats declawed. Like whats the down time, about how much did you pay, did they seem "mad", anything helpful you could tell me

im not all for declawing either...but im not giving him up either!
i clip his nails twice a week, but it still does major damage, and like i said he uses his posts most of the ti

Answer 1

First, have someone yank your fingertips off to see how it feels. Then get your cat declawed if you're still even considering it.

Answer 2

Declawing your cat is a huge risk. Changes in behavior are not uncommon in declawed cats. Some cats seem to do fairly well when they have completely recovered from their surgery, but it's impossible to predict what will happen physically and emotionally to cats after they undergo this procedure. Some declawed cats will resort to biting behavior when confronted with even very minor perceived stress or threats. This behavior is the overcompensation for the cat's insecurity about not having any claws. Sometimes, a cat's sense of balance is affected by not being able to grasp and measure objects with their claws. Chronic physical problems such as cystitis and skin disorders can all be the results of a declawed cat's sense of frustration and high degree of stress. Remember, too, that it IS possible for serious infections to occur, and for the claws to even grow back, often in a deformed and difficult-to-treat state.

You may have the wrong type of scratching post. It may be too short or too unstable. The best scratching posts can be a cat's haven - a place for them to perch, climb, sleep, and of course, scratch at leisure. Consider a tall cat tree that with posts wrapped in sisal rope. These are the absolute best. You can find these cat trees on the internet for less than $150...a declaw surgery costs way more than that. Please reconsider. You may contact me directly and I can provide you some one-on-one behavioral counseling for free. I am an expert in feline behavior and have been able to help lots of families with cats.

Answer 3

I understand your frustration, my two cats have practically demolished my furniture, it's right through to the wood too. Unfortunately declawing wasn't an option for me as it really is a barbaric operation where they will remove the entire top knuckle of his claws. I'd love for them to not destroy my stuff but it's part of having pets, they should be shown the same respect you would show your children, would you remove their top knuckles? In my case nothing else really worked either, I tried foil, plastic covers, citrus smells, loud noises, squirting water, a scratch post in every room, the list goes on. The only thing I can do now is clip their nails and close the door to important rooms, something I wasn't able to do in my last open-plan house. I had some success with 'Soft Paws' which are vinyl nail caps but it was only a short term plan. Declawing is a very easy way to deal with furniture damage but at what cost? It's illegal in the UK for a good reason and should be made so in other countries.

Answer 4

I feel your pain. I have not declawed my cat but I have declawed them. Heres the facts. It costs around $250-$300...it is so painful its not even funny. Your cat will bleed for a while after so you may get blood on your carpets, bedding etc. Basically what they do it push down on the paw to show the claw, grab a pair of pliers and rips the claw right out. Have you tried soft paws? You can order them at www.drsfosterandsmith.com or they may sell them at your vets office. They are like press on nails but for cats and they glue right over their claws so they can't scratch. They usually last for more than a month and come with 2 applications.

You can put them on yourself or you can ask your vet to do it. It is worth it trust me. I have a leather couch and it cost me a fortune but I could not declaw them not after seeing it first hand. Good luck. Hope this helps.

Answer 5

Yeah, most people are going to give you loads of crap for even thinking of declawing your cat. In fact, we've actually decided not to declaw ours, SO FAR. I'd like not to ever have to declaw him, but so long as it's not too much of a problem, I will leave his claws intact. But I'm a realist, so like to think of it this way...when it comes down to your cat destroying expensive stuff, they have two choices: 1.put up with getting declawed, or 2.get kicked out. Right? And I've read a lot of biased CRAP about how if you declaw your cat they'll turn into wild, angry, mutilated balls of fur, but I've never seen evidence of that in any declawed cats I've known. And then again, I've read a lot of articles that say declawing a cat isn't as terrible as everyone says, most of the time cats hate the process (of course), but then they get over it and don't even know they don't have claws. I mean, how do you think cats feel when we neuter them? I'm sure they don't love that either.

Answer 6

De-clawing is amputation, have you checked with your vet for alternatives? It sounds as if you love your animals and have thought this through. I have heard that de-clawing can cause other problems such as the cat not using the litter box afterward because of the extreme pain they have trying to scratch after the surgery, they then associate the pain with the litter box. I wish I could give you some kind of encouragement about this but I really cant. And I think it would be a good bet they would be "mad" after having their toes amputated. I truly hope you can find an alternative solution. Good luck.

Answer 7

I've read that declawing is a painful procedure, however, it can be necessary sometimes. If he's an indoor cat, I'd say go ahead and do it. He won't be feeling well for just a couple of days, and then he'll be back to normal. However, I would suggest that you only declaw his front paws, just in case he ever gets outside. He won't be able to do as much damage to your furniture with just his back claws, and if he gets outside he'll still be able to defend himself from any attacks.

Answer 8

I have looked up declawing on the net and most of them are very negative about the whole process. Apparently cats can be in major pain and not really show outward signs of it (animals have learned by evolution not to show signs of weakness) so anyone who tells you that their cats seemed to be okay after may not know the facts. Do you think having your nails removed would hurt afterward?
Check out those nail caps, they seem to be a good solution.

Answer 9

You can try using citrus sprays ( cats hate the smell of citrus) use the sprays around the things that he is scratching to keep him off, and try to praise him when he DOES use the scratching posts. If that is ineffictive, then declawing isnt a BAD thing, especailly if he is the only cat.

The way i keep my cats using there posts, not my chairs etc is by putting treats and catnip on the posts,and citrus oils near the things i DONT want touched. Once they realize what can be touched and what cant, your good. sometimes you have to reapply the citrus oil,just to remind them, but its cheaper and easier then declawing. IF all else fails, then declawing is a safe way to protect your things.

Answer 10

I had my cat de-clawed when she was an adult. She too refused to scratch on her post and destroyed several pieces of furniture!

I didn't want to throw her outside because she has been an indoor cat since very young. Plus we live in town. I had her de-clawed for about $60 and she was "down" for only a few hours after we brought her home. By the next day she was walking just fine. You just have to make sure kitty doesn't chew on his feet and pull out the packing on his toes.

She didn't seem mad at me or anything. In fact, she was more cuddly because she wanted sympathy and be babied!

As long as you know you are going to keep in indoors, don't feel guilty about having him de-clawed. A lot of people on here will lecture and chastise you and sent you links to other sites to see the "procedure". Ignore them! Kitty will be fine, your house will be intact and you'll feel better knowing your not giving up a family member!

Answer 11

do no longer DO IT! Declawing a cat is inhumane. they do no longer basically take off the claws, they take off the outer part of the toe with it. The cat would be defenceless exterior, and would have soreness walking for the the remainder of his existence. you could trim your cat's claws in many situations to minimize the possibility of harm to the fixtures, carpeting and your self. you additionally can get little sparkling plastic booties on the puppy save which will help, in case your cat tolerates them. Declawing isn't completed to cats interior the united kingdom. i'm shocked it somewhat is nonetheless criminal interior the USA of a.