To Declaw / Not to Declaw / or Give away?

Question

I'm allergic to my kitten who I've had for a few months.
Ive been told my many (ignoring the doctors, who just keep telling me to give him away) that my allergies will get better, and I will build a tolerance. I am fine with suffering slightly for awhile.

He is teething, and scratching, sometimes playfully and sometimes by accident. He leaves marks all over my hands, and while I've tried to cut his nails, i cant cut them short enough for this to stop.

He will not let me cut them every day.

I have attacks when im scratched, and the scratches swell up.

I'm afraid to declaw since ive heard many horror storys, but im afraid i might NEED to do this and it will be worse if i do it later on (hes 5 months)

I'm afraid I may need to give him away if I don't declaw and he doesn't stop this - it's been going on for about a month.

What do I do? Thanks..

He has a cat tree and uses it plenty, oddly enough hes not interested in the furniture...

I'd really hate to give him away, but I don't want him to suffer more by being with me. (if i cant play with him, love him, etc.)

My allergies are under control but the scratching is whats really causing the attacks - he didnt do this at first, and I was getting increasingly better and more tolerant.

Has anyone heard of "soft paws"?

Forgot to mention - the allergies are under control because of meds - im not an idiot! lol

Answer 1

give away, since allergic reaction is bad

Answer 2

Hi. Well first of all, I'm a cat lover and believe that when you get a pet it should be for life. I have 3 cats and a rabbit. I'm very allergic to the rabbit, but I keep him because I got him and it isn't his fault I'm allergic It's one thing to get rid of him if you are having breathing problems. THat is serious and you should find him a new home if that is the case. However if you are just sneezing or have itchy eyes, those are minor and you should respect your animal's need for a good home..

As for your kitten's behavior, he's being a kitten. Don't take away his claws because he's doing what comes naturally. I have a declawed cat and he is a biter. I've been to the hospital a few times because of him. Declawed cats are deensless and will turn into biters if they feel they are in danger. Here's what you do. WHen you catch him scratching somewhere other than his cat tree, you pick him up, firmly tell him NO and then show him the cat tree. If that doesn't work, use a squirt bottle on him. He'll get the himt. Also, the scratching and biting of you may be because he doesn't have toys he can play with with you. They like to play with their humans. My Siamese gets me down and pulls my hair if I ignore her too long. My Bengal kitten bites hands when she wants to play. I tell her no, and get her a toy. Remember your cat is still a kitten, and like small human kids, he needs to learn right from wrong.

Soft claws are great, but they are hard to put on a cat. Think how hard it is to trim claws, no imagine trying to glue something on them? Your cat has to stand still long enough for the glue to dry first. Good luck with that one! LOL
Chanda

Answer 3

I've heard of people growing into allergies, not growing out of them. If you're allergic chances are they're not going to get any better.

You shouldn't have to cut his nails every day. Once or twice a week should be plenty. Do not allow him to play with your hand, when he starts trying to scratch or play with them, take them away and say NO with authority. He's a kitten and he needs to be taught right from wrong.

I think the main thing should be your allergies. The scratching of you will stop if you take the time to train him not to do it. You could get him a scratching post now and rub cat nip on it, it'll give him the idea that's what he's supposed to scratch on. It might not stop him from scratching the furniture though.

Consider declawing only if you're positive that you can and will keep him. It's expensive, yes it's painful for the animal, and if you do declaw him, he has to stay an indoors animal forever. Declawing takes away their natural defenses.

These are JMO, hope they help a bit.

Answer 4

My sister has a pretty good cat allergy, but still managed to have cats as she did get used to it and her system adapted after a while. I suspect that everyone is different tho as to how your body will or will not adjust.

There is a new thing out now where you can get your kitty's claws "capped". Maybe a groomer in your area offers this?

Another idea that our dog trainer suggested for maintaining the claws was to get this little tool from a Home Depo kind of store. It's basically a hand held automatic little sanding block. About the size of an electric screw driver. You use the block to "file" the nails down to reduce the sharpness. If you do something like this, I'm sure kitty won't like it at first, but if you commit to doing it once a week, eventually kitty will get used to and accept it. My trainer says the rechargable one doesn't make quite so much noise either and is less irritating to the animal that way.

Good Luck!

Answer 5

I love how people have issues declawing a cat, yet the same people have no problem cuttingits balls off or tieing its tubes.

Here's my take on it. If kitty will be an indoor kitty (which unless you leave in the boonies, it really should be anyways) then declawing isn't necessarily a bad idea. My cat is declawed, (although not fixed) and thus there is no concern for any accidental scratches or any other unforeseen issues that can arise, no matter how you handle a pet. Things can happen to simple startle it or set it off.

Now,.. say you really have an issue with this,.. well,.. theres an alternative... yes,.. occasionally you'll have to trim claws,.. but now they have those caps that go over the nails and you can get them in all kinds of different colors. They are actually pretty cool, and that way, you have eliminated the threat of the claws and not hurt kitty either.

As far as alergies,.. I can really only make one suggestion... I am partly alergic to cats,.. usually ones who are dirty, or have really long hair. My cat has about avg. length hair, but how I avoid any problems is to remember to wash my hands when I am done playing with, holding, petting the cat etc, and most importantly, not to rub my eyes or touch my face with my hands before washing them after handling the cat.

Hope it works out for you

Answer 6

DEclawing is really an amputation and it is cruel. Cats at this age are very naughty, they stop as they grow older and when they are neutered. also, you must not let him scratch you, he thinks it is a game. Don't play rough with him and shout at him and get him out of the room when he does. Don't hit him, even lightly, because he thinks it is part of the game. At this age, kittens are a nuisance, but I am sure he will become a fat sleepy cat - with playful intervals, which you must teach him to do with his own toys- in 6 months, if you neuter him in a month.

IMPORTANT : GO TO WWW.SOFTPAWS.COM, I THINK THAT MIGHT BE YOUR SOLUTION.

Answer 7

Wait until he gets to be 1 or 2, if you can stand it. There's a good chance he'll grow out of the scratching.

I remember when my mom's cat was a kitten, we used to wear gloves whenever we handled him. It may sound crazy but that was the only way we could keep him from scratching up our hands. He eventually grew out of it though.

There are also these little claw covers you can get to put over his nails.

Answer 8

In the apartment i use to live in i had no choice but to have my cats declawed. It was either that or leave them at the SPCA to be destroyed. Being declawed has never bothered either of them. Yeah it hurts for a couple of days but thats it and they act live nothing ever happened.

Answer 9

I've had many many cats...and have always declawed their front claws....cats instinctively wil sharpen their claws on furniture or anything they can find...so trying to clip them is probably making matters worse....the sooner you have it done..the easier it will be on the cat....however, if you declaw them...you must keep them in the house at all times....they have no way to defend themselves against the outside elements. If you love your kitty that much...(and obviously you do)....I would have her declawed as it sounds like she will have a loving home forever...ya never know where she will end up if you give her away.

Answer 10

he is a kitten - kittens are VERY claw agressive... he will grow out of it and you need to teach him this is not appropirate behavior (a squirt with a water bottle usually does the trick)

Declawed cats frequently become more agressive biters (one I have was declawed by her last owners.. she sits on your lap while you pat her but if you stop patting her or get up to move she will beome pissed off and bite.. her owners got rid of her because of the personality change after the declaw)

You CAN invest in a product called SOFT PAWS - they are claw protectors... and will help.. otherwise wait for him to outgrow his kittenish play - teach him NOT to be agressive.. neutering will help too...

better food = less allergies

Answer 11

declawing a cat in the past I'm talking years and years ago was painful for the cats but nowadays it's simple and there isn't much pain involved. I have 4 cats and they all have been declawed and they didn't even lick at their paws when they came home and walked and jumped like nothing too place. Declaw your kitty and I hope the allergies get better you take meds for it