Getting My Cat Declawed?

Question

I need to get my cat declawed. Im kind of against it bc I dont want to cause her any pain. Do they feel it? also, I needed to know how much it usually costs? Im getting a new puppy and she can get kind of rough when playing..so the claws have to go.

Well..actually my cat has hurt my mother in laws dog before. Shes a great cat..but she is playful and its like she knows she has those claws. I dont want her to be in pain. I'll check into the nail things. Also..my puppy will be smaller than my cat full grown and I know how playful she gets with full size dogs. I dont want to make the wrong choice.

Thanks everyone...i know im not an evil person, i love my cat. She loves to scratch on things and I wouldnt get all 4 of them declawed, just her front ones. She is an indoor cat.

I remember getting my mom's cat declawed when I was younger and I dont recall excessive bleeding or an unhappy cat. She doenst recal that either. Maybe its the vet who did the terrible job to be blamed.

FIRST OF ALL...I DONT APPRECIATE BEING CALLED AN IDIOT..NOT ONCE DID I ASK IF IT WAS PAINFUL..I KNOW IT HAS TO BE..BUT I WAS WONDERING IF THEY FELT IT..WASNT SURE IF MAYBE THEY WERE NUMBED..SORRY!! I LOVE MY CAT MORE THAN ANYTHING. SHE IS WELL TAKEN CARE OF AND SPOILED ROTTEN. SO NEXT TIME YOUR SO DONT BE SO QUICK TO JUDGE SOMEONE YOU DONT KNOW. I'VE SEEN SOME PRETTY DUMB QUESTIONS ON HERE..BUT PEOPLE STILL ASK THEM BC ITS A QUESTION..IF YOU DONT LIKE THE QUESTION MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS AND KEEP YOUR IGNORANT AND DISRESPECTFUL COMMENTS TO YOURSELF.

Answer 1

DO NOT listen to 2D. Having you cat declawed WILL NOT cause serious mental damage to your cat. I worked in a vet office & we charged $200 to declaw the front only. It IS painful for them but pain medication should always be given. I don't personally have my cats declawed but I understand that some people prefer to have it done. It doesn't make you an evil person.

Answer 2

At our clinic, the cats that get declawed stay in house for 3 days. My vet considers it major surgery, others may not. There is a chance from excessive bleeding, and they are in quite a bit of pain afterwards which is why they stay for 3 days.

It costs a lot here at our clinic. It's upwards of $600, put that price could go up or down depending on where you live, the time they spend in hospital, things of that nature. The best thing to do is call the vet you plan on going to and ask the receptionist to give you a detailed estimate of the cost.

I've always found that trimming once a week keeps them from getting like daggers and scratching and hurting people and other animals. That's just what I've found though.

I do have a declawed cat, she came to us that way. I always thought it cruel that someone spent the money to do that, then let her outside...but she knew where to come and not she's a strictly indoor cat. And she doesn't seem to even realize that she doesn't have claws because she still tries to claw the couch or the wicker furniture.......so I'd say she's ok.

I know someone on here said something about laser declaw...can you tell me how much that costs? Like I said, my doctor charges a small fortune...it would be a nice option to those who would like something that might cost less and be less painful..thanks!

Good luck,

Answer 3

Pain after the amputation non-withstanding, declawing is related to many behavioral problems, most commonly litter box avoidance (carpet doesn't hurt as much as gravel like litter) and aggression (cat begins biting because it has no claws, cat bites are actually much more dangerous than scratches and much more likely to get infected).

Declawing also changes the way the cat walks on its feet, normally weight is supported on the toes, but since they are now half gone, the cat must walk on it's heels. This changes the way impact and weight are carried on the leg and causes pain similar to why high heeled shoes hurt people feet.

Cats also use their claws to stretch a series of tendons running from the toes to their spine. When their claws are removed they are no longer able to do this, which again causes pain and may eventually lead to problems like spinal arthritis.

Of the elderly cats we see at the rescue I work with those which are declawed almost universally have joint problems and/or arthritis. We get many many surrenders because of behavioral problems caused by declawing as well.

Answer 4

Here's what my vet said: If it makes them a better pet, then do it. That's basically how I feel. A lot of people will say that it is cruel but the bottom line for me is that where I live, I'm required to have them declawed and rather than give them away, I declawed them so I could keep them. My cats didn't seem to have any pain and are doing great. It's really saved my furniture and lessened the amount of scars on my hands. I'm getting my third cat declawed also. The price varies from place to place. Where I used to live, it is $70.00 and that is cheap. Where I live now, the price is $150.00 and up. Good luck and I hope you make the decision that is best for you and your cat!

Answer 5

Cat nail clippers. They cost about 3 dollars. If your cat is too unruly to sit still for the 10 seconds it takes to clip them, wait until he's sleeping. It's quick, painless, and not a horrible disfigurement that leaves your cat defenseless. Just be careful of the vein that runs into their claw. I would honestly worry more about your cat's safety around a puppy. I say let the cat nick the dog once. I'm sure they'll leave each other alone after that.

Answer 6

Wow, I am kind of curious as to some of you who say how mean it is and how it hurts... Are any of you a vet or a cat for that matter.

I talked it over with my vet long and hard before I decided to have our stray kitten declawed. He told me the way they use to do it hurt them very bad but now GOOD vets use lasers. They simply laser them off, glue them shut. I had my cat fixed and declawed the same day. He was groggy for a day from the anesthesia but the next day he was completely back to his old self.

He never limped, you couldn't even tell he had anything done. He was not bloody. He continued being lovey and playful as if nothing happened. He still climbs up my Christmas tree so it's completely false that they can no longer climb.

I love animals. We got him as a stray when he was 8 weeks old. He climbed into my husband's van. I think he is better off in the house with us without claws than starving out in the cold. I care about our animals but I love my daughter more and I value her eye site more than the cats claws. People who chose animals over children obviously do not have children.

Answer 7

It's going to leave her tender for about three to four days...However the Vet. usually gives you a prescription of pain meds. and as long as your kitty is an indoor cat then she won't need her claws for protection. Also you can declaw just the front paws. It cost about $85-$125
depending where you live.

Answer 8

It hurts them horribly. They have trouble walking for weeks after being done. It's not like they do it gently. They just yank the nails out. Your puppy is not going to get hurt. Maybe a scratch or two but that is nothing compared to the pain you will put your cat through. Besides, maybe your puppy will be too much for the cat and she will need her claws to protect herself. Cats that have been declawed just start biting and that hurts worse than a scratch.

Answer 9

I had this done to a cat I had back many moons ago. The cat used to love tearing our sofa to pieces. We were about to buy a new sofa and didn't want "stinky" shredding it. we lived in a small apartment at the time and when the cat went to the litter box you knew it (open the windows) so he got the name stinky. Any-who...we thought having Stinky declawed would solve the problem..it didn't. He then started lying on his back in front of the sofa and tearing into it with his back claws...then he started chewing on the sofa. lol (smart cat) I felt bad for stinky when we had him declawed...I wouldn't do it again. His paws were bandaged up and bleeding. I could see in his eyes he wasn't impressed with what we did to him. ( I hope this helped)

Answer 10

a declawed cat is not able to properly groom herself--can lead to illness and problems.
if kitty gets outdoors after declawing, she has no way to climb a tree of fight off the animal trying to hurt or kill her.
kitty is easier to train than put thru surgery.
use a flyswatter on the sofa when she starts to scratch, use a squirt of water as she approaches something she is not spoed to scratch--make for her a place all her ow to scratch to her hearts content, and put some catnip inside it, show her where it is,a nd reinforce her use of it--squirt her when she makes a mistake, and remind her verbally that she knows where to do that--and she will do what you want her to do.
please do not declaw kitty--she really does need her claws to survive.
train her-she will be happier, and so will you!
good luck