Is four to old to declaw your cat?

Answer 1

Usually around the time of alter (approx. 6 months) is a good time to get a cat declawed if you are going to do it. Consider all of your options first and try to train the cat away from scratching your furniture by spraying vinegar water on it, and getting a scratching post with catnip scenting. I wouldn't recommend declawing if your cat is indoors/outdoors, as when he is outdoors he will have no way of defending himself to other animals without his claws. If not and he is indoors strictly, declawing is a solution that will take care of any indoor furniture or people scratching that he might do. The older a cat gets, the harder this procedure will be on the cat and he will need to be put under during the operation.

Answer 2

Declawing can be painful, disfiguring, cause lameness and psychological trauma. There is no agreement among veterinarians and some would characterize the procedure as merely "uncomfortable". Inability to defend oneself from cats dogs and an inability to climb trees have been cited as reasons not to declaw outdoor cats. Possible surgical complications include: inadvertent removal of part of a digital pad, incomplete removal of the nailbed and partial regrowth of the nail, infection, rare anesthetic complications and prolonged healing time in older cats. Additionally some people feel that declawing is a surgery of convenience for the owner on the order of ear cropping and tail docking.

ALTERNATIVES TO DECLAWING

Behavioral modification - my personal favorite. If the cat stops clawing inappropriately then one has a cure. The drawback is that it requires some concentrated vigilance and action on the part of the owner. Initial attempts often fail and require persistance, inventiveness and willingness to try a number of different techniques. These techniques range from covering items in foil, using a squirt bottle, verbal admonishment and showing the legal scratching surface to smacking the offender when caught in the act. Frequently cats stop doing things if they know they make you angry which requires some display of anger even if it is just yelling. Crude but sometimes effective and certainly cheap.

Soft Paws - This product consists of blunt plastic sheaths which are "Superglued" onto the nail. They need to be replaced as they fall off.
(THIS IS WHAT I PUT ON MY CAT----NAIL CAPS - SHE HAS NO PROBLEM AT ALL WITH THEM AND THEY ARE SO EASY TO USE - $20 FOR 40 NAIL CAPS)
PLEASE CHECK THIS OUT

Nail Clipping - This is the lowest tech treatment of the problem. It does however require people to learn to do it themselves or bring cats to the veterinarian or groomer to have it done. It is not difficult if the cat is reasonable. Cats may however continue to claw and can still do some damage.

Tendonotomy - Not new but lately an increasingly used surgical technique. It is reputed to be more humane than declawing and nearly as effective. This surgery consists of severing the deep digital flexor tendon through a small incision on the underside of each toe. The feet are otherwise left intact. Severance of this tendon means the cat can no longer voluntarilyextrude the claw. The feet are generally not bandaged and cats go home thatday or the following day. Tendonotomized cats need to have their nails clipped every two to four months or they can become overgrown and inadvertently snag on carpeting etc. If this solution does not work to the owner's satisfaction the cat can be declawed at a later time.

Answer 3

We thought we needed to declaw our older cats, but after hearing the vet describe the procedure and the result, we abstained - the effect seems more like cutting off toes than nails (and I am very practical when it comes to pets). We ended up getting plastic covers for the cats claws - "soft paws". Takes a little time once a month, but doesn't seem to affect the cats at all, and even makes them look fashionable!!!

Answer 4

Well I don't know about it being too old,but I would never declaw my cats.There nails are pretty much the only thing to protect them from other cats.

Answer 5

As the attached link states, "declawing is expensive, painful surgery. Think of it as having the first joint of all your fingers removed. And because their first line of defense has been taken away, declawed cats may resort to biting more often than their intact counterparts".
http://www.sspca.org/Cats/Declawing.html

There are other alternatives, healthier ones too, to declawing your cat. I would suggest you investigate them before proceeding with this.

Answer 6

Please reconsider declawing your cat - it is unnecessary mutilation and should be banned like it is in the UK and other places. Declawing is actually an amputation of the last joint of your cat's "toes".
There are many other options such as training your cat to use a scratching post, regular nail clipping or caps to cover their claws.

Answer 7

Don't do it!!!. The cat should have been declawed when it was a baby or near 1 year old.

Answer 8

If you declaw your cat now, there is a good chance he will start biting more often than not. As others have said here, claws are a main defense against dogs, wild animals, etc. I would advise you buy plenty of things specially desgined for cats to scratch on... they sell tons of them at PetSmart, Wal-Mart, everywhere.

Answer 9

At any age, declawing your cat is cruel. Whatever the reason is, there is a better solution, ask around, and do the right thing by NOT torturing your pet.

Answer 10

Your cat is beyond the age where it is safe to declaw them for many reasons. Rethink your stance on this one.