is laser declaw better than traditional declaw?

Question

my cat claws the furniture & I have put soft claws but she will not keep them on so my mom said we have to declaw her(she is an indoor cat). is laser declaw better?

I have done so much research

I am gluing the soft paws on very well but she takes them off & the start to bleed

Answer 1

We recently got a cat, and unfortunately, as sweet as he is, he did have a tendency to scratch. A LOT. While yes, training is an option (and he IS being trained), we also know how dangerous cat scratches can be to those who are already health-impared, as my mother is. So we asked our vet about laser removal after hearing about it from friends.

We were appalled to hear about how traditional declawing was done, and refused to do it. Upon hearing more about the laser from our vet, however, we were more open to the idea. The claw is essentially removed at the nail bed with a laser. Yes, this is removing their claw. But NOT any part of the bone or knuckle. We asked several people in the waiting room if they had the procedure - two out of nine had done the laser - and both said they were exceptionally happy with the results and their cats were the same as before. One man actually commented if they had had that back when he had a cat (he now owned a dog) he would have had it done and kept the cat. He couldn't break the cat's bone to declaw so he finally gave it away. He was heartbroken, he said. So we talked it over at home and got the cat's claws removed by laser.

I can tell you, without a doubt, this was the best decision we could have made. We no longer have to keep my mother away from the cat (which killed her - he's a kitten and our first pet and she adores him.) He's the exact same cat he was - no mood changes, nothing. Totally as affectionate as he was, maybe even more so now that he's not being told "NO!" all the time. He still has his nail sheaths, so he still uses his scratching pads as normal - he just can't scratch humans or furniture with his front paws. His back claws are still there - and MAN, are they still there - but as his natural defense, there's no reason to take them out, even if he is an indoor cat.

We had this done when he was already at the vet for his shots and feline tests. He had to use the newspaper pellet litter for a few days but he was literally jumping up on the counters the second we got him home from the vet. He displayed no feelings of pain and took to his new litter immediately. He suffered no bleeding and continued grooming as usual.

A friend of ours had used the nail caps and unfortunately her cat swallowed three of them and became violently ill. The four days her cat spent at the vet essentially having his tummy pumped and finally surgery to have the one that was lodged in his intestinal tract removed was far more painful than the laser would have been. Provided, of course, that your vet is experienced with a laser and they explain the pros and cons of all options. Ours does NOT recommend declawing but in the case of animals in homes with persons that have compromised immune systems, they do recommend it. So. I know that's kind of a long answer, but we agonized over the decision and we are 1000 times happier now that we've done it. We don't microchip our cat and he doesn't even wear a collar - his comfort really is paramount to us - but as much as we debated the decision, I really don't consider this "cruelty to animals." I consider this the best decision we could make for all parties. He was much better off in our home without claws than he was in the wild, on the streets, or in a shelter waiting to be killed. And since most people DO ACTUALLY DECLAW their indoor cats, despite the folks here who are wildly against it, you'll need to ultimately decide what is best for your cat/kitten and for you. We would do it again with another cat, if needed, since we've seen such positive results.

I highly recommend the laser declawing method, but I'd also make sure to address the pros and cons with your vet and also gauge his/her experience level. I've seen a few vets recommend other vets for the laser declaw solely because they have the knowledge, experience and equipment to do it better than the recommending vet could.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Laser Declawing Cats

Answer 3

I don t know about the laser declawing. I was just wanting to find out some information about it. It seems that it would be more humane than the traditional method. I live in an apartment that requires that a cat be front declawed before the cat can become a pet. Also I have lived with several cats that were not declawed and the scratches I sometimes got were painful.

Answer 4

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
is laser declaw better than traditional declaw?
my cat claws the furniture & I have put soft claws but she will not keep them on so my mom said we have to declaw her(she is an indoor cat). is laser declaw better?

Answer 5

OMG people. I have had eight cats in my life. All have been declawed and none had horrible lives. If it means the difference between dumping a cat and keeping it, then get it declawed. Some of you are absolutely ridiculous. My cats had wonderful lives and I enjoyed them so much more because my stuff was not destroyed. And, none of them ever got beat up or attacked outside. Get a grip.

Answer 6

Vets who use laser surgery say there is less bleeding, but the techs I have talked to say that recovery is about the same. I have never used the laser system myself. Make sure your vet has experience with the procedure and uses proper pain control. That is the most important aspect.
In general I am very against declawing, but as a last resort to keep a pet in a home I say go for it. With proper care there are few complications.

Answer 7

Please look up declawing on the 'net before you subject your cat to this. Have you tried other alternatives? There is more than soft claws. There are sticky strips you put on furniture, there are deterrent sprays, and the most effective method is to get a GOOD (TALL) scratching post for her.

Declawing (laser or otherwise) is incredibly painful and is actually banned in most other industrialized countries (Japan, Australia, England, etc). Most vets here will still do it, and many don't bother explaining the complications with people. Shelters end up with MANY cats who became biters and/or stopped using the litter box after being declawed. Declawing is NOT like getting a nail removed... its like getting a fingertip amputated.

PLEASE do some research on it before you do it. And give some other alternatives a chance (I can help you find a good type of post if you would like to message me). Your kitty will thank you.

Answer 8

i'm another person who would never declaw their cats, but this is something i asked my vet about (some of my polydactyl cats have claws between their toes that curl into their pads if they're not clipped regularly, but they're had to get at to cut).

ANYWAY, he said that (nasty comment coming up) with the traditional method, he can feel where the bone is with the scalpel when they're slicing the nail out. with the laser, you point and shoot and it could splinter the bone, which could cause healing difficulties and more pain to the cat.

the recovery time is not significantly different, and you still need to use a newspaper litterbox for a few days ...

i always had destructive, scratching cats growing up, and my mother always got mad ... but she got over it, too!

Answer 9

If you can afford declawing, you can afford a "Smarty Cat
Scratching Pad". You can buy it in WalMart or probably any
pet store - compared to declawing, they're cheap - $5 or
$10. for a double wide.
It's corrugated cardboard & for some reason, cats love it!!

There are also sprays you can buy that will detour them from
the furniture.

Please, try Everything before declawing. It's cruel, painful &
leaves your kitty defenseless. (in comparison with other
animals, cats are very small).

Answer 10

An indoor cat can still get outside, or get lost. With no claws, they cannot defend themselves. I do not believe in declawing. There are a number of things to try to keep the cat from clawing the furniture. One of them should work. When you get a pet, you need be aware of the disadvantages, and problems that will come with the pet. To take out a cat's claws is mutilation. Cats will claw on the material that they like. see if you can cover the furniture with something else, within clawing distance.