they have torn my sofa & love seat up from scrathing on it , i have ordered new furniture & i want to have them declawed.
2007-04-23 11:57:18 · 15 answers · asked by msglen 1 in Pets ➔ Cats
It's never a good time to have a cat declawed but it will be especially hard on an older cat like yours. http://catclinicofroswell.com/faq/detail.aspx?faqid=10
Declawing is like amputating your finger just past the first knuckle. It's painful for the cat and often after declawing they stop using the litter box and they start biting. http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_declawing_and_its_alternatives.html
To protect your new furniture, there are other options. You can get plastic nails glued onto your cat's nails periodically.
http://www.softpaws.com/
You can get a good ROPE scratching post - or several- and put them around the new furniture. You can put double stick tape on the furniture. http://www.amazon.com/Kitty-Condo-Sisal-Rope-Scratching/dp/B000084F7M
2007-04-23 12:04:50 · answer #1 · answered by Behaviorist 6 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Declawing cats is not a good idea:
1. Declawed cats have a tendency to become biters
2. Declawed cats have a hard time using the litter box because the litter hurts there paws
3. Declawed cats tend to urinate in places they are not supposed to
4. Declawing a cat is a very painful procedure for the cat, they are actually removing the tip of their joints
5. Most cats become a different cat after they have been declawed your sweet affectionate cat may turn mean and nasty
6. Declawed cats aern't able to protect themselves if they are outdoors and get attacked.
I would recommend that you go to a pet store such as PetCo and buy "No Scratch" this is a bottle that you spray on your furniture and it makes it so the cat doesn't want to scratch on it. A 16 oz bottle costs about 10 bucks at PetCo.
2007-04-24 04:32:57 · answer #2 · answered by JesJ 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
READ ME PLEASE!
I could go on and on about how cruel and barbaric declawing is, but I would rather help educate you about the risks of declawing and understanding why cats need to scratch.
Risks - declawing is a painful procedure that involves amputating part of a cat's toe. While pain management is possible, there are risks that your cats will have chronic pain in their feet for the rest of their lives. In addition, many declawed cats feel completely defenseless after being declawed. Their personalities change as a result. Many become timid, fearful and resentful. Others become aggressive, nasty and bite. Some become confused and associate the pain with the litterbox and they begin urinating all over the house.
Cats HAVE TO SCRATCH. It's part of the very essence of being a cat. Forget the fact that cats need their claws for balance, hunting and defense. That doesn't help you understand why they scratch. Cats scratch for 2 reasons...to mark their scent around their territory and to stretch those amazingly flexible spines. You cannot expect a cat not to scratch. It's just not going to happen. Because of this, you MUST provide them with an acceptable place to scratch so they will not use your furniture. It's really very simple. There are so many great scratching posts with poles wrapped in sisal rope that cats love. Some are tall and have perches and cats cannot get enough of them! I've had cat's my entire life and not a single one of them ever attacked my furniture, carpet or drapes. NEVER. Kittens will misbehave from time to time, but a little bit of training is all it takes.
Please don't declaw your cats. There are many other options that are far cheaper than a surgical procedure and far more worthwhile in the long run for the well-being of you and your cats. Good luck.
2007-04-23 12:34:27 · answer #3 · answered by Alleycat 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
No! If you want to be accurate, the operation is deTOED. They remove the first section of the toe to the knuckle. This is a painful operation that can have lifelong consequences. Many declawed cats stop using the litter box, while others take up biting. I'm sure a few scratches on the couch is better than a urine stain right in the middle of the seat.
If you do not want your cat to claw the furniture, go to the pet store and buy SoftPaws. These are plastic nail tips that go right over kitty's claws. They are easy to apply, but if the cat is every outside and needs the claws to survive (yes, broken windows have let many a housecat that "never goes outside" into the wide and dangerous world.) the tips can be pulled off with rough tree bark, letting the cat have it's natural defenses.
The tips come in clear, red, blue, green, purple, hot pink and more. Cats don't mind them at all and some really like them a lot. It's a lot better than mutilating your friend for the sake of a couch.
2007-04-23 12:05:53 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
Domestic cats are not native to North America. As a former veterinary technician, I will agree that the procedure performed to "declaw" a cat is painful to the cat. I counter that a great many pet owners would give up or "release" their pet if they had a cat that was ruining furniture or carpeting. I personally have cats as pets (2) and one is clawless and the other is not. I do not underestimate the pain caused by the declawing surgery, but if a cat cannot be tolerated by an owner without this, I am 100% for a surgical procedure. There are numerous pain medications available to Veterinary Doctors to help pets cope with post-surgical pain.
2016-05-17 07:34:03 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I wouldn't advise de-clawing at all as research has shown that it can be a painful and stressful process for the animal. Most vets won't do it as they see it as advocating cruelty. The subject has been up for debate for years and it is now banned in most countries with legislation going through the US courts as we speak. Unfortunately the process does not just include removing the nail, but also amputating part of the toes.
If you want to stop the cats from ruining furniture there is a product out called Soft claws which can be used to sheath the claws. It also (for some bizarre reason) comes in a range of colours including red, purple, blue and pink. Each pack lasts six months and are available at pet stores and also at www.spuk.com.
The other alternatives are getting a scratching post and using an old cleaning bottle filled with water to spray a fine mist at the cats when they are caught in the act. Rubbing lemon peel close to the furniture will also deter them.
I would never force my opinion on anyone and at the end of the day they are your pets and it is your decision. I just wanted to make you aware of the scale of the de-clawing operation as the vets that do it often do not explain fully.
Hope this helps
:)
2007-04-23 12:12:42 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
There is never a good time to declaw a cat. It is painful for the cat. They will then have no defense. Just put a cover on your furniture and also get them a scratching box. And a special place to sleep.
2007-04-23 12:03:30 · answer #7 · answered by Linda H 1 · 5⤊ 1⤋
Following my mother's passing, I came home one day to find that the cats had clawed a chair that I had purchased for her and she never got to use. Needless to say I was furious. Took the cats, all 4 of them in and had them declawed. It was the best thing I could of done, regardless of the reason that I did it.
They were 8 yrs (2 of them) 10 and 11. The vet recognized my hesitance because of their age and assured me that they would receive the lightest anesthetic possible and a pain killer to reduce the irritation of the surgery.
I was able to visit them almost immediately as each woke from the anesthetic and they were up and moving and meowing for food(didn't get it of course, it would have made them sick).
Now I can play with them without fear of being scratched. Each repaired piece of furniture and wallpaper reminds me that I did the right thing. My cats are also indoor cats and have never been outside(no defensive problems).
Just let your vet know of any concerns that you have and let him do the necessary blood work to confirm that the gases are being properly processed by the body and everything should be fine.
2007-04-23 12:11:51 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
Declawing is a very painful procedure, but if it is the difference between keeping or getting rid of your cat, declaw. Ask your veterinarian about the procedure and how it is done. Make sure they prescribe pain medications to help keep them comfortable. I know at our hospital we use fentanyl patches and it seems to help a lot with the pain, especially in older cats like you have, along with two other oral medications. Your cats could have a longer recovery time, depending on their condition and weight. If the pain is managed properly I feel declawing is okay if you have tried scratching posts, etc.
2007-04-23 12:05:27 · answer #9 · answered by kjm 2 · 2⤊ 2⤋
I was always told it was cruel to let a cat develop with their claws and then take them away --- my 6 month old kitten just got his front claws out, it was hard for him to understand he couldn't climb the way he used to, imagine how hard it would be for a 8 year old cat to get used to? ... there are ways of detouring a cat from scratching furniture: there are sprays at the pet store, with pharamones in them which repel the cats; you could also get a few scratching posts with catnip in them to attract the cats away from the furniture; or you could just cover the furniture up ... i recently saw this nail covers in the pet store; plastic covers you glue onto your cat's claws and then they can't scratch anymore ... no matter what you decide; talk to your vet first about the dangers ofgoingin either direction with this desion
2007-04-23 12:11:00 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋