Can a cats rear claws be removed or just the front claws?

Question

My cat stays inside all the time and destroys the wood work and furniture in my house! Can both the front and rear claws be removed?

I should elaborate; my cat already had his front claws removed without any complications. The problem is he jumps on everything and his rear claws are digging into the walls and wood work in my new house. This is what I am trying to prevent.

Answer 1

Don't declaw your cat! You knew it came with claws, that's part of the deal. What are you gonna do, cut off the paws next if you don't want it to jump on a table??

Answer 2

You should definelty talk to your vet about having your cat declawed before you do it. In my experience they do not declaw the back claws b/c they are the cats natural defense also b/c otherwise the cat would have NO traction whatsoever. But by declawing the front it should take care of the problem as cats almost souly scratch and sharpen there front claws. If you are wary of declawing him the best alternative is to give him things that are okay to scratch and to tell him he's good when he scratches those and tell him frimly no when he scratches bad things like the furniture and stuff. Cats are smart and he'll get it quickly. My cat stopped scratching my couch after I bought him a cat tree that had rope and carpet on it for him to scratch, but if it really bothers you have his front claws removed, just remember he is FOREVER an indoor cat if you have him declawed. Good Luck.

Answer 3

Removing a cat's claws is cruel. It would be like cutting off the first joint of your finger. You can teach a cat not to claw the furniture or the carpet, only the scratching post. I would recommend using a water bottle and squirting the cat (only once) when it starts to claw anything else. This is how I trained my cat. It will take a little time and patience. You can also but claw covers at your local pet store.

Answer 4

You can declaw all of their paws but its not a good idea. If you really want to declaw them then do just the front paws. A lot of times people don't do the back ones because if the cat ever gets outside they can still use them to climb and just because the back claws are less likely to scratch anyone just since there in the back.

Answer 5

They do remove both front and back. But in order for your cat to stop clawing only the front would need declawed. There are some little plastic caps that you can try, they are probably cheaper than the surgery.

Answer 6

They only declaw the front ones, there is no reason to declaw the hind ones they need them to scratch themselves is they itch sometimes. Try the soft paws you can buy in a pet store, you put it over their paws to prevent scratching. I have never used them and have not declawed my kitty, I think it's very cruel, you should have considered all this before getting cat. You can also trim the front claws and get some scratching posts.

Answer 7

They don't usually do the rear, because then kitty would have nothing to scratch itself with.

Look into ways of trimming, or something called "soft paws" which I understand are caps that go over the claws to keep their claws from damaging things.

Answer 8

The front claws are the only thing that you need to worry about. I never do the back claws just in case the cat needs a defense. If something ever attacks it it will be on its back and thats when its back claws are used. Back claws are not used to mark or claw things in the house. More for leverage and more needed in an emergency than the front.

Answer 9

Pretty sure that they only do the front. Please do not declaw your cat. You are essentially amputating their toes. There are many complications from doing this procedure and it is also very painful. Please check out this link. http://www.declawing.com/htmls/declawing.htm It will tell you about the complications that can and do arise from declawing your cat. My cats have their claws and we trained them to know what they can and cannot scratch.


There are other alternatives to declawing your cat. You can get casp to place on the nail themselves that will allow the cat to scratch but will prohibit any damage to your furniture or woodwork.
Behavior Modification and Alternatives to Declawing
As a diversion, attach bubble wrap, tin foil, slippery wax paper, or double-sided sticky tape to the object your kitty scratches.
Smear citrus-scented liquid or commercial cat repellant on the item your cat likes to scratch.
Provide a scratching post or other appropriate scratching surfaces in every room of your house. Carpet-covered posts, wicker baskets or hampers, sisal-covered posts, or even scratching boxes made of cardboard make good scratching surfaces.
Vertical scratching posts should be sturdy and high enough for your cat to stretch out when scratching.
Place the scratching post near the inappropriate item your cat prefers to scratch.
When your cat scratches an item that is off-limits, gently carry her to the nearest scratching post and remind her to scratch it by making scratching motions with her claws.
Praise your cat when she scratches where she should and interrupt her when she scratches elsewhere. A squirt from a squirt bottle of water may provide negative reinforcement when she scratches in the wrong place. Or make a noise, such as clapping your hands, or using a shake can or jar filled with a few pebbles or coins.
If your cat isn't interested in the scratching surfaces you provide him, sprinkle or spray the surfaces with catnip to entice his interest. Do this on a weekly basis to keep kitty interested.
Ask your veterinarian to show you how to correctly clip your cat's claws/nails. A cat's front claws should be clipped every week or two. Trimming the back claws is rarely necessary.
Getting your cat accustomed to having his or her paws handled is a must prior to initiating nail trimming. Start preparing your kitten or cat for nail trimming sessions by lightly stroking her paws and gently separating her toes so that the claw is visible. Do this on a regular basis until she is comfortable enough with the process to allow you to trim her claws. Trim just enough to make the claws blunt, but not so short that you cut into the quick.

Answer 10

Neither should be removed, because then you won't like it when your cat starts pooping around the house, because they stop using the litterbox, as it is no fun digging with amputated fingers that hurt too much. Use plastic claw caps instead, on front and back legs, they are easy to use and cheap at
http://www.softpaws.com