Declaw your cat?

Question

What are your feelings on declawing? I've had a cat declawed before, but now I'm not sure if it's necessary for my new kitten. But, she's a Siamese and her claws are always out. What are your thoughts and experiences? Thanks!

Answer 1

Try these websites I think they will help you. Also my cats are dew-clawed and it worked out perfectly.

http://www.declawing.com/htmls/declawing.htm

http://www.geocities.com/declawing/index.htm

http://www.softpaws.com/exclusivecolors.html

Answer 2

Most cats can be trained to use a scratching post pretty easily, and most will tolerate having their nails trimmed. For a small kitten, human nail trimmers work just fine. Squeeze the toes gently and nip off the sharp end, staying away from the pink quick in the thicker part of the nail. If you catch her when she's sleeping, you can get through 1 or 2 paws before she wakes up. Get a scratching post, and put her front feet on it, making her do a clawing motion and telling her "good cat". Some catnip rubbed into the post will help attract her to it. If you catch her clawing something she shouldn't, tell her "No!", pick her up and take her to the post, rub her feet on it, and tell her "good cat'-she'll catch on that she's allowed to do this, just do it over here. Siamese cats are very intelligent, so you'll probably be able to teach her this very quickly.

If for some reason she doesn't catch on and won't let you trim her nails, and you feel she must be declawed to keep her happy home.... make sure you have a good vet that believes in post-surgical pain management. Yes it's a common procedure, but it is not painless. It's easier on the cat when it's done in kittenhood-the joints are looser, and that makes it less painful and a faster recovery compared to an adult cat. Where I work, a nerve block is done under general anesthesia, the cats are given both a narcotic pain reliever and an anti-inflammatory, and a minimum of 3 days' pain medication is sent home. There is rarely a need to do back feet, and I don't recommend that all 4 feet be done unless there is an extreme circumstance-like an elderly diabetic owner who's getting injured by the cat's back feet when it jumps down from the owner's lap. You also need to use a non-clay litter during recovery, clay dust will get into the incisions and cause infection if you use standard or clumping clay.

Hope this helps you make an informed decision!

*edit* Brom, go watch it done, and then tell me they "feel no pain"..... why wouldn't they? They're alive and have a nervous system.

Answer 3

Declawing a cat is like having our fingernails pulled out. That's how declawing is done. The doctor takes a pair of pliers and pulls the claw out. Sutures up the area where the claw once was and wraps the paws in many layers of gauze. The paws bleed so much and the cat is in excruciating pain.

I have had cats all my life and never had one of them declawed. There are scratching posts that cats can claw on. Trim the cats claws every few weeks to prevent the cat from scratching into fabric, etc. Get a repellent and spray it on areas that are not to be touched by your cat. A water bottle is good. Don't use any that had something in it before, like Windex. Put the nozzle on stream and squirt the cat in the face and yell real loud too. Cat's hate water in the face and will learn what it's used for. I have seen some people who say to put lemon juice in the water. Don't do that, if the water gets into the cats eyes, it will sting and burn them.

Answer 4

I have sort of been in the same situation.
When I was younger my parents use to declaw the cats so I thought it was as normal as getting a vaccine. They had no problems (lameness, etc) and their personalities were not affected. However, we soon realized that not only was declawing an unecessary expense, unecessary risks were also taken. My parents are now the proud owner of a cat with all his claws. My poor kitty was found outside with none of his front claws. It's amazing he survived.

It is normal for kittens to always have their claws sticking out. They haven't quite learned how to retract them. You can keep them clipped. Be sure not to get the quick and do it when he is asleep so he won't be squirmish. Also, get a nice scratching post and put it where humans hang around.

Answer 5

WE simply cut our cats claws with a fingernail clipper when they get long and sharp. If your cat is still a kitten, you have time to get her used to the process (we use bribes to keep her still because she is not a lap-cat), and provide her with something she can scratch and can get a good stretch while scratching. Do be careful clipping nails so you dont cut too short - because that will hurt her. If you watch what you are doing and don't cut above the curve, you should be able to see the change in color through the nail to avoid cutting into the quick. It may look more pink or just darker.
Our cat is very long, and a little scratching post doesn't cut it for her. We took some 2x4 and mounted it on a base like the post you get at the store - then attached some carpet remnants and some doubled-up burlap type fabric.
Give her a water squirt from a spray bottle when she scratches where she shouldn't, and make her assigned scratching place attractive with some cat-nip scent etc. We also bought some wide double sided tape to stick on parts of the furniture she tended to sneak in scratches. They don't like the sticky feeling on their paws and will avoid the area after a while.

I am not an animal activist type, but don't think declawing is valid.

Answer 6

'Necessary'??!

It is unnecessary. Why?! Because it is of NO benefit to your cat. NEVER subject an animal to an anaesthetic unless it's for their own good!

There's no way round it really - declawing is a purely selfish act. Cats have claws, it's how they're made. You have to deal with it, and if you don't want to, then you don't get a cat. Simple as. You don't just surgically alter living creatures to suit yourself.

Yes, I have very strong thoughts on this matter. Did you know this ridiculous procedure only occurs in America? Why doesn't that tell people something, that the rest of the whole world doesn't tolerate it? Why does anybody think it's OK to do this to an animal?

You can cut cat's claws, you can provide them with scratch posts. You can keep them out of rooms with expensive furniture, or you can just deal with the consequences. It makes me sink to my stomach when I hear things like 'I don't want to declaw my cat but I have no choice, I have a leather sofa!' I mean, what the HELL is that attitude??

And I'm sure other people on here have told you the potential consequences of declawing, so I won't go on about that - the above should be reason enough no to lower to alter an animal for convenience's sake.

Chalice

EDIT: Re Chicki's comment on respecting people's 'right' to declaw - people do not have this right. Owning a pet does NOT give you rights - it gives you responsibilities. To the animal that is, not furniture.

Answer 7

Ugh.. first of all. Don't follow the advice to use "human nail clippers" to clip your kittens nails.
These toenail/fingernail clippers were designed specifically to cut PEOPLE'S NAILS.
As you wouldn't use dog clippers on your nails, you shouldn't use human clippers on your CAT (or dog, bird, etc).
Because human clippers are FLAT(because our nails grow flat) and cat nails are ROUND.. you will end up squishing the nail and causing it to fray more - which in the long run will create more of a desire to scratch to release the frayed layer of nail.
Secondly - declawing is not performed by the vet "ripping the claw out with a pair of pliers."
There are two methods for declawing: traditional vs. laser.
The only difference is with laser there is (obviously) no scalpel that is used.. instead the digit is cut free using a high powered laser. This method isn't necessarily more "humane," but there is less blood, and a shorter recovery time.
Either way - to each his own.

Here is a vet's site to laser declawing - the pictures are links to short videos so you can see for yourself.

http://www.valleyanimalhospital.com/laser_procedures.htm

People like to sensationalize things to the point of being ridiculous. It's not THAT horrible - sure.. there are risks.. but there are risks to normal, every day procedures like spaying and neutering as well.
I personally have yet to declaw a cat or kitten that I've owned - but I just recently purchased new furniture.. and a new kitten. My roommate's cat is already declawed.. no trauma there.

I clip my kitten's nails weekly (with CAT nail clippers) and I also constantly encourage him to scatch on a sisal post and board I have on the floor.
He hasn't once even tried to scratch the furniture so I'm not going to pro-actively solve a problem that doesn't exist yet.

Answer 8

My thoughts are very simple when it comes to declawing. Never would I take away a cats main line of defense only real defense. Proper care and up bringing and no cat will tear up your stuff. You can teach them to do their scratching on their own stuff (scratch post etc..) I can play rather rough with either of my two cats now and the claws are not being used. They use to but with alittle work and patience they are out but not used. If you declaw a cat and it has to defend itself It CAN"T. I'm glad your thinking about what to do or you would not have brought it up in this forum. To me it is cruel and unnecessary.

Answer 9

Very last resort. Resist. Resist. Resist.

Try double-sided sticky tape. Get appropriate scratching toys, like sisal mats and "cat furniture", rub them with catnip.
Upside down plastic carpet protectors, with the pointy side out. Feliaway spray.

Practice trimming the nails. Start with one at a time, followed by a treat. Work your way up to both fronts. Don't worry about the backs so much, but do those once in a while, too. Or take her to a groomer and have them trimmed.

Declaw ONLY if there is NO other alternative. Laser surgery is more humane than traditional.

Answer 10

Nooo! Declawing is horrible and so unnecessary. Teach your kitten to use a scratching post while she's young. It takes time and effort on your part but you can teach her. None of the cat associations nor the Humane Society nor the ASPCA support declawing. Even if you take the very best of care of your declawed kitty, are you 100% certain you will outlive her? What if her new caretakers weren't as cautious? God gave her claws for a reason!
http://www.pawproject.com/html/faqs.asp