Should You Declaw Your Cat?
I do not recommend declawing. I had 3 of our family cats declawed before I fully learned how it's done and the possible complications it can cause. I was lucky; none of our declawed cats had severe issues. The first cat I had declawed was because I lived with a roommate and my kitten was scratching up her furniture. The next cat was declawed for better reasons; he was a high stress cat that would become aggressive. We were already his 3rd home and had he not been declawed, he would have been put down. The last cat I had declawed was just because my other 2 cats were declawed. This was a good 15-16 years ago, before it became so much easier to learn things on the internet, and I always believed my cats were fine with it. Of course I hated that they were in pain at all but it seemed to pass quickly and they were 100% indoor cats. A few years later, I learned that they don't just simply cut the claw off as I'd assumed.
No one ever explained to me how the procedure worked when I scheduled the surgeries for our cats. I didn't realize that declawing them meant literally amputating their toes at the last joint. No one educated me on all of the reasons why a cat should have his toes and claws in tact. I don't like to get up on a soap box about this. We're all human and I recognize that life is never black and white. It may no longer be the choice that's right for my family but I will never condemn anyone for making the decision to declaw. What I will do is give you all of the accurate information and help you make an informed decision.
This website, Paws Need Claws, has a lot of good information on declawing. It explains why cats need that last toe joint in tact and the benefits of cats having their claws in tact as well. It also explains how the declaw procedure is actually done. You can learn about all of the possible risks your cat will face if declawed. A lot of the pictures and risks you will see are the most extreme possibilities. But they are absolutely, real possibilities. The most common post-op problem is that the surgical glue doesn't last as long as it takes for their toes to heal and this leads to the wounds breaking open, possible bleeding and possible infections. The most common declawed cat problem after healing is litter box issues. A lot of cats experience pain when the litter presses into their amputated toe stubs. There is also a link below to a post from a veterinarian who supports declawing so you can see things from the other side of the fence as well.
We take a lot of time and make a lot of effort to work with our foster kittens to teach them how to use their claws appropriately. By the time they leave us they will understand that their scratching toys are there for that purpose and they rarely, if ever, scratch on furniture or carpet. We really do take a lot of pride in this. I believe it's our responsibility to help prepare our kittens for a successful adoption and we take that very seriously.
There is a link below to our favorite, cat approved scratch toy. It's called the Turbo Scratcher. To be completely honest, I thought this thing was going to be a total joke. I thought the cardboard would be shredded on day one and rendered completely useless. But they hold up really, really well. And the ball that goes around the track continually grabs the cats attention and attracts them to the scratch pad. You can turn the pad over when it starts to get dull and use the other side to make it last longer, making it more economical. You can even buy replacement pads, 2 to a package, for about $6. The toy itself is also pretty sturdy and will last a long time. Yet another reason I absolutely love this scratcher is the light up ball you can buy to fit in the track. It's motion activated and flashes for a few seconds when the cat moves it. There are, of course, many other options but this is by far a family cat and a foster kitten favorite and they all use it often. I will include product links below.
In addition to scratching toys, you can keep their nails trimmed, use behavioral training and deterrent spray & other products to keep them away from problem scratching areas. Another alternative to declawing is using Soft Paws, the little vinyl nail caps that are glued onto the nails.
I know that after researching this topic some people will still decide to declaw. If you do decide to go through with it the 'ideal' age is around 4-6 months of age. A young kitten's bones are softer and a lot of veterinarians believe this makes the surgery easier. They also believe that a younger cat will recover faster than an older cat would. Post-op care will vary with different vets. Some kittens will come home with their paws bandaged and some will come home with their toe stubs glued over and nothing else. You will need to contain your cat in an area that will discourage jumping for a couple days. Shredded newspaper is a good option to use in the litter box as the granules of most litters will dig into the fresh incisions.
Ultimately, you have to make the right choice for you and your cats. I know there are a lot of possible reasons to consider declawing and I've faced many of them myself. If it's going to come down to the safety of someone in your household or if it means a cat will be euthanized if not declawed, then I believe the surgery should be considered without placing guilt on the owners. If it's just because you're worried about your furniture, I highly recommend exhausting all other options before resorting to declawing.
Clicking on the links below will take you directly to the website
