Declawing cats how to, when, pros and cons, alternatives, cost

When it comes to declawing cats, this is a personal choice which is mostly done for the convenience of the owners and to the disadvantage of the cat. It is an irreversible surgical procedure which involves amputation of the last joints of a cat’s claw. Depending on how and when it is done, the procedure can be very painful with a high potential of developing secondary complications. So painful is the procedure that it has been equated to cutting off fingers at the first knuckle in human beings which makes it an unpleasant idea. In this post we explore if you should declaw, alternatives to declawing, the cost of declawing a cat, how it is done as well as places where the procedure is illegal.

Should I Declaw My Cat

This common concern is aired by many people before making the decision to have their cats declawed. In addition to this, other related questions include:

• Is declawing a cat cruel?
• Is it inhumane to declaw a cat?
• Is it ok to declaw a cat?
• Is it safe to declaw a cat?

Video: Pros & Cons of Declawing Your Cat | Cat Care

Declawing cats is always a hot topic riddled with a lot of emotions. The animal rights activists as well as vets and cat owners have all had points to drive home. With this being the case, we delve into the various aspects to ensure you make an informed decision.

To start off, whether the procedure is inhumane or cruel depends on why it is done as well as the conditions under which it is done. When declawing is done for medical reasons, it is for the purposes keeping the cat healthy. This therefore becomes a procedure just like any other.

Video: Alternatives to Declawing Cats: How to Trim Cat Claws at Home

While it may be unnatural to declaw cats, it is not cruel if done right. This however does not erase the fact that cats are born with claws just like we are born with nails and they should therefore keep them.

Is it safe to declaw a cat? This procedure is done under anesthesia. Although it brings with it the risks of bleeding and secondary infection, this is common in any form of surgery. When done correctly and by a competent veterinarian, declawing should be safe.

Is it okay to declaw a cat and are there good reasons to declaw a cat? In some situations, there may be genuine reasons for having a cat undergo the procedure. According to the webmd.com, it is important to remove a claw in case it has a tumor or is damaged beyond repair. Veterinarians may also give a consideration for pet owners with suppressed immune systems and people on blood thinners and who cannot be exposed to a cat’s claws bacteria.

When to Declaw a Cat

In case the above was not convincing enough and you still want to go ahead with the plan, you may be wondering when to declaw a cat. Although the surgery can be done at any time, it is best undertaken before they are two years of age. This is because it takes longer for older cats to heal.

It is recommended that the procedure is carried out at the same point when it is being spayed or neutered. This ensures that the experience is less traumatic since they only have to be put under anesthesia once.

Declawing Cat Pros and Cons

Once you settle on having your cat declawed, you will have to bear with a number of positive and negative consequences. These will exhibit in various declawing cat pros and cons. Although a lot of people think that being around a declawed cat may be safer than it would be around one with claws, this may not always be the case.

Declawed cats come with the advantage of less destruction on your furniture. You will also not have to worry about scratches when playing with them. The process can yield a rewarding experience between the pet and the owner as instances for scolding because of scratching the wrong areas are eliminated.

However, this is just about it when it comes to the advantages and good side of declawing cats. On the other hand, there are many more disadvantages that come with the process. These include:

• Immediately after the operation the cat is normally in pain which continues for up to two weeks. This could alter their gait.
• Declawing cats makes them insecure resulting in them biting more as a form of self-protection.
• If not well done, nails could grow back in the paw causing a lot of pain which might prompt another surgery.
• Although there is no scientific evidence to this, cat owners attest that declawing predisposes cats to behavioral problems in the future.
• The lack of claws may make even a well-trained cat not to use the litter box. This could be due to the fact that the initial days after declawing come with pain. As such the cat may associate the litter box with it and avoid it as much as possible.
• After the procedure of declawing cats is conducted, pets may suffer impaired balance. This will require it to learn walking once more.
• Declawed cats should be bound indoors as letting them go out makes them vulnerable to abusers and predators since their most important line of defense is missing.

Declawing Cats Alternatives

Naturally, cats scratch to exercise and have a good time. They also engage in this behavior to stretch their muscles and maintain their nails. This makes their claws important and a part of them that should not be gotten rid of. Instead of opting for declawing, there are other means of dealing with scratching. Try these declawing cats alternatives to protect your furniture and those playing with your feline friend.

Regular Nail Trims

Form a habit of trimming your cat’s nails regularly. Ensure you do this when your feline pet is calm. Use nail clippers to cut off the tip of the nail and take care not to get into the cat’s quick as this could cause too much bleeding. With the nail hook removed, you can be certain that potential danger on your upholstery has been eliminated.

Scratching Posts

To fulfill your cat’s clawing needs and as a declawing cats alternative, purchase a clawing post for them. You can have two in the house for the cat to stay engaged. These should be tall enough, sturdy and made of the right material. In most cases, fluffy and soft post will not fulfill their need so look for rougher ones such as sisal fiber posts.

Train your Cat on Where to Scratch

You could opt to train your dog on specific areas that they are allowed to scratch. In case you have posts, encourage it to do it there. Use firm reprimands whenever you catch your pet scratching inappropriate areas.

You could also try to use a squirt gun that has been filled with warm water. Direct it to the pet’s back. Never use physical force in the training.

Training adult cats takes quite some time and is much less effective than training kittens. Learn to train your cat when it is still small as at this age the learning is most effective

Soft Claws Alternative to Declawing Cats

These are vinyl nail caps meant for cats ad are a great declawing cats alternative especially for those wanting to protect their furniture. They are attached to the cat’s nails using surgical adhesive. They take one or two days for the cat to get used to them.

It is important to trim the claws before putting them on and follow given instructions while doing so to avoid gluing two nails together. The caps will last for about a month and can be a great declawing alternative for use in the long term. You can get some from Petsmart as well as Petco.

How to Declaw a Cat

In case you are wondering how to declaw a cat, this is a procedure done by a qualified veterinarian. A vet will use an anesthesia to knock out the cat for a while. This will then be followed by the declawing process. Only the front paws are operated on in cases of elective declawing since the hind claws are rarely used for damage. Veterinarypartner.com classifies the techniques into three:

The Resco Clipper Declawing Cats Method

With the Resco Clipper method of declawing cats, an instrument with a sterile clipper is made to cut through a straight line into the little bone from which the claws grow out of making a bigger cut beneath the pad. It involves cutting through the bone of the third digit of the toe.

This way, it’s like the whole tip of the cat’s claws is cut. The trauma caused on the soft tissue of the pad will derail the cat’s walking for a while due to pain. Recovery also takes longer and it comes with the risk of regrowth.

The Disarticulation Method of Cat Declawing

However, there also is cosmetic declawing which is also referred to a disarticulation. With this, the vet will disconnect ligaments attached to the bones. While this method is more complex, takes more time ad alters the cat’s feet more, it eliminates the risk of a regrowth. With this the pad is left intact and the cat recovers quickly. This procedure though is not easy and most veterinarians do not offer it.

Laser Declawing for Cats

With this technique on how to declaw a cat, laser beams are used instead of a scalpel. Bones from which the claws grow are removed entirely. This method comes with the advantages of minimal if any bleeding and less pain.

After the procedure has been carried out, the cat will then start to walk a few hours later. When the procedure is done right and appropriate pain management medication is administered, a quick recovery is guaranteed. The cat should also eat and accept petting quite easily.

To ease their usage of the litter box, make use of un-popped popcorn kennels or shredded paper. This will keep the cat safe and prevent excessive pain. Never use sand in a litter for declawed cats as it could get into the healing paw which may be painful.

Like any other surgery, declawing cats involves some pain. Days after the declawing procedure, you may notice the cat shaking their paw. This could be because of pain or the annoyance caused by the stitching or glue.

How Much Does It Cost to Get a Cat Declawed

In case you have put your mind to it, a concern that is unavoidable normally is- how much does it cost to get a cat declawed? While shopping for a hospital in which to have your pet declawed, a lot will come into play. Instead of giving too much attention to how much it is to declaw a cat, first consider the following:

• To begin with, establish if declawing cats is legal to have declawing your cat declawed where you live. Even where it is legal, not all vets will be willing to offer the service and thus you ought to do proper research.
• How long the vet has been carrying out the procedure will determined their skills. The longer they have done it the better as it gives them much more experience and relevant knowledge in what they do.
• Get to know what method of declawing cats they use as this will determine how long it takes for your cat to heal and the risk of regrowth.
• Ask people around you for referrals on the best place to have your cat declawed. You could also check out the veterinary medical association for referrals.

With these in mind, the cost of declawing a cat varies a lot. Most institutions only give an estimated monetary price since other things could come into play before and after the procedure. To get a figure close to the actual, it is important to put in mind possible complications and other hidden costs.

• Generally, the Rescoe clipper method is quite common and falls towards the lower end. It could cost you between $100 and $250.
• The disarticulation method on the other hand is more involving and a little bit more costly. You may have to pay between $250 and 450.
• Laser declawing falls on the upper end and on average you will have to part with $400-$800.

The above estimates involve declawing of the front claws alone. Price will vary from one vet to another and from state to state.

Video: Purrlease DON'T DECLAW Your Cats!

Additional Declawing Costs

Depending on the institution you pick, it is likely that the cost quoted for the procedure will cover anesthesia, antibiotics, pain medication, a one or two days hospital stay as well as a post-surgical examination. This though does not mean you will not encounter other additional costs before and after. Among some additional cost you may want to factor in in your budget include:

• A pre-surgery blood test at around $50
• A post-surgery pain medication patch at $40

To get a clear figure on how much you need for declawing a cat, have a comprehensive discussion with your vet. You can get some cheap declawing services near you in San Antonio, Michigan, Denver and Omaha but before going through the process, consider if the alternatives available would work as well.

Declawing Cats UK, Illegal

The laws governing declawing cats procedures differ from country to country and also from state to state within the same countries. When it comes to declawing cats UK, the procedure is illegal and was outlawed by the Animal Welfare Act 2006. In it, “interference with the sensitive tissues or bone structure of the animal, otherwise than for the purposes of its medical treatment” is explicitly prohibited [Source: Wikipedia.org].

Video: Don't Declaw... Use Soft Paws! Protect your furniture without harming your cat

The procedure is considered inhumane and even before the act declawing was still rare. Professional conduct however allows for declawing where it is for the purpose of treating an injury or preventing damage to the cat. Other than the United Kingdom, other countries in which declawing kittens is only performed in extreme circumstances include:

• England
• Scotland
• Wales
• Italy
• Austria
• Switzerland
• Norway
• Sweden
• Ireland
• Denmark
• Finland
• Slovenia
• Brazil
• Australia
• New Zealand
• Serbia
• Montenegro
• Macedonia
• Slovenia
• France
• Germany
• Bosnia
• Malta
• Netherlands
• Northern Ireland
• Portugal
• Belgium
• Israel

In the United States, most states have remained adamant in banning declawing. West Hollywood, California was the first state to ban elective declawing in 2003 and later on prohibited landlords from requiring pet owners to declaw their cats. In the year 2015, NYC has seen a law for the ban of declawing cats proposeds.

From us, we hope that declawing cats is only performed for the convenience of the cat as opposed to that of the owner.

Reviews & Comments