Is it OK to Declaw a Cat?
But should you declaw a cat? That's an important question to ask. Declawing is a painful and debilitating surgery that can seriously affect your cat's life. It can also put her at risk for infections. Read on to learn more about the risks of declawing.
What You Need to Know about Declawing
A cat's claw is nothing like a fingernail. It's more like a toe. The claw is directly attached to muscle and bone. Like your toes, it's a movable digit.Claws are more than just natural weapons: They help your cat with everything from balancing, walking, running, and climbing. Removing the claws would be the equivalent of chopping off half your toes, which you need to help keep your balance.
Cats can't get bed rest like we humans do after surgery. The mutilated paws will not heal for many months, but your cat still needs to use them for survival. Whenever your cat has to eat, drink, or use the litter box, she must endure the pain.
It could also change your cat's personality. Because she no longer has claws, she may feel vulnerable and could start biting more often. Or she may become timid or sulky, completely the opposite of the loving cat she used to be.
If You do Declaw...
If you decide to declaw your cat, don't ever let her outside! To stay safe, she must be an indoor cat from now on. She won't be able to fend off enemies or escape from large dogs nearly as well.
Alternatives to Declawing
Fortunately, you have other options!You could train your cat to only scratch a scratching post. This is the most time consuming solution. You can help attract your cat to the scratching post with catnip.
You could also use a product called Soft Paws, which involves gluing blunt acrylic caps onto your cat's claws. Unfortunately they do wear off after a few weeks, but you can always replace them. These caps don't discourage the cat from scratching, but they cause less damage.
Learn more about Soft Paws
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Soft Paws: An Alternative to Declawing Cats
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Soft Paws is a safe, humane alternative to declawing a cat. All you're really doing is gluing little vinyl nail caps on your cat's front claws. They don't last forever, of course. They'll eventually fall off and need to be replaced, which is why eac...
Trimming a Cat's Claws
Alternatively, you could give your cat a little pedicure and trim her nails. You can easily do this with ordinary nail clippers. Learn more at my lens Trimming Cat Claws.-
Trimming Cat Claws: How to do it!
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Nature gave cats sharp claws that can shred any helpless couch. If you're trying to save your furniture or protect yourself from scratches, you can try trimming your cat's claws. Trimming a cat's claws takes a little patience. You and your cat both...
A Message from the Paw Project
Paw Project
A Guide for Training Your Cat
It is possible to teach cats not to shred up your couch. It's even possible to train your cats to not be so aggressive when you're playing with them, saving your hands and arms from scratches.Thanks to her own extensive research and personal experience with a pack of feral kittens, Liz Barton understands cat behavior. Her eBook on cat training will explain how you can transform your scratchy, wild feline into a well-behaved house cat.
Your Feedback
What is your stance on declawing?
RickBasset wrote...
I agree with you 100% !! Declawing is cruel and unnecessary! Great lens!
Peace :~)
Posted March 27, 2008
DogWhisperWoman wrote...
I have always thought that declawing a cat was cruel. Thanks for the info. I will recommend soft paws to a friend who wants to know what to do about her cat who scratches everything.
Posted February 01, 2008
