There are many reasons why some people are against
declawing.
The operation is costly,
it is painful for the cat for the first week to name a
couple. It has been said that claw removal can damage the
cat emotionally but there are no studies nor evidence to
back up this theory. Bad litter box issues are also a
possibility as there is pain for the first week. A kitten
may associate the litter box with pain. But retraining is
always an option. Behavioral issues are what most people
feel the biggest issues are, vets say that it isn'y an issue
at all.
Some cats that they undergo the surgery may have a personality change. They might become more fearful, realizing their first
line of defense is gone. They might also begin to bite, since they can no longer scratch. A vet that is not
good at declawing might make mistakes, causing a life of pain for a cat. Another reason are some
believe it is wrong to do any amputation to any animal, including tail docking, ear cropping etc.
There may be times when a cat simply needs to be declawed in order for him to be able
to live peacefully with his family. If a cat is terribly destructive or possibly aggressive to the point of
injuring family members, it is worth having the cat declawed rather than turning the cat outside or over to a
shelter. The cat will not lose its natural instinct to scratch, but the scratching will not harm furniture
or carpets. Of course, as stated above, there is the safety factor to kids and pets from accidental scratches. There is a
tremendous amount of bacteria that is carried in the claws. Some vets believe that removing them will lesson the spread
of bacteria's to other animals and people if they are removed.
All kittens should be introduced to a scratching post at a very young age. It is easy
enough to train kittens to use a scratching post, as it is in their nature to do so. Tell them "no" each
time they attempt to scratch elsewhere, and be consistent with training. You can teach older adopted kitties to use the
scratching post by using a little catnip. If you have a cat that is an anxious scratcher, Feliway is an excellent option to
help calm kitty. Another tip is to invest in a nice, heavy scratching post so that it doesn’t tip over. Sisal rope also
seems to be a preference over carpeted scratching posts.
Before you make a decision to have your cat declawed, give them a chance and make sure
they are going to be problem scratchers. If you are adopting an older pet and are thinking of having them declawed, why not
look for rescue kitties that have already been declawed! And if you are thinking of buying a purebred kitten
and plan to declaw, make sure that there isn’t a clause in your kitten contract restricting you from doing
so. Many breeders will void your health contract if a kitten has been declawed.
There are alternatives to declawing. If you’re
still not sure,
but are
concerned about
your kitty’s
potentially
damaging talons,
you might want
to try a few
alternatives
first.
Provide places for your pet to scratch, like cat
trees and
scratching
posts. There are
a ton of options
for scratching
devices out
there. The ones
made with rope
are preferred by
trainers and
behaviorist. If
your cat doesn’t
take to the
posts right
away, try
spraying some
catnip around
the approved
scratching
spots. Liquid
spray bottles of
catnip can be
picked up in
most pet stores
or online.
The main reason a cat claws is because of nail
growth. As the
nails grow, the
outside of the
old nail dies
and needs to be
remove. Clawing
removes the nail
that is being
shed. During
this process the
cats nails also
itch and
scratching is a
way of
"scratching the
itch". Boredom
is also another
reason a cat may
claw things.
Make sure your
cat gets plenty
of exercise and
has several toys
to play with.
Trimming the
nails every
couple weeks
will also
greatly reduce
the amount of
scratching a cat
will want to do.
Keep your cat’s
nails properly
trimmed and
smooth, which
will discourage
scratching. You
may also want to
try some of the
methods of
repelling a cat
to stay away
from a certain
something or
area. There are
several products
on the market
for these kinds
of products.
Once it’s done, it’s irreversible. Declawing is
an serious
decision. As
your cat will
have to live
with this
forever, think
hard on this
decision.
