Should You Declaw?

One of the most dividing topics among cat owners is the issue of declawing. Many people firmly believe a cat can be trained to only scratch their claws on an item all their own such as a scratching post or the other camp that believes a declawed cat is better than a homeless one as many owners report had their cats not become declawed, they could not have kept them due to the destruction of the property within the home.

There are non-surgical alternatives that can lessen the ability of your cat to shred your drapes and curtains. They include clipping the claws, using rubber claw caps that fit snugly over the claws and make the cat unable to scratch or you can also work with your cat to teach him or her the proper place to scratch. If you work or don't have the time to invest in fully training your cat, claw caps or declawing may be your only alternative. Before you declaw, understand what the process entails for your feline. A standard declaw involves amputating the last digit on each of the front toes. This is like cutting off your fingertips at the first joint. The skin is glued or stitched over the exposed joint, the feet are bandaged, and the cat is sent home to heal for a couple of weeks. The alternative offered by some veterinarians involves severing the tendons that allow a cat to unsheathe its claws. The main drawback to this procedure is that the claws will continue to grow, and must be kept trimmed.

Cats are driven to scratch and keep their nails sharp. It's an instinct and can't be stopped. The secret is to give your cat someplace appropriate to scratch. Before you opt for declawing surgery, try to train your cat to use a scratching post. It isn't difficult to do at all. When you catch your cat scratching someplace inappropriate, give a firm, "No!" and pick your cat up and take him to the scratching post and talk softly and praise him. Wiggle a feather toy or other item to entice him to play and scratch. Make it fun and your cat will soon relate the scratching post to praise and fun and scratching anywhere else to negative feelings and being scolded. Most cats catch on very quickly.

If you do choose declawing, your cat will need to be kept exclusively indoors as their main tool of defense will have been removed and your cat will be unable to protect himself.
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