To Declaw or not declaw

[bigrebnc1775]

A cat should never be declawed claws are it's only defense and only way to escape if it ever got access to outside.

 

[bigrebnc1775]

dont declaw...use claw covers or simply live with it.....you can cut their claws....but its like teaching a pig to sing....except the cats fight back....next time try to adopt an adult cat that has already been declawed.....get scratching posts and put cat nip on it

good adivce

 

[bigrebnc1775]

that is the question.

Back in February, I got a new cat to replace my companion of 15 years.

I didn't declaw the old cat because he was sufficiently mellow to where that wasn't an issue.

this new cat, while affectionate, seems to like to use it's claws whenever possible- on the furniture, on me, etc.

I'm reluctant to declaw, but obviously, the damage the animal is doing is going to set me back quite a bit, and there is always the liability if she claws a guest.

Joe, I beg you NOT to mutilate your trusting feline by having her declawed. I regret 100% having had my Inki's claws removed. He was young; I had expensive furniture. I thought it the sensible thing to do because he seemed to like being indoors, rather than out. However, after having him tortured, he soon decided to become an outdoor cat....couldn't keep him in regardless how hard I tried, and sooner than later, he was indefensible, and the last little little "meow" I heard from him this ONE night, only, and decided not to get up for the 10th time and let him in that day, was his undoing. I never saw him again, but heard a strange, loud and errie scream and he was gone forever. Something had taken him. He had no front claws with which to climb all the trees around the house. I had rendered him, disabled. I hate to think of this but had to write. I have not, and will never do that again, with my beautiful cats. I didn't know any better at the time. I was heartbroken and felt terrible guilt for a long time. Never, ever, again.

The way I have since used to keep them disciplined and living almost as a human, is by squirting them with a water bottle, every time they are doing something you don't want them to. A stern, use of their name, accompanied with a strong NO and a squirt, and they very quickly learn to knock it off. It doesn't take long before you can just say their name and HOLD the bottle up, so they can see it, and they stop doing what they were. Then soon enough, they stop all the bad habits, w/o use of the water bottle. They are smart and they hate those squirts, that do not hurt nor harm them.

Cats also do need to shed their nail sheaths, and a cat post with the certain type of rope, called Sissel, has been the only one my cats will use with regularity. They keep their claws sharpened on them. My cat is 8 lbs. and the shortest post is fine for her, without tipping over. A larger cat would need a taller one. I order them from Amazon.

Here is an excellent article relative to the declaw process and what you are really doing to a beautiful healthy animal. This is a snip from the article: Declawing is actually an amputation of the last joint of your cat's "toes".

DECLAWING: What You Need to Know

That is not always the case. I had a cat declawed in TN and all they did was cut the claw back into the 'quick.' After a month or two the remainder of the claw fell off.

When I moved back here I had my new cat declawed thinking it would be done that way, but this vet was more invasive. However, they didn't amputate toes. The method used here took her longer to recover and I believe was more painful, but she walks and jumps just fine. She never goes out so protection against varmits is not an issue.

My cat is an inside cat but sometimes he does find his way to the great outdoors. If the doors aren't latched and you aren't quick coming in he will go outside.

 

[bigrebnc1775]

that is the question.

Back in February, I got a new cat to replace my companion of 15 years.

I didn't declaw the old cat because he was sufficiently mellow to where that wasn't an issue.

this new cat, while affectionate, seems to like to use it's claws whenever possible- on the furniture, on me, etc.

I'm reluctant to declaw, but obviously, the damage the animal is doing is going to set me back quite a bit, and there is always the liability if she claws a guest.

Joe, I beg you NOT to mutilate your trusting feline by having her declawed. I regret 100% having had my Inki's claws removed. He was young; I had expensive furniture. I thought it the sensible thing to do because he seemed to like being indoors, rather than out. However, after having him tortured, he soon decided to become an outdoor cat....couldn't keep him in regardless how hard I tried, and sooner than later, he was indefensible, and the last little little "meow" I heard from him this ONE night, only, and decided not to get up for the 10th time and let him in that day, was his undoing. I never saw him again, but heard a strange, loud and errie scream and he was gone forever. Something had taken him. He had no front claws with which to climb all the trees around the house. I had rendered him, disabled. I hate to think of this but had to write. I have not, and will never do that again, with my beautiful cats. I didn't know any better at the time. I was heartbroken and felt terrible guilt for a long time. Never, ever, again.

The way I have since used to keep them disciplined and living almost as a human, is by squirting them with a water bottle, every time they are doing something you don't want them to. A stern, use of their name, accompanied with a strong NO and a squirt, and they very quickly learn to knock it off. It doesn't take long before you can just say their name and HOLD the bottle up, so they can see it, and they stop doing what they were. Then soon enough, they stop all the bad habits, w/o use of the water bottle. They are smart and they hate those squirts, that do not hurt nor harm them.

Cats also do need to shed their nail sheaths, and a cat post with the certain type of rope, called Sissel, has been the only one my cats will use with regularity. They keep their claws sharpened on them. My cat is 8 lbs. and the shortest post is fine for her, without tipping over. A larger cat would need a taller one. I order them from Amazon.

Here is an excellent article relative to the declaw process and what you are really doing to a beautiful healthy animal. This is a snip from the article: Declawing is actually an amputation of the last joint of your cat's "toes".

DECLAWING: What You Need to Know

Exactly

 

[bigrebnc1775]

Just a thought a cats claws is in a way his second amendment. Do you want to disarm him?

 

[percysunshine]

Go to the pet store and buy a dozen white mice.

Turn them loose in your condo.

The cat will get bored with the furniture. No more problem.

 

[Ringel05]

My wife and I have had cats for 20 + years, they all get declawed (front only) when they're old enough. Not a single one has had any negative issues with it, they remain perfectly normal, non-traumatized cats.

 

[saveliberty]

I would say the same for Daisy and her front claw removal. I think it mad eher a better indoor cat. Of course, she does fall off the bed ocassionally. Front claws might save her. Rolling backwards off the edge is probably a 50-50 catch at best.

 

[JoeB131]

Go to the pet store and buy a dozen white mice.

Turn them loose in your condo.

The cat will get bored with the furniture. No more problem.

I had some mice in my condo with the old cat because the kids were leaving the service entrance open to catch the school bus.

He caught one of them one and had to parade in front of me for two minutes to show me what he accomplished...

Until the Condo Association got the problem under control, he used to leave dead mice as little offering in front of my chair.

 

[Vel]

I'm not a fan of declawing BUT, if the kitty's choices are lose the claws or lose it's home, I'd look into laser declawing surgery. It's less invasive than conventional surgery. That being said, the inclined cardboard scratching posts are great. They are inexpensive, stable and with the addition of a little loose catnip, almost irresistible to most cats. You might try temporarily covering any furniture that you really would be upset to have marks in and applying the double sided tape on the covers. You can also get a Scat Mat,( basically a static shock mat ) to protect sensitive furniture. I don't like claw covers because they force the claws to stay extended and it seems to me that it would be horribly uncomfortable. BTW.. awesome that you took this baby out of the shelter.

 

[DiAnna]

I will add my advice to the other excellent comments here.

Please do not declaw unless the only option is giving the cat back to the shelter. Sticky tape, cat repellent sprays, all these things can help. Talk to the vet for other options.

We rescued an adult cat from the roof of a supermarket many years ago. She was our first cat ever, and she shredded our furniture. No big deal, we thought, we'll get her declawed. Only after the fact did we discover that declawing is like cutting off your fingers at the first knuckle.

Outside, a declawed cat is totally defenseless, and will not live to see out the year. Please, try using tape, repellent, providing sisal scratching posts next to her favorate scratching locations (put a couple of cat treats on the base of it). Lots of stuffed mice and cat toys to alleviate boredome.

Never, ever hit your cat... not its paws, not its rump... just don't. The cat will become fearful and hand-shy, and may end up being a biter/fighter every time you go to pet or touch it. Cats are fragile creatures, and they know it. Please. Gentle love will gain your cat's trust, and once it realizes that the sisal posts are much better for scraping the dead husks off their claws that flimsy furniture (which you have protected with tape), there will not be a problem.

Let us know how it goes.

 

[Sky Dancer]

Don't declaw. It's cruel. Cats need natural defenses. Even a house kitty can escape and be helpless.

 

[jillian]

that is the question.

Back in February, I got a new cat to replace my companion of 15 years.

I didn't declaw the old cat because he was sufficiently mellow to where that wasn't an issue.

this new cat, while affectionate, seems to like to use it's claws whenever possible- on the furniture, on me, etc.

I'm reluctant to declaw, but obviously, the damage the animal is doing is going to set me back quite a bit, and there is always the liability if she claws a guest.

never declaw...

get the cat a scratching post/cat condo ...

 

[WorldWatcher]

>

Our two cats are not declawed and we've never had problems with clawing the furniture.

I can't say this works for everyone but...

1. We adopted two cats at the same time, we feel this was a factor because during the day the cats could play with each other (less boredom).

2. We purchased a 6 foot "cat condo" that has scratching posts built in at the lower level.

3. We put a 3 foot single post/base in the living room.

4. When younger we would use cat spray to attract them to the posts.

5. When kittens, we used plenty of positive reinforcement when the cats used the scratching post(s) on their own and when caught them even looking cross eyed at the furniture would take them to the post and provide approval and petting.

6. At night their sleeping quarters are in the (decent sized) laundry/mud room which is where their litter box is. (OK, this has nothing to do with clawing the furniture. The cats are not allowed in the master bedroom because one likes to eat the plants in there and this way we can leave the door open at night.)



Over the course of years I've repeatedly had to replace the rope in both posts with the correct natural fiber robe because they have literally worn it though. You can get the rope at hardware stores, just cut off the old rope, anchor one end with heavy staples (hammer driven) and wrap tightly, then anchor the other end.


>>>>

 

[California Girl]

I will add my advice to the other excellent comments here.

Please do not declaw unless the only option is giving the cat back to the shelter. Sticky tape, cat repellent sprays, all these things can help. Talk to the vet for other options.

We rescued an adult cat from the roof of a supermarket many years ago. She was our first cat ever, and she shredded our furniture. No big deal, we thought, we'll get her declawed. Only after the fact did we discover that declawing is like cutting off your fingers at the first knuckle.

Outside, a declawed cat is totally defenseless, and will not live to see out the year. Please, try using tape, repellent, providing sisal scratching posts next to her favorate scratching locations (put a couple of cat treats on the base of it). Lots of stuffed mice and cat toys to alleviate boredome.

Never, ever hit your cat... not its paws, not its rump... just don't. The cat will become fearful and hand-shy, and may end up being a biter/fighter every time you go to pet or touch it. Cats are fragile creatures, and they know it. Please. Gentle love will gain your cat's trust, and once it realizes that the sisal posts are much better for scraping the dead husks off their claws that flimsy furniture (which you have protected with tape), there will not be a problem.

Let us know how it goes.

^^^ That is pretty much why I used the double sided tape solution. I adopted an old cat who scratched furniture. The double sided tape solution worked great for me. I am against declawing cats generally. I tried the scratch posts - she paid very little attention to it. And she didn't like catnip. LOL

 

[Skull Pilot]

I've had a lot of cats in my life. I used to be one of those open the door and let the cat come and go owners. Now I only have indoor cats. I've never had a cat escape or get outside.

That said I've had a couple cats who I declawed and I have no real problem with it as the pain can be managed quite well with drugs and I believe that a cat is better off declawed than dead. Sending a cat to a shelter is a death sentence in most cases.

 

[JoeB131]

Well, sending this cat back to the shelter is not an option.

Since the couch is already pretty much shot, anyway, I'll try some of the solutions suggested.

I have a scratching post. At first, I had the one that belonged to the old cat, but she refused to have anything to do with anything that was his. So I got rid of his old stuff and got her one of her own. She still likes the couch and the carpet, better.

I feel kind of bad for this cat, she lived in a cage for five months in the shelter because they wouldn't let her into the common area with the other cats. Now I'm understanding why. But the cat is much better behaved when I first got her, she just has moments when she gets into cranky moods.

 

[Kooshdakhaa]

If you're going to adopt the animals with behavioral problems, you need to be prepared to deal with them in an appropriate manner.

As for trimming the claws, you can do it. You might have to wrap the cat in a towel or something. I have six cats, four of which were strays on the street that I took in. I can trim all their claws by myself except for one cat I have to get my husband to grip the back of his neck because he tries to bite me and he's pretty scary. If you grip a cat by the back of its neck, you subdue them without hurting them. Don't hang them up in the air, just grasp all the loose skin at the back of their neck firmly. But even that cat is becoming more manageable, and cut all but one of his front claws by myself the other day before he got too scary.

By the way...no need to trim the back claws. A vet told me that. The main reason I trim my cats' claws is so they don't get so long as to curl back into their paw pads. So I do it for their good, not mine. And the vet said only need do the front.

And never, never cut back to the quick!! Just cut off the sharp points, for crying out loud.

 

[syrenn]

god is a great deterrent..... well that is what i call it anyway... lol....he comes in the from of a spray bottle. Put the bottle on stream...don't say anything... just spray away when you catch him in the act. Have a bottle for every room.

Doing anything after the fact... they just look at you and don't understand.

They make special nail cutters...don't use human fingernail clips.

 

[JoeB131]

god is a great deterrent..... well that is what i call it anyway... lol....he comes in the from of a spray bottle. Put the bottle on stream...don't say anything... just spray away when you catch him in the act. Have a bottle for every room.

Doing anything after the fact... they just look at you and don't understand.

They make special nail cutters...don't use human fingernail clips.

I do have a squirt bottle I use when she does things she shouldn't do.

And, yes, I was using the special cat clippers. Like I said, I owned a cat for 16 years before I got this one. I think the problem really is that I've forgotten what young cats are like.