Should I declaw my kitten? What are the dangers and alternatives?

Declawing is an unnecessary procedure where the end bone of every finger is amputated. It often makes for phantom pain and can cause cats to bite as they have no other way to defend themselves. Here are more good reasons for not declawing cats. Please do not have your cat's fingers amputated. https://www.alleycat.org/resources/just-the-facts-declawing/?gclid=CjwKCAiAyfvhBRBsEiwAe2t_i782wZkB3Np4NK2gA0XrQfhfvIVGsTz-8nxXUxaF8KyyyLlXKtPpChoCBboQAvD_BwE

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I always recommend trying alternative methods first such as Soft Paws, scratch posts or keeping the nails trimmed back with frequent nail trims. If all else fails, then declawing is something that is safe but can be very painful for them. If you do end up declawing Binx, I recommend prophylactic antibiotics afterwards to prevent a post op infection. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.

This is a highly debated topic even amongst veterinarians and the truth is that there is no right or wrong answer here. The biggest concern veterinarians have about declawing is that it is very painful for cats and may cause life-long pain or other complications. However, vets who have been doing this for a long time note that most kittens/cats do just fine. Often, people want their cat declawed to prevent them from destroying furniture/curtains. It is well known amongst shelters, that this is a big reason for people giving up their cats. Since shelters are limited with how many cats they can take, many of these cats may be euthanized, because of this. So, many vets agree that the chances of complications and pain are not as big of a concern as possible surrender, abandonment and/or euthanasia of the cat. I say that if you think you can manage to keep her with her claws on, then it's best not to get her declawed. If you think that she is just too destructive and you can't keep her with her claws, then it may be worth discussing with your vet about declawing or other options. I hope that helps.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your question. It is true that older cats have a harder time post op with declaws in my experience. It's not that you shouldn't do the declaw procedure, it is just more uncomfortable for them. There are alternative options to declawing such as Soft Paws, in which caps are glued onto the nails to prevent scratching. These are easy to put on and last about 2 weeks. I would also provide plenty of scratch posts and toys to see if this helps. If you end up resorting to declawing, the post op recovery period tends to be longer in older cats. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

I'm sorry you are having problems with Elliot. I would discourage you from having him declawed. Declaw surgery involves amputation of the last bone of the digit. So if you look at your fingers, its the equivalent of cutting off your finger below your fingernail, at that top knuckle. Now imagine having to bear weight on it. Especially in adult cats, recovery can be very painful, long, and difficult, and can even change their personality to some degree. This article has some more information regarding declawing: https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-quick-facts-to-consider-before-deciding-to-declaw-your-cat/ I do understand your frustration though; perhaps there are some other things you can try before giving him back to a shelter. This article has some great suggestions I think you will find helpful. https://www.petcoach.co/article/scratch-the-surface-why-cats-scratch-and-how-to-redirect-this-nat/ I hope that helps! Good luck with him!

Absolutely. Declawing a cat is traumatic surgery to begin with, but in an older cat it can be even more so. When you declaw a cat, you are removing the last digit of the toe. Think of your finger, and think of removing the last knuckle on each of your fingers. This is what they do when they perform this surgery. They are not just trimming the claws off. There are many complications that can happen, from lifelong pain, regrowth of the bone tissue which can cause deformation and lifelong behavioral issues. Many cats who are declawed become biters and stop using their litter boxes due to the pain in their feet. There are many other options other than declawing your cat such as soft paws, or using scratching devices or training options. I would highly suggest watching the movie The Paw Project before you consider this procedure for your cat. I've been a Tech for over 14 years now. I have cats who have been declawed and I've seen the terrible effects it can have. Check the statistics of cats in shelters. Most cats who are surrendered to shelters are declawed because of the behavior issues they developed after they were declawed. There are always other options.

Declawing is basically amputation. In humans, it would be equivalent to removing the top of the finger at the knuckle before the nail. Yes this can be painful, but the techniques have improved and there is good pain medication. Declawing is controversial and some vets will not do it. You need to call around to local clinics to see if there is a vet willing to do it and they can give you the price. Best of luck.