The Truth About Declawing
Why do you want to declaw your cat?
- I've always done that with my cats.
- The vet says I should.
- I'm afraid the cat will scratch up my furniture.
But do you know the long-term ramifications of declawing a cat?
Declawing is an incredibly painful procedure for your cat.
It can take months for kitty to recover.
- Declawing is like removing your cat's fingers.
- Declawing can lead to balance issues with kitty.
- Declawing often leads to long-term litterbox issues with kitty.
- Declawing can lead to obesity in cats.
You do NOT need to declaw your cat! Why?
Kitties have nails to help them with a number of things. Whether
claws are used to play with toys, reach something or to stretch, the
claws are an essential part of the feline physique. Did you know that
cats actually stretch by extending their claws and stretching
horizontally or vertically? Once you remove their claws, they are no
longer able to stretch, leading cats to be more overweight.
Can you imagine never being able to stretch? When we stretch we tone
our muscles. Declawing eliminates that natural function.
So, how do you get your cat to use the scratching post?
All of our cats are exposed to scratching posts and encouraged to
scratch on them. An easy and inexpensive scratching pad is a mud rug,
the kind that when you walk on it doesn't feel good on your feet.
Otherwise, visit Fleet Farm or any pet store to purchase a vertical
scratching post. Put your scratching post in an area where you hang
out. Your kitty will want to be near you when you're home so encourage
use of the scratching post by putting it in your living room or near
your kitchen. Another location is to put the scratching post where you
kitty sleeps. The first things humans do and kitties when they wake up
is stretch! So since they stretch and scratch at the same time, put
the scratching post where they usually sleep. You can always add a little catnip
to the scratching post or purchase a spray catnip and spray it where you'd like the kitty to scratch.
There are also Soft Claws nail caps, small little caps you can glue onto your
kitties nails to prevent scratching.
Are you worried about trimming their nails?
Trimming nails is very easy. If you sit on the floor with your knees
slightly bent, place the kitty gently on top of your knees. Gently
extend the fingers apart and the claw with immediately extend. Using a
cat nail trimmer, (my favorite is the small scissor-looking one) trim
each nail, staying away from the pink area. If this is your first time
trimming, have a friend or family member gently massage the kitties
head and under the jaw. Make nail trimming a fun experience, and stay
away from the pink area.
Only people in the U.S. declaw their cats. It's not allowed in Western
Europe or Australia. In addition, Berkley California recently banned
declawing! Cats are the only species of animal to actually walk on
their claws. Once you remove them, their balance is altered and they
forever walk on scar tissue and damaged nerves for life.
Urination is the leading reason cats are surrendered at shelters. 9
times out of 10 the cats are declawed. There is a direct correlation
between declawing and sensitivity in the paws which lead to a decrease in
interest in using litter in a litter box.
What's best for the cat is to keep it's natural claws. It's unheard of to declaw a
dog, but it's commonplace for cats. In actuality, cats need their claws to function.
All of their nerve endings are exposed and damaged after a declaw. Please consider
alternatives to declawing, it's best for your family and for kitty!
