Is it OK to declaw an indoor cat?
The Humane Society of the United States opposes declawing and tendonectomies except for rare cases when it's necessary for medical purposes, such as the removal of cancerous nail bed tumors.
The cost to declaw a cat varies depending on the type of declawing procedure as well as the location of your veterinary clinic, but the average price ranges between $600 and $1,800.
- Training. Scratching is a natural behavior for cats, and you don't want to entirely discourage your cat from practicing it. ...
- Nail Trimming. Sometimes, your pet scratches furniture and other surfaces because something about their nails is bothering them. ...
- Nail Caps. ...
- Feliway.
The decision whether to declaw a cat should be made by the owners in consultation with their veterinarian. Veterinarians should provide complete education about the normal scratching behavior of cats, the procedure, and potential risks to the patient.
Cats that have been declawed often suffer from prolonged, long-term anxiety, stress, depression, are more fear, have no ability to protect themselves, and sometimes are more prone to biting if scared, as their first line of defense–their claws–have been removed.
Young, immature cats declawed at less than 6 months of age heal fastest, experience the least pain, and have the lowest risk of complications. The older they get, the more painful the procedure is, the slower the recovery, and the more likely complications become. One year old is not ideal. 2 years old is less ideal.
Laser declawing is considered by some in the veterinary community to be the most humane method for declawing. Reasons cited for this are that the toes undergo less trauma with laser, nerve endings are “sealed” off leading to less pain, and less bleeding occurs.
Are nail caps safe for cats? According to Mary Molloy, animal behavior counselor and founder of Nirvana Tails in NYC—yes, absolutely. “[The caps] do not prevent the cat from retracting his claw, and if properly applied, they do not cause any pain or damage to the claw bed,” she reports.
Last Updated October 28, 2021. Declawing is a painful and permanently crippling procedure that involves removing a cat's digits down to the first knuckle.
In the United States, declawing is outlawed in Austin, Texas; Denver, Colorado; the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County, Missouri; Pittsburgh and Allentown, Pennsylvania; and Madison, Wisconsin.
How long do cat nail caps last?
Each cap should stay on the nail for about six weeks, and then fall off with the natural growth of the nail. A pack of forty caps should last you about four to six months. They usually come in neon colors.
Laser declawing is a relatively new procedure for removing the third knuckles and claws from cats. It offers many benefits over traditional declawing, including less bleeding and a reduced chance of infection. Laser declawing is a permanent way of declawing cats and assuring the claws do not grow back.
The recovery time varies with each cat. Most cats will be healed in 2-6 weeks. If you cat is limping more than 5 days after surgery please call. Larger older cats may take longer to heal.
Declawing and the Feline Psyche
It's instinctive for cats to scratch things: It is, after all, their way of marking territory and lets them get a good stretch in, too. It makes them happy. “Declawing takes away all of this as well as their integral means of movement, balance and defense,” the vet explains.
It's extremely cruel to inflict this sort of thing on your cat as it stops them from displaying their natural behaviours. “It's worrying that claw covers for both cats and dogs can be so easily sought from the internet. Pets are not fashion items.
As an owner, the biggest benefit of declawing a cat is that you won't have to worry about painful scratches anymore. Declawing a cat also prevents damage to household items like a rug or a piece of clothing. Some pet owners report better behavior from their cats after declawing.
Does declawing a cat affect its personality? Numerous studies that have researched a potential correlation between cat declawing and personality changes strongly indicate that none exists.
Nail-trimming is also a fast and effective alternative to declawing, which involves surgical amputation and can cause behavioral and health issues. If the idea of trimming a cat's claws has you biting your nails, know that all it takes is some patience and a bit of practice to sharpen your skills.
Petco offers cat caps in a variety of colors and styles. Use glittery cat claw caps to showcase your pet's style or even get them in the holiday spirit with holiday-themed cat claw covers.
Select locations offer grooming & bathing services for cats like nail trim, nail caps application, ear cleaning & sanitary trim. We use the exclusive state-of-the-art Hydrosurge BathPro 9.0.
Do cats become more aggressive after declawing?
Declawing increases the risk of long-term or persistent pain, manifesting as unwanted behaviors such as inappropriate elimination (soiling/urinating outside of the litter box) and aggression/biting, new research concludes.
Your pet may be reluctant to walk around, jump up on things or act sore. Some degree of discomfort is expected. In younger cats, pain experienced after the declaw procedure should lessen within 10 days and lameness (limping) should improve within one week. In older cats, this time frame may be longer.
Declawed cats tend to bite more, in part because their first line of defense, their claws, has been removed. A possible infection from a cat bite is much more dangerous than an occasional scratch from a claw. Without claws to hold and manipulate things, declawed cats tend to become more oral, mouthing and chewing more.
The Paw Project estimates between 25–43 percent of cats are declawed in the United States.
While cats are capable of being declawed at any age, older cats tend to have a harder time recuperating following the procedure while kittens can quickly bounce back and return to their playful antics.
Right after being declawed, the cat will be in pain. Vets will prescribe medicine to help manage the immediate pain. There may also be bleeding, swelling and infection. One study found that 42% of declawed cats had ongoing long-term pain and about a quarter of declawed cats limped.
Finally, declawed cats often stop using their litter boxes. They may associate the pain they feel in their paws when trying to cover their waste with the litter box itself. They seek a less painful place for elimination, such as the carpet or bathtub or even the bed or piles of laundry.
New York passed a comprehensive ban on this procedure in 2019. The second state was Maryland, which passed a similar ban in 2022. In all other 48 states, in addition to Washington DC, you are allowed to remove the claws from your cat if you desire.
Myth #2 – They Cause Damage To The Nail And Nail Bed
When the nail caps are applied correctly, there should never be able damage or discomfort to the cat's paws or nail beds. Correct application includes: Choosing the nail cap size that is a comfortable fit and shape for each cat's nails.
Many people report that they are happier with their cats after declawing, because it makes the cats "better pets." Unfortunately, many people have also discovered -- too late -- that declawing frequently causes far worse problems than it solves.
How long does a declaw take to heal?
Most cats will be healed in 2-6 weeks. If you cat is limping more than 5 days after surgery please call. Larger older cats may take longer to heal. 7.
Reasons for declawing
Human Benefits—Many owners choose to have their cats declawed to protect their furniture or other household possessions. Scratching is a normal behavior of cats, but destructive scratching represents approximately 15 to 42% of feline behavior complaints.