Declawing and Alternatives

The decision to declaw is yours and yours alone, lets face it - declawing is common place in this country and quite frankly, no one else is going to replace your favorite chair once kitty gets a hold of it!  But before you make that final decision, please talk to your vet and review some facts and alternatives to declawing.  Understand all you can about declawing.

*Declawing is a serious surgery which requires the removal of the last joint of your cats "toes".  It is a painful surgery and recovery.  Your kitty will still need to scratch in his litter box, walk & jump.

*Declawing removes kitty's defenses, its claws are its primary means of defense.  Although I am sure you have the best intentions of never letting your kitty outside, lets face it, cats are fast and can get out doors faster than you can blink an eye, if she so chooses!

*Some cats become insecure & distressed after declawing

*Some develop an aversion to their litter box because of the pain associated with scratching after the procedure and may start urinating in inappropriate places.  The pain may be gone, but the thought of the pain still remains.

*A cats retractable claws help her balance as she walks, jumps & climbs.  Her sense of balance is what gives her the amazing agility and grace of the cat.

So how you ask, do I keep my furniture from becoming scratched?  Well, lets cover some alternatives because believe it or not, your kitty can be trained to not scratch your furniture!

First and foremost, get a cat scratching post or a cat tree, cats tend to prefer ones with the sisal rope wrapped around at least parts of it.  The rope makes it perfect to sink their claws into.  You and your family could even make one - it's a great project for the family to make together for your furry new family member.

When introducing a scratching post:  if kitty has already established scratching areas, try placing the post in front of her "habit" areas - praise her and pet her whenever she uses the new post.  Tell her no and if need be, squirt her with a water bottle when she scratches inappropriately.  You can encourage her using it by playing with her, running a feather toy up the post, encouraging her to stretch and sink her claws in.  Click here to learn Why Cats Scratch.

Next, keep your kittys nails trimmed.  Cutting the nails regularly, usually about every 10 to 14 days for the front and every few months for the back should suffice.  This can greatly reduce any damage to your furnishings. 

If your not sure on how to trim your cats nails, click here for Clipping your Cats Nails.

There are also vinyl nail caps called "Soft Paws" that you can glue on your cats front claws.  They work great with kids and kids love them because they think all the different colors are cool!!  Soft Paws are easy to apply and last about 4 - 6 weeks.  They come in clear or colors - you could even give your kitty a pedicure for the holidays!!  They fall off naturally, as the nail grows, then you simply replace it.  For more information on Soft Paws, visit their website at www.softpaws.com .