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by HungryGuy on September 18th, 2004

HungryGuy

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At what age should a cat be declawed? Are there alternatives to declawing (I can't be at home 24/7 to catch her and train her not to claw the furniture)?

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  • by Too Much Time On My Hands on September 18th, 2004

    Too Much Time On My Hands

    My family chose to declaw a destructive cat once. We have always regretted it. I would never do it again and would discourage anyone else from doing it. For the most eloquent explanation I know of, see http://declawing.com. For convenience sake, though, I'll give you the high points of the article here:

    -- declawing is an American practice, but it's actually illegal in several countries
    -- it is literally amputating part of the cat's paws, as claws extend all the way into the bone
    -- it is extremely painful and traumatic for the cat

    Cats need to have something to sink their claws into or some help with nail care, since they can't do anything about the fact that their claws grow naturally. The article also mentions the following strategies to preserve your furniture (PLEASE, PLEASE try these before taking such a drastic step as declawing your cat!):

    -- keep the claws clipped regularly; you can do this at home after your vet shows you how, or you can pay for it to be done by the vet or a professional pet grooming service (every 4-6 weeks)
    -- invest in a scratching post, so that the cat has something other than furniture to claw; cats like posts made of sisal, and ours has one with catnip on it that she loves!
    -- when you do catch the cat scratching furniture, say "no" loudly and sharply or spray her with water; spraying is a big deterrent for cats, who generally hate to get wet (this one is mine, not from the article)
    -- I didn't know about these until I read about them on the website: apparently you can buy vinyl nail caps and put them over the cat's claws, replacing them every few weeks when they fall off (the author mentions a brand called Soft Paws which comes in different colors)

    Comments

    • it is the same as cutting off the first joint of your finger. a pet store has shields that glue onto the claws to protect you

      john3-16

      by john3-16 on January 4th, 2005

    • Good job - it's important people check out alternatives to this cruel and painful practice

      scymitar72

      by scymitar72 on September 4th, 2005

    • Declawing & tendonectomies are CRUEL. If someone is too lazy to train the cat, they should get a pet rock.

      Diana Block

      by Diana Block on January 28th, 2006

    • We've had 2 declawed cats, but are considering alternatives for our 2 new kittens.

      Cat_Lover

      by Cat_Lover on November 15th, 2006

    • yay! what a great answer, more people should see it and give you points.

      darksiderollerchick

      by darksiderollerchick on January 6th, 2008

    • great answer, I believe every creature should retain their natural defense mechanisms, whether it be claws, guns, teeth or whatever. In so far as a cat it would be claws and teeth.

      deltabtry

      by deltabtry on January 24th, 2009

    • That's just like taking your whole nails off from your hands and feet from 20 digits at once. Sick and ugly practice!!!!! Thanks for educating people, +6

      Discipline

      by Discipline on January 24th, 2009

    • Yes, thank you for the informative and helpful answer without getting angry or condescending :-)

      HungryGuy

      by HungryGuy on January 27th, 2009

    • I get so sick and tired of people complaining about how cruel its is to declaw cats, so I quess its ok to let them run around and scratch up my nice furniture,I dont think so. kids are punished when they show distructive behavior, but god forbid if you do anything to a cat to better its behavior.I have two, one's already declawed the other one soon as he's old enough,you people should be glad they have a good home, instead of worrying about a little pain.If you want to worry about something what about all the abused, hungry and homeless children out there.

      declaw777

      by declaw777 on March 6th, 2011

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