#declawing cat

[fallenfoxie]

something i made for college. i think it’s important to bring awareness to how detrimental declawing is for a cat.

[askcatvirgil]

I got a new kitten a few months ago, and shes still fairly young. Shes awesome and i love her so so much, the cute lil muffin. Tho i noticed her claws got really long to the point where they stick out a bit when she draws them in? It caused a few accidents scratch wise, but i dont really mind that i just want her to be comfortable. Declawing her is definitely not an option, ever, ive heard that its really cruel, but should i go to a professional to get her claws shortened?

Declawing is really cruel, you’re right about that! Declawing is a surgical procedure to remove the last knuckle of the cat’s toes. Look at your finger and look at the knuckle just before the nail, then imagine a surgery to cut your finger off at that knuckle–that’s what declawing a cat is. It’s painful, psychologically damaging, and causes a myriad of problems for the cat later in life, because cats actually walk on their tip toes naturally. Declawing them means they can’t, so walking on the pads of their feet in a way their body wasn’t designed to do leads to joint and hip issues, and very painful arthritis later in life. I’m glad declawing isn’t an option! 

The good news is, though, that you can trim the cat’s claws yourself! Cat claws, just like human fingernails, grow and need to be trimmed on occasion. You can get a pair of clippers at any pet store, or even in the pet supply area of places like Wal mart. 

To trim the kitty’s claws, it’s best to make sure she’s calm. I tend to try to clip my cat’s claws when they’re sleepy, but you can also wrap them firmly in a towel and pull out one leg at a time (again–gently). 

Extend the claw by holding the toe and pressing just behind the top knuckle. Then use the claw clippers to trim the tip! Watch out for the quick–the part of the claw that has a blood supply. You can see it through the claw itself: 

Make sure you’re just clipping the clear part of the claw so you don’t hurt the animal. 

Alternately, if trimming the claws is too difficult, you can place soft paw claw caps on them. They look like this: 

They’re harmless, fall off naturally when the cat sheds their outer claw, and last about a month. They can usually be found in any pet stores, or you can order them online. 

Also, make sure your kitten has at least 1 scratching post in the house so she can safely sharpen her claws without ruining your furniture. Claw maintenance is an important part of cat behavior, and scratching not only helps them shed their outer claw casings when needed, it also is a way of marking their territory with the scent glands on their paw pads. It’s a normal behavior, but you can make sure that you, your kitty, and your furniture can all happily co-exist by making sure the kitty knows where she’s supposed to scratch. 

I hope this helps!

[wecappdac]

4 Things to Think About Before DECLAWING your CAT

The right front paw of Jyou, a tuxedo cat from Brentwood, Tennessee. Jyou was declawed on the instructions of the photographer, Allison Stillwell. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Declawing is a major surgery known as onychectomy, performed under anesthesia, that removes the tip of each digit (from the first knuckle out) of the cat's forepaws. There is a slight chance of death in the surgery, and a declawed cat may have an increased risk of infection and life-long discomfort in its paws. This surgery is not recommended for an adult animal and is considered an act of animal cruelty in some countries (see below).

People generally have cats declawed to prevent them from hunting and from damaging furniture. Rarely, vicious cats are declawed. In the United States, some landlords require that tenants' cats be declawed.

Veterinarians are generally critical of the procedure and some refuse to perform it because the absence of claws in a cat:

1. Deprives it of its main defense abilities, including escaping from predators by climbing trees;

2. Impairs its stretching and exercise habits, leading to muscle atrophy;

3. Compromises its ability to balance on thin surfaces such as railings and fence tops, leading to injury from falls;

4. Can cause insecurity and a subsequent tendency to bite.

This operation is rare outside of North America. In Finland, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland, declawing is forbidden by the laws against cruelty to animals.[17] In many other European countries, it is forbidden under the terms of the European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals, unless "a veterinarian considers [such] non-curative procedures necessary either for veterinary medical reasons or for the benefit of (the) animal". [18] In Britain, animal shelters find it difficult to place imported cats that have been declawed and subsequently most are euthanized.

An alternative to declawing is the application of blunt, vinyl nail caps that are affixed to the claws with nontoxic glue, requiring periodic replacement when the cat sheds its claw sheaths (about every four to six weeks). However, the cat will still experience difficulties because the capped nails are not as effective as claws.

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