Getting Cats Declawed

Cats are natural scratchers and need appropriate places to scratch. If you provide them with scratching towers, cardboard scratching boxes, etc. and then take time to provide some training (using a water spray bottle and covering furniture, etc. with foil or plastic), they will learn to scratch in the appropriate places, especially since they are so young. Please do NOT get your cats declawed. I'm sorry but this is really a very cruel thing to do. Can I pull your fingernails out with a nail clippers?

http://www.declawing.com/

http://cats.about.com/cs/declawing/a/declawing.htm

http://www.pawproject.com/html/faqs.asp

I would urge you to check out these and other websites regarding declawing cats. We "inherited" a declawed cat who got out of the house and came back with a terrible cat bite on her right hind leg. It was very painful for her and cost us hundreds of dollars in vet bills; if she'd had claws, perhaps she'd have been able to better protect and defend herself.

There are alternatives to declawing. Like I said, please read the links I gave you.

DO NOT DECLAW! It is such a cruel thing to do. I have worked in animal rescue centers as well as wildlife sanctuary's. At a place in CA, they had a whole "house" of de-clawed cat's. They were there because the owners surrendered them after their personalitys "changed" or were injured because they could not defend themselves. DUH! don't you think if you had the tips of your fingers cut off you would change too?? That is what they do. (I have watched a video of the procedure) They actually cut the very tips off..that is why they do not grow back. A friend of mine rescues cat's she has about 26 now. Her furniture is in great condition because she has "trained" her cat's. She has found that the cardboard scratchers work the best. she sprinkles catnip on them and it only took a few times to re-direct them from the furniture to the scratcher. I myself have 3 cat's. they all use the cardboard scratcher. The wide one is the best because they can lay down if they want. If your cat won't do that there are "soft paw's" my friend uses those and I helped put them on her cat. You can get them from your vet, or online. They are hollow nail tips that you glue on to your cat's nail's. they last about 6 months and are easy to apply. It only took 2 of us and the cat hates people.haha One person holds and the other one applies. With alternatives like these, there is no reason to chop off your cats fingers ;) HOpe this helps.

Well I well offer my experince with working in a feline only hospital for several years. If you want a good job I would find one that does declaws using a surgical blade (usually alittle more expensive) and not a nail clipper or trimmer. The toes heal very well by using such a precise cut with a blade instead of clippers that can get more or not enough of the nail and digit.
It would be best too if the vet kept the kittens overnight to keep them quiet and still to prevent unnecessary bleeding and heal better and faster by keeping on pressure bandages during their stay.
There is nothing cruel about doing this procedure as long as it is done early while the cat does not weigh too much and that it is never let outside if all four paws are done. Trust me cats are quite capable of defending themselves with the weapons that they are left with! Teeth and back claws can cause a lot of damage and they are still able to climb too in spite of what some people may say.
As far as post op care, you should use shredded paper for a while instead of litter that can get caught inside of the incision area and cause infection and inflamation. Some doctors can use stitches though I don't think it's necessary if they use pressure bandages overnight. They heal better without stitches. It's best because the cat doesn't have something "hanging" on it's toes to lick and bother with thus making healing quicker and smoother. If they do have stitches, most will just dissolve and fall out on their own.
Most cats do limp or walk soft for awhile on their paws after surgery. It feels strange to them for a while and an adjustment period can last several weeks even when there is no pain or discomfort involved. Some cats will even "hold" their paws in the air while sitting looking like a bunny.
Hope this helps you.
C.

The best cat vet ANYWHERE is Dr. Bonnie Hartland. I have to say she's a little nuts, but only because she loves cats so much that it is kind of bizarre. She takes great care of cats and she can tell you all about de-clawing.

I did not do it. I keep my cats nails trimmed, trained her with a squirt bottle when she was young and she has 2 items she can scratch all she wants.

In my opinion, de-clawed cats aren't as playful. At least my cat compared to several of my friends is extremely playful, and she's not fat, and their cats are slightly paunchy. It could just be her personality.

Call Dr. Hartland on Glad Road in Euless. They'll give you costs over the phone and pros/cons.

Hartland Cat Hospital
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I got my cats declawed at Parker Animal and Bird Clinic ###-###-####. It's in Plano. I don't remember how much it costed (I took my cats a couple years ago), but I know it was significantly cheaper than any other place. There is not much you have to do after they get declawed. I don't even think you have to use special litter anymore. The stitches desolve, so you don't have to clean or care for them. My cats healed very fast.

About declawing.. Don't! It is cruel and not nescesary. Try capping the claws instead. They are tiny vinyl or plastic 'caps' you can put on your kitties yourself. Ask your groomer or vet about them. Or if you do not want to do that, ask your vet or groomer to show you how to clip or trim your kitties nailes. I do this myself, and find it efective.

L. T

Just make sure you get a vet that specializes in cats or has lots of experience in de-clawing. I had both of mine done as kittens (all 4 claws) and they did real well, but that was in FL, so I can't recommend a good vet here. Afterwards you'll have to use like paper or something in the litter box instead of gravel for a while.

H.