Cats are territorial animals. It is in their genetic make-up to want to mark their territoral boundaries. They not only use their claws to capture and manipulate prey, but the claw marks they leave behind is a visual sign they want you to see. It’s just a fact of nature for the species.

As we have more and more cats as strictly indoor pets (the outdoor life is a dangerous one), we see cat owners become increasingly more frustrated when their furry friends are scratching and mutilating their favorite piece of furniture or their most expensive window treatments. What to do?

Many people here in the United States think quickly of the declawing procedure as the simple and long term solution to their cat’s scratching “problem.” What is interesting is that we find most people don’t quite understand the procedure or how it might possibly affect their pet. It might surprise some to hear that the declawing is outlawed in several European countries including England, and that many deem the procedure inhumane and even cruel. Most people don’t realize that declawing is essentailly ten amputations… each toe is cut at the first joint and the end bone completely removed. It is NOT just removing the nails.

Here at Bay Beach we feel that our cat owner clients need to be well informed on the subject, so that they may make the right decision for their cat. Each cat owner is thoroughly counseled about the what the declawing procedure involves and what alternatives the client has for their cat. All of the doctors here feel that declawing should only be considered when alternatives have been attempted. The usual rule of thumb is this: if you have honestly tried to modify your cat’s behavior and the scratching is such a problem you feel your cat cannot remain in your household with claws, and you fully understand that a declawed cat is an INDOOR cat for LIFE (they have no means of defense with no claws), we will agree to perform the procedure. We would much rather see a declawed cat living in a safe, indoor environment than turned into a shelter and possibly become euthanized unnecessarily.

So… what are the alternatives to declawing? There is a great resource online for your reference (www.catscratching.com) that goes over suggestions for how to help dissuade your kitty from being a mutilator. The big pearls of wisdom:

1) Start young. When your kitten is small and exhibiting scratching behavior, work on it NOW and not later. Old habits may die hard.

2) Trim your kitty’s nails regularly. We will be happy to show you how. Trimming cuts down on scratching that stems from trying to eliminate nail casings as the nails grow.

3) Train your kitty to use a scratching post. Don’t hide it in the back corner… keep it out in the area where the kitty likes to be. Reward your kitty for using it. Reprimand kitty with a water bottle or canned air burst when he scratches on the inappropriate spot. Only reprimand when he’s caught in the act.

4) Try a product called soft paws (www.softpaws.com). They are vinyl nail caps that come in all sorts of neat colors that coat the nail and prevents damage from scratching. If you have problems applying them or would like to see how it’s done you can schedule an appointment and we’d be happy to help you.

Should you decide that declawing is the only acceptable option, we recommend that the decison be made when the cat is young, preferably less than one year of age. Not only will a young cat heal faster physically, but they will also adjust better psychologically. We see time and time again that adult cats experience more post-declaw issues… long term limping and a bigger tendency to bite are examples.

Declawing at Bay Beach is performed with a CO2 laser instead of a blade. This gives the added benefit of sealing blood vessels and nerve endings, therefore decreasing the levels of pain and swelling on recovery. Pain is a reality with this procedure, no matter how it is performed. Our patients are provided with pain medication before, during, and after their operation. Special instructions will need to be followed after the cat goes home to help minimize risk of infection (remember, the kitty goes home with TEN incisions and he will be WALKING on them).

Whatever decision you make for your cat, we want it to be an informed one. Make sure you read and understand about the procedure, and know about alternatives.

Filed under: You & Your Kitten