What can I do instead of declawing my cat?

Nail caps or claw covers, such as Soft Paws, can be a great and immediate way to protect your surfaces while you're working with your cat to redirect any undesirable scratching behavior. The nail caps can be applied by you, your veterinarian, or a cat groomer, just place adhesive inside the nail cap and slide it on.

How can I help my cats claws without declawing?

Is there a humane way to declaw cats?

Laser declawing is considered by some in the veterinary community to be the most humane method for declawing. Reasons cited for this are that the toes undergo less trauma with laser, nerve endings are “sealed” off leading to less pain, and less bleeding occurs.

Is declawing a cat ever necessary?

The Humane Society of the United States opposes declawing except for the rare cases when it is necessary for medical purposes, such as the removal of cancerous nail bed tumors.

Is it considered cruel to declaw a cat?

They say declawing is uniformly cruel, citing pain, disfigurement, altered behavior, and the possibility of surgical complications up to and including the possibility of death.

Should I declaw my cat? - Ask A Vet

Do nail caps hurt cats?

Myth #2 – They Cause Damage To The Nail And Nail Bed

The Soft Paws brand was created by a veterinarian to be soft and non-toxic to both cats and dogs. When the nail caps are applied correctly, there should never be able damage or discomfort to the cat's paws or nail beds.

What is laser cat declawing?

Laser declawing is a relatively new procedure for removing the third knuckles and claws from cats. It offers many benefits over traditional declawing, including less bleeding and a reduced chance of infection.

Are declawed cats happy?

Many people report that they are happier with their cats after declawing, because it makes the cats "better pets." Unfortunately, many people have also discovered -- too late -- that declawing frequently causes far worse problems than it solves.

What are three pros to declawing a cat?

What states is it illegal to declaw a cat?

While several cities around the U.S. have a declaw ban in place, Maryland is only the second state to ban the procedure. New York became the first in 2019. The law prohibits any veterinary practitioners from performing declawing procedures on a cat unless the procedure is “necessary for a therapeutic purpose.”

Does laser therapy work for cats?

It turns out there is a noninvasive, non-surgical way to treat pain that's been used in humans for more than 50 years, and it works just as well in cats. It's called veterinary laser therapy, and it's safe, noninvasive, and non-surgical.

Does PetSmart declaw cats?

According to an employee at another Wellness Center, they do declaws regularly and there is no age limit for a declaw. They said if the cat is over 2 years old, they will have to see the cat first for an exam. We also respectfully reached out to one of the managers of the PetSmart in PA.

What age should cats be declawed?

Declawing is best done when the cat is under 6 months of age. Young, immature cats declawed at less than 6 months of age heal fastest, experience the least pain, and have the lowest risk of complications.

What are the negative effects of declawing a cat?

What are cons of declawing?

Cons to cat declawing

The main pro to cat declawing is that it impedes the cat's ability to scratch. For some humans, this may be considered desirable, especially if a cat is scratching furniture or aggressively scratching its owner. Another pro is that declawing cats may mean fewer cats end up in shelters.

Is it best to declaw an indoor cat?

Once a cat is declawed, it should be kept strictly indoors since the pet will no longer be able to defend itself or climb to escape a potential predator. Declawing Might Not Stop Harmful Behavior.

Do cats get depressed after being declawed?

Depression is indeed a possibility for felines after declawing. The bone-amputation surgery in some cases may drastically change a cat's life. When a cat all of a sudden lacks her primary tools for defense and protection -- her claws -- she may quickly become more anxious, nervous, agitated and antisocial than before.

What percentage of domestic cats are declawed?

Some studies suggest that between 20% and 25% of pet cats in the US have been declawed. By contrast, "declawing was always rare" in the UK, even before it was outlawed in 2006, says Prof Danielle Gunn-Moore, a vet and chair of feline medicine at the University of Edinburgh.

What is cosmetic declawing?

Also known as onychectomy, declawing is a surgical process in which the front knuckles of the cat's toes are amputated so the animal can no longer use its claws to scratch household items or hurt others during rough play—or defend itself should it meet an aggressive cat or another animal outdoors or even hop a fence or ...

Is laser declawing painful?

"Not only can the laser burn the end of the bone, leading to inflammation and pain, but even with laser, bone fragments can be left behind. This may cause chronic pain in the feet, but also in the back and other joints if the cat tries to walk in a way to reduce pressure on the hurting bits."

How much do cat nail caps cost?

You can typically get a pack of forty (plus the adhesive) for under $15 on Amazon. You can put them on your cat yourself — no need to visit a groomer. Each cap should stay on the nail for about six weeks, and then fall off with the natural growth of the nail.

How do you get rid of Soft Paws?

As the nail grows, the outer layer of the claw sheds. If you do not see all nails shed after 4 - 6 weeks, just trim the tip of the nail cap. This will loosen the seal of the soft claws paws nail caps so you can remove it.

Can you declaw a 10 year old cat?

The recovery time is much quicker when cats are young. There also are fewer potential complications. We do not recommend declawing older cats.

Should you declaw all four paws?

One-third of veterinarians would not perform a four-paw declaw. Of those that do all four paws, 29 percent said they would do the declawing in two separate procedures. Removal of the hind claws is rarely needed to stop a cat from scratching furniture.