So Wiggins has been with us for almost a month and the question i had when we first got him was do we declaw him now or see how he behaves around the furniture and then decide. I understand that if we are to have him declawed it has to be soon cause the surgery is too much for older cats to handle. So our problem with Wiggins is he does use his scratching post but every now and then you will catch him scratching at the brand new leather couch (YIKES) and i have to say as much as i love him i cannot tolerate that. So i give him a squirt with the water bottle throw some catnip on his cat tree and praise him with treats when he uses it to scratch on.

Also i would like to add that we have been keeping his nails trimmed just above the pink (vein). But them seem to get sharp very fast

So i would like some advice on what to do and if you have any stories on preoperation and post operation i would like to hear them

Please take some time to look at the information in the following link in regards to declawing:

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41954

Get softpaws. I would under no circumstances ever get a cat declawed.

Thank you for the link

Thank you for the link

Your very welcome :) If you have any questions after reading it, please feel free to ask.

Softpaws really are remarkable. It might take a few tries to get them glued on correctly, but they last for a very long time and are quite effective. The great thing is that you can use them while you're training Wiggins to use the scratching post (Georgia, at least, continued to scratch normally as if she had nothing whatsoever on her claws). Then, if the training is successful, you won't have to use them any longer!

My only suggestion is to go with the clear ones. I thought it would be really spectacular to give Georgia a hot pink manicure, but it really just robbed her of all dignity and I felt kind of guilty. :blush:

Keep in mind that IF you declaw you should keep your cat the rest of his life. And that means that you don't get rid of him when he decides NOT to use the litter pan any more or resorts to biting or hiding because he has no defense.

Many cats with litter box problems are declawed. Not all but the majority.

If you can't live with some clawing its better to find him a new home and adopt another cat that someone declawed. At least another cat would not be subject to that procedure.

Hi and welcome to TCS :) Since you are a fairly new member, you may not have read our Forum Rules which include a statement of our views on declawing:

This website considers declawing a drastic way to curb cat behavior. A painful ordeal for your kitty we would suggest that declawing never be considered for any behavioral issue. Health issues are entirely different. It is up to you as a responsible pet owner to explore all the different options available instead of declawing. Your cat is dependant on you to make wise choices for her, and not put her into any more stress or discomfort. Please be a responsible pet owner and research this subject thoroughly. Understand that if you are pro-declaw in your posts, you will encounter opposition. Please learn more about alternatives for declawing here in our forums as well as on our website itself. Declaw – More Than Just a Manicure. Hopefully those of you with claw-related problems will find solutions by spending time in our Behavior Forum.

Tanya already gave you a fantastic link. I'd like to suggest a few others. :)


Here are a few excellent threads and articles on declawing:

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41954

http://www.thecatsite.com/Care/34/De...-Manicure.html

Here is an article on scratching:

http://www.thecatsite.com/Behavior/5...o-Stop-It.html

Please really think about your cat before you decide..that's all I ask.:)

I've had luck with BitterEnd - a spray with a foul odor (to pets) that discourages scratching or chewing where applied. It doesnt work with all pets, some wont be affected by the odor.

I have a green velvet couch, sprayed it once (do a spot check first) and Smidge has never scratched it.

There are several brand names, Bitter Apple I think is one. I asked the clerk at PetSmart and Bitter End is all that they carried.

Have you dont reading about conditioning their behaviors to scratch in the right place yet? If you follow the "rules" consistently it will help. Also be sure you have good scratching options for kitty - they must have an attractive alternative before they "decide" the couch isnt good.

My cat likes the regular rope posts, put she is very fond of scratchy carpet pieces I pick up for $5 a pop. I put those in several places as well, and we they are too worn or dirty I replace them. I've found them in many colors to go with my decor, these are not dedicated cat items, I've just found thru the years my cats like them.

Have you considered Soft Claws (there is also a very similiar product called Soft Paws)? Check out their site. They're GREAT! Our kitties have them, and they completely take away the ability to scratch up things.

Soft Claws are a vinyl covers that you glue to the kitty's claws after trimming them. They stay on the claw until the outter layer of the claw naturally sheds (so they last about 4-6 weeks).

If you'd like, check out their site: www.softpaws.com . It's got a good amount of information about the product, how it works, and how to use them. Let us know what you think! :)

Scratching is what cats do. You say you love your cat, so you wouldn't maim it to save you leather couch, right?
The fact that its already using the scratching post mostly would indicate that with a little bit more training and a little more educating yourself your cat and your precious couch can live in harmony.

Is your scratching post tall/stable enough? Maybe you just need a bigger/stronger one. Or a second one (near the sofa?). Please don't declaw your cat. If your sofa is more important than the cat then please rehome the him rather than declaw him.

here in uk it is banned as docking a dog is remove the claws you remove his defensive armour and they also help with other things try useing a coconut mat or a log i have many cats and only one claws furniture sometimes please dont do it it is cruel

I personally could never have my cats declawed. I also feel it would be cruel. It is the nature of a cat to use its claws and I knew that before I got my kitties. It is something I am willing to accept.

I do have to keep reminding my one kitty to stop scratching the furniture. If she is doing it, I lop a magazine in her direction (not at her) and she takes off. In fact, now I only half to rattle the magazine in my hand and she stops.

You actually made note of something you already do to discourage the clawing of furniture. If you are persistent and consistent that will work quite well.

When ever I get a new cat, I ALWAYS keep a spray bottle or squirt gun full of water handy, so I can spray/squirt the cat when they are clawing something they shouldn't. They're very smart, and get the hint quickly. ;)

So Wiggins has been with us for almost a month and the question i had when we first got him was do we declaw him now or see how he behaves around the furniture and then decide. I understand that if we are to have him declawed it has to be soon cause the surgery is too much for older cats to handle. So our problem with Wiggins is he does use his scratching post but every now and then you will catch him scratching at the brand new leather couch (YIKES) and i have to say as much as i love him i cannot tolerate that. So i give him a squirt with the water bottle throw some catnip on his cat tree and praise him with treats when he uses it to scratch on.

Also i would like to add that we have been keeping his nails trimmed just above the pink (vein). But them seem to get sharp very fast

So i would like some advice on what to do and if you have any stories on preoperation and post operation i would like to hear them
Hi,

I hope you haven't proceeded with the declawing of your cat, as your post was a few days ago. If you have not, I beg you not to do it! All my cats had their claws and never caused damage to my parents furniture or mine. Why? Because the minute they got to our home, a scratching post was waiting for them. If you have tried one made of carpet, your cat may not like it. This is what happened to my two foster cats last fall. They were starting to use my carpets. So I made another one of sisal rope. It's magical.

And please consider the following : declawing a cat is like cutting off the last phalangial bones in a human hand. This would impair any human. The same for a cat. It is their way of defending themselves. I have something here for you to see if you are not convinced... Please have a look at the following links :
- http://community-2.webtv.net/zuzu22/stopdeclawtemporary/

and a sub page of the same web site : http://community-2.webtv.net/stopdeclaw/declawpics/

For the love of your cat, please do not do this! Like someone mentioned above, if you are still not convinced and are afraid about the furniture, it is best you give the cat to someone who will not mind. But I tell you : training with an adequate scratching post made of sisal rope should work.

Regards,

N.

Is your scratching post tall/stable enough? Maybe you just need a bigger/stronger one. Or a second one (near the sofa?). Please don't declaw your cat. If your sofa is more important than the cat then please rehome the him rather than declaw him.


This is what I would suggest too. If furniture is really important then A cat isn't the pet, they scratch, that's what they do.
Here is a link to a site against declaw, I have posted it any time declawing comes up. It shows pics of it being done, suggestion for other alturnatives, vets that do/don't do it, personal stories of peoples expiriences, and it even tells you how to train/make scratching posts. Please read it for your cats health!
http://community-2.webtv.net/zuzu22/STOPDECLAWCOM/

Hi,

I hope you haven't proceeded with the declawing of your cat, as your post was a few days ago. If you have not, I beg you not to do it! All my cats had their claws and never caused damage to my parents furniture or mine. Why? Because the minute they got to our home, a scratching post was waiting for them. If you have tried one made of carpet, your cat may not like it. This is what happened to my two foster cats last fall. They were starting to use my carpets. So I made another one of sisal rope. It's magical.

And please consider the following : declawing a cat is like cutting off the last phalangial bones in a human hand. This would impair any human. The same for a cat. It is their way of defending themselves. I have something here for you to see if you are not convinced... Please have a look at the following links :
- http://community-2.webtv.net/zuzu22/stopdeclawtemporary/

and a sub page of the same web site : http://community-2.webtv.net/stopdeclaw/declawpics/

For the love of your cat, please do not do this! Like someone mentioned above, if you are still not convinced and are afraid about the furniture, it is best you give the cat to someone who will not mind. But I tell you : training with an adequate scratching post made of sisal rope should work.

Regards,

N.

oops, you posted the same one:blush:

Please don't subject your baby to that awful procedure. Have you every had a fingernail pulled off. OUCH!!! If that cat ever gets outside she cannot climb a tree to get away from danger, defend herself, or even dig in the grass. Please listen to everyone, they are all so much more educated about the websites and such than I am. I am a country girl and I have had an accident and had my big toenail ripped completely off and the pain was unbelievable. You just cannot subject an innocent and harmless animal to something that painful for the sake of your furniture. Please find a different pet, and a new home for your cat. We don't mean to sound harsh or uncaring, but such is the nature of a cat, and we don't want to see her hurt for being what she is. I hope that you will do the right thing.

Is your cat fixed yet? If so I'm probably not much help. If not, please read about my experience. My cat did a complete 180 with her claws after she was fixed and after she aged a few months.

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84925

[keith]

After many years of having inside cats, my husband developed severe allergies. We tried medicines, air purifiers, everything short of getting rid of carpet and redoing the floors. The cats were trained to use several scratching posts located at strategic places in our house. Finally we had no choice but to get an enclosure system for our fence and put our cats outside.
Even though they are confined, I could not rest at night if they were declawed because they are outside. Our fence system works well and they have never gotten outside the confined area, but nothing is without risk. I am glad they still have their claws so they could fight if they had too.

I don't know what else to do, i have to get my 3 year old indoor cat declawed, i live in an apartment building, with very fussy owners, and he is tearing up pieces of the carpet everywhere, no matter how many times i squirt him, he keeps on doing it, he also has two posts, a cardbord scratch tray, mats that he moves just so he can get at the carpet and scratch, and dig, and toys that he won't even look at, i tried finding him another home, but i know if i do, as soon as he starts doing it there, he would be out the door again, finding himself in another home or maybe even homeless, i cannot part with him anyway, he a big handsome cat, so please keep him in your prayers, hoping that everything goes well for him. As much as i really don't want to do this.

Try nailcaps.
Can't destroy anything if his claws are covered in vinyl.

seesee, have you read any of the previous posts in this thread that suggest alternatives to declawing?

I can't believe it is still legal. In LOTS of countries it is banned. People do not have an easy quick fix, and have to find an alturnative solution to clawing, it's just not an option. Is there any one who can take the cat for you till you move to a place where the cat isn't a problem, or find a new home for him, and when you have your own place, and can deal with cats who claw, get one? Or get a pet that doesn't scatch things? Scratching carpets isn't really a good reason to de-toe a cat.:confused: Have you looked at the link that was posted? It has a section on building posts, and training your cat to use them and other alturnitives, you can try, if the horror stories of people who have done this, and the pictures of the proceedure didn't make you sick. I hope you find another solution for your poor kitty. If you go through with it, look up info, so you can do every thing to make sure his feet doesn't get infected, and he is as comfortable as possible, like what to use in his litter box, and how often to change bandages, or what ever else that needs to be done, I am not familiar with it, never had one de-toed. So I don't know all of that, but it's just like some one getting sergury, there are post sergical directions you will need to follow. I pray for your kitty.

Edit: I just saw you tried to find another home for him, at least you tried to do the right thing for him, try to find some rescue, that will take him in until they find the right home that is willing to take on a cat with issues. No-kill shelters will keep him til they find the right home for him.

You've already been linked to pretty much all the relevant information, so there's nothing for me to add, other than pleading with you not to declaw your cat.

It's a horrible thing to do. There are many alternatives. Please don't do it.

I truley hope you will find sometyhing else other than declawing your little babes...

How old is your little man? And did u just get him recently? IAm very sorry to hear that you are even faced with this decision...

Are u clipping his nails on a regular basis?

Jayme&Jackson!

There should be no reason to declaw if you are clipping them every week. Its easy once you and your kit get used to it. Please at least TRY some alternative methods that everyone has mentioned before you get your cat mutilated. You're not going to want to deal with your cat having behavioural problems after its declawed...and most of them do have (litterbox) problems.

DO not declaw... Also he is use to you triming them just keep it up :)

I have never declawed any of my cats, but a cat took up at my fathers house some time ago that was declawed and so skinny, I immeadiatly took the poor girl home. She does not like for you to touch her feet at all, if you do she yanks them away, but who would blame her? We still have this darling, she is fat, healthy, and happy that she will never be mutilated ever again.

I beg that you try soft claws, they are rubber caps that you put on your kitties feet, they come with something that is like super glue. I hear that they work great and last up to 5 weeks. Please at the very least give it a try.

He wont have to declaw or use the caps right if the kitten lets him cut the nails I would keep up with that.

My cat's shredded up my couch. The got to the wood structure and made a mess everywhere. Scratching posts, nail clipping, water squirts, whatever, I tried it all!

BUT!!!... I never even once thought of declawing my cats. They are indoors, but the thought of them ever getting out and having no defenses just terrifies me.

What was my solution... I bought a couch they couldn't scratch (wood arm rests versus cloth covered ones).

A "pet" (and I use that term lightly as my cats are my babies) is for life and a huge responsibility. It's like having a child, and since I would never maim my child, I could never do it to my furry babies.

So as a person who was in your place, don't declaw, get rid of your couch.

A "pet" (and I use that term lightly as my cats are my babies) is for life and a huge responsibility. It's like having a child, and since I would never maim my child, I could never do it to my furry babies. :yeah:

I think the reasons why you shouldn't declaw have been stated enough times so I won't repeat them. I will just say that however hard it is we should always put the health and welfare of our pets ahead of our own convenience. If you can't find a way to stop your cat scratching the carpet and it's a problem then you need to rehome him and wait until you're in a more suitable place to have a cat. As has been stated previously - cats scratch. It's what they do. It's what they need to do. I know you love your cat but perhaps a cat isn't the right pet for you right now.

try using a repellent spray to keep your cat off the furnitures and carpet...or maybe use the nail caps like she said...

For everyone that is talking about using spray bottles or other repellents for furniture:

Telling a cat what not to do without showing him what to do isn't an effective way of changing the behavior in a cat. Spraying them with a bottle tells them they shouldn't be doing what they are doing, but do you stop and take the time to redirect them to a scratch post? It would be analogous to a teacher asking you what 2 plus 2 is without telling you the answer first, then slapping your hands when you get the answer wrong.

The best way to train a cat is to direct them to the right behavior. If they are scratching a sofa, give them a firm NO, then carry them over to the scratch post, rub their paws on it, join them by rubbing your hands on it, then give them a treat for being a good kitty. I have 11 cats with unclipped claws and my furniture is intact. It's never taken me more than 3 days to retrain a cat when they arrive in the house, but it doesn't work unless you are dilligent and persistant.

There are alternatives to declawing that are physically easier on your cat and only suggest that you use those alternatives before you maim your cat.

Just a thought -- you might not want to give a treat for a cycle that started with acting out. My cat seems pretty smart, and I realized that when he wanted a treat, he would go and scratch in an unwanted place and wait to be redirected to the scratching place and rewarded. He was learning that the desirable sequence of events started with scratching the carpet.

Now I just praise him verbally at the scratching post in a case like that, and only give a treat for spontaneous use of the scratching post. I'll also take him to the scratching post randomly and give him a treat (or hide a treat on it for him to find when I'm not around). I don't want the cat to associate the treat with bad behavior.

It sounds like the SoftPaws claw caps are the right solution for this poster.

It sounds like the SoftPaws claw caps are the right solution for this poster.

I agree...hopefully she'll listen to all the posts about it. I really hope this poor kitty didn't get declawed just from lack of reading our responses and trying different things. My kitties have had Soft Paws for about a month now. We originally got them so they couldn't hurt our bunnies in playing, but have since been happy to report that they haven't been able to do anything to scratch up our couch, and when they play with my daughter they're no longer able to scratch her. They're easy to do, and well worth it.

PLEASE give Soft Paws a try...for your baby...

He's counting on you to do the right thing here, and keep him safe and happy. Please don't let him down. :( :confused: :sniffle: :sigh:

Here's a recap of how to handle problems scratching -
http://www.thecatsite.com/Behavior/51/Problem-Scratching-And-How-To-Stop-It.html

please DO NOT DECLAW YOUR CAT!!!! If you love your cat dont declaw it!!!
use soft claws.

I'm new to the idea of not declawing, and in fact, it was this forum that convinced me not to ever do it again. I had absolutely no idea what the procedure was. I was horrified!

I agree with Arlyn, try using the nail caps.
http://www.softpaws.com/ is an informative site for them and you can buy them there as well. I tried finding them yesterday at one of the local pet stores but they didn't carry them. I'm going to try PetSmart next.

From everything I've read here on the forums about them, they're easy to use and it's possible that after using them a while the cat will become less destructive and not need them their whole lives. I have an adult cat that wasn't declawed and the only thing he ever scratches is his cat tree. (I think that's just a bit of luck though!)

I'm new to the idea of not declawing, and in fact, it was this forum that convinced me not to ever do it again. I had absolutely no idea what the procedure was. I was horrified!

I agree with Arlyn, try using the nail caps.
http://www.softpaws.com/ is an informative site for them and you can buy them there as well. I tried finding them yesterday at one of the local pet stores but they didn't carry them. I'm going to try PetSmart next.

From everything I've read here on the forums about them, they're easy to use and it's possible that after using them a while the cat will become less destructive and not need them their whole lives. I have an adult cat that wasn't declawed and the only thing he ever scratches is his cat tree. (I think that's just a bit of luck though!)

Mellie..thanks for this post...it's so good to know that this forum was able to teach you about the reality of the declaw procedure.

Katie

You all realise that the OP hasn't responded since the first page?

I think you made the point in 4 pages since then ;)

Keep in mind that IF you declaw you should keep your cat the rest of his life. And that means that you don't get rid of him when he decides NOT to use the litter pan any more or resorts to biting or hiding because he has no defense.

Many cats with litter box problems are declawed. Not all but the majority.

If you can't live with some clawing its better to find him a new home and adopt another cat that someone declawed. At least another cat would not be subject to that procedure.

I guess all cats at shelters who are declawed should be put down since the majority of them have litter box problems (according to your reply).

I think that a horrible mis-truth to be spreading. There is no evidence for posting that and you are doing a dis-service to declawed cats in shelters everywhere.

SoftPaws are awesome....I've had two kitties that use them. I adopted a kitty that was already declawed and I have to say that it's very sad to see how he "handles" things. He looks like a person that has had his fingers cut off!

There is another option (I didn't read thru all the posts to see if this was mentioned) and it's a tendonectomy. I don't know if I spelled that right. But they just cut the tendon, not amputate the whole thing....

Karen

I guess all cats at shelters who are declawed should be put down since the majority of them have litter box problems (according to your reply).

I think that a horrible mis-truth to be spreading. There is no evidence for posting that and you are doing a dis-service to declawed cats in shelters everywhere.

I don't think GoldenKitty45 was trying to dissuade people from adopting declawed kitties, I think she was just trying to point out some of the potential problems that declawed kitties face. Additionally, she encourages the adoption of those kitties if someone MUST have a declawed cat. Suggesting that she meant for them to be put down is a little extreme IMHO.

I volunteer at a shelter, and it is the unfortunate truth that most of the declawed kitties that come in need lots of special care and a different kind of attention than kitties with their claws. Often they are very afraid, insecure, and require a lot of patience and soothing.

I'm sure other members can post information about why declawing leads to litter box problems (beginning with the pain litter inflicts on their tender little half toes). It is a real problem, not some made up fiction.

I'm sure other members can post information about why declawing leads to litter box problems (beginning with the pain litter inflicts on their tender little half toes). It is a real problem, not some made up fiction.


Actually, I think if we only look at the declaw procedure with regards to litterbox issues, then we are doing a disservice to declawed cats. Declawed cats develop UTIs and crystals..just like clawed cats. Declawed cats have a preference for cleanliness..just like clawed cats....declawed cats can have a preference for the location of their litterbox..just like clawed cats. Condemning declawed cats to a life of litterbox issues (without considering other factors) is not the way I would handle it.

We pulled a cat from a shelter who was listed as declawed and having litterbox issues...turned out...she had a tumor the size of a grapefruit. Once the tumor was removed...no more litterbox issues.

I don't support declawing....but I also don't support purpetuating "facts" that aren't necessarily true.

Katie

I agree that cats shouldn't be declawed and I wouldn't do it. However, I agree with the point that the procedure doesn't doom all cats to bad behavior and litterbox problems, so people shouldn't assume that that's what they'll get with a declawed cat. We had one when I was growing up, and after the operation he never had problems with the litterbox, behavior or play. In fact, he escaped a few times in the backyard and got into cat fights, and he was a skilled fighter (though we couldn't figure out how)... and he wasn't a large cat, either.

Another reason not to declaw is money. The operation isn't cheap! My brother is a former vet tech and he tells me that quite often the cat has to go back for further sugery after tearing a suture or excessive bleeding, which drives the cost up further. That's what happened to Freckles former owner - she had the two cats she kept declawed, was given a quote of around $550 but paid over $700 because one cat had to go back to surgery due to complications.

my declawing story... maybe this will change your mind.

I got a kitten when I was born. And back then, we didn't know everything that we know now. Declawing was more popular. And when my parents got my kitten spayed, they got her declawed as well. She was always an indoor cat. However, when I was a teenager she managed to sneak out the door 1 time. 1 time. And we couldnt' find her for 2 days. Finally she came home, limping back the whole way, he face was bloody, and her eye was scratched out, and blinded. And even worse than that, she was emotionally robbed. Her spirit was destroyed and broken. Had she had her claws she would have been able to fight back whatever it was that attacked her. She was never the same girl again. She was always flinching and ducking if you made a sudden move.

I use soft claws on my cat now. They are not very difficult to put on, and last 6-8 weeks. They are ~$20 for 4 applications, and worth every penny. They protect your screens, your couch, even your leg if she starts to slide off a little and tries to grab ahold of you. And they look so pretty. Please don't declaw your cat. I wish that my parents had never gotten my sweet girl declawed growing up...