When to neuter/declaw?

yosemite · Jul 30, 2007

Originally Posted by sarahp

I'm very pleased to hear this!!! If you've always had declawed cats, you will need to be strict with the training of the current kitties since they will try to scratch at furniture. All we do is put double sided tape wherever they try to scratch and they don't scratch there anymore. A big cat tree helps as well - they sleep on it, play on it and scratch on it - best investment we made for the kitties! Save the declaw money and put it into a nice big cat tree!!

As for the neuters, I also echo everyone else and now is a great time to do it. They recover from the anaesthetic much faster when they're younger, and it's a very quick and easy operation for the boys. They'll be bouncing around again before you know it!

We've been so lucky to have had cats that didn't like clawing furniture, but then we also had scratching posts from the moment they were brought into our home. My hubby made a lovely cat tree and Sarah is right - best investment you'll ever make.

As for neuters, boys are so much easier than girls. Bijou didn't even have stitches - just the incision pulled together and sent home. No problems at all.

jellybella · Jul 30, 2007

If you make the scratching post the more attractive surface, they won't touch your furnature. Many people declaw in anticipation of damage a cat can do without ever giving them the chance.

Knock on my wooden head, my two do not claw the furnature. I clip their claws regularly and we have lots of good scratching boxes and posts available.

As far as the neutering, do it ASAP, or they will be trying to get out and get into trouble, or stay in and make trouble

consumerkitty · Jul 30, 2007

I waited until April Joy was seven months old to have her spayed but that's because I was a big chicken about it. Cats bounce back really fast from getting fixed. If you get it done now it will be over with sooner and you won't have to worry anymore. I agonized and dreaded unnecessarily for two whole months. When I brought her home after the surgery she acted like nothing happened. Just make sure your vet uses gas anesthesia and not an injection. Isoflurane gas is the safest. If your kitties are boys and if their testicles have descended it's definitely time to get them neutered.

I'm glad you decided not to "declaw" them.

zissou'smom · Jul 30, 2007

Get the neuter done as soon as you can-- neuters are easy, just a little snip. Lots of vets don't even use stitches on a neuter. Getting a pet fixed before they reach sexual maturity has many benefits, waiting has none. It is more important with spaying, but as soon as those hormones start running they start doing damage. Including, as someone mentioned, spraying, territory marking, aggressiveness, etc.

If a vet is willing to do it, there really isn't a time that's too early to get them fixed.

alleygirl · Jul 30, 2007

Originally Posted by Siggav

With your husband I'd try to point out all the side effects that can happen. There's the danger of regrowing nails, lameness, arthritis when they're older, behavioural problems, depression, biting and last but not least litterbox problems. I know I'd much rather have a few scratches than a house smelling of cat pee.

Originally Posted by Yosemite

I won't go into the declawing debate as you already know about it. I will, however, relate an incident that happened recently at the shelter where I volunteer. A patron adopted a cat, signed the form that said they would NOT declaw, promptly went out and had the cat declawed, brought the cat back to the shelter because the cat would no longer use the litter and started doing its business anywhere else other than the litter.

I also work with a cat rescue and we have several cats who will continually go outside the litter box and are also biters. All 4 of them are declawed. The owners had them declawed then dumped them at the pound when they started having problems because of it.

I clip my cat's claws every week, or every other. He isn't thrilled about it, so I usually do it when he is asleep, one paw at a time

I would also neuter your cats now. They are definitely old enough and its best to do it before they learn any bad behaviors. Congrats on your new kitties

kalikat · Jul 31, 2007

My 2 previous cats, one female, one male I had fixed at 6 mths because thats when it used to be done before the over population of cats & dogs. My 10 mth old kitten Blossom I had neutered at 5 mths because I didn't want to take the chance that she would come into heat early.
As to declawing I had never heard of it until I started researching how to raise an orphan kitten. It's illegal in Australia too.
I'm glad you made up your mind not to do it. As well as being cruel it would be unpleasant to look after their paws until they healed.

dragoriana · Jul 31, 2007

Originally Posted by kicken74

How old before I neuter and declaw my two kittens? The vet told me I could do it when they are 5 months, which is this week. But I don't want to put them through that right now. I was thinking when they are 7 months old. I really hate to do either to them, and maybe that is why I'm procrastinating.
What's your opinion?

Ive only just found this thread but...why would a VET be telling you to declaw your kitten????

ddcats · Jul 31, 2007

Pick up a rattan counter chair(or similar) at WM or flea market for your kitties, cats somehow like human chairs so much better than those scratching posts.

My cat likes to s t r e t c h when she does the claw thing on her very own rattan counter chair purchased at WM.

Also, you could have your cats and husband declawed OR get rid of the precious furniture.

ddcats · Jul 31, 2007

Originally Posted by Dragoriana

Ive only just found this thread but...why would a VET be telling you to declaw your kitten????

Why, now, don't you know vets have to make $$$ too!

Hail the Almighty $, forget about the welfare of our beloved pets.

renovia · Jul 31, 2007

i'm so happy to see you've rethought the declawing issue. I grew up with declawed cats and they ended up having litterbox problems as many declawed animals do. I did a lot of research before I got Stoli and learned that I had to be really firm so he wouldn't scratch the furniture. I got him a great sisal scratching post and a nice cat tree and spray them reguarly with catnip. No problems here.

kai bengals · Jul 31, 2007

I think you see the opinion on this site regarding the declaw.

I wanted to let you know that the time to spay/neuter is now.

I have two 4 month old siblings (brother and sister) whom I am showing. The little girl has already gone into heat twice!!

During her second heat the boy was showing serious signs of being interested. Biting her neck, cooing at her, etc.

There is no hard and fast rule regarding the age when cats (kittens) will sucessfully mate. Mother nature controls this...........better safe than sorry, get your 2 done now.

goldenkitty45 · Jul 31, 2007

Oh my Nial - your's is the first I've really heard of them coming in that soon - its not just something we make up

The youngest story I've heard with breeding males was a 5 month old siamese boy allowed to run with adult females. Well one of them got pregnant and the little 5 month old was a daddy at 7 months old. The breeder had NO clue the 5 month old knew what he was doing - she never saw him show interest in any of the adult females

Charlie's mom was never shown (but produces Grand Champion offspring) cause she came into heat at an early age and would not hold the weight on for showing.

When to neuter/declaw?

yosemite

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jellybella

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consumerkitty

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zissou'smom

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alleygirl

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kalikat

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dragoriana

MajesticFloof

ddcats

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ddcats

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renovia

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kai bengals

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goldenkitty45

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