Kitsy is at the vet

I have never had or even seen a declawed cat. Just wanted to say I'm so very very sorry for you and your poor kitty. Your boy friend would be a ex if he had of done that!
I hope you poor kitty has no lingering problems from the declaw I'm sure she will be in a pain for along time..

It's possible that her boyfriend didn't realize everything that can happen with a declaw surgery - without us being there or knowing the full story (both sides) I don't really feel that we should comment on that... she didn't come here asking for comments on the fact that her boyfriend did that, she came on to ask what she can do to better accomodate the kitten now that it's already been done. What good are negative comments now? It wasn't HER decision. I had my boyfriend take my dogs in to get their shots once and he got them a shot that they normally don't have because the breed is known for reactions to it - it wasn't his fault, it wasn't the vet's fault. These things happen, and yes, it sucks but like I said, what's done is done.

Check her paws a couple of times a day to make sure there is no abnormal redness or swelling. If it's smelling, bleeding or looks infected call the vet. She may have some bleeding for a few days after the surgery.

Try not to let her jump for 10 days after the surgery. It will help them heal faster and they won't be as sore. If you can, confine her to one room, like a bedroom, where there isn't much to jump off of.

Ask for pain medication for her. Most vets automatically give it now but some don't.

Give her plenty of soft things to lay on, it seems to help.

Keep it nice people - what's done is done & nothing can change that. You can offer helpful advice or you can be rude & drive a member away. TCS is anti-declaw, and obviously this member is not happy about her kitty being declawed. Keep the claws in!

Now on to the testing portion of this session....

I had a kitty declawed when she was spayed 8 or 9 years ago - I too was unaware she was going to be declawed! All my others have claws now & I can see as she ages how it has altered the way she moves, uses the litterbox, & changed her life. I have seen 2 former foster kittens declawed as well a few years back.

What type of litter was your kitty using? Some cats will not readily accept litter change & may refuse to use YN or other pelleted litter. Do not give her clumping litter for at least 2 - 4 weeks, as cats take varying rates of time to heal. You don't want to risk litter getting in her paws. I highly suggest confining her to a small room for at least 2 weeks post-op. You need to greatly limit movement, as she will be forced to walk on her paws which will cause her great pain. Pain meds can dull the pain enough that they move around too much. If the vet only gives you 5 days or pain meds, demand more - trust me on that one. She shouldn't be jumping on anything at all for a few weeks if you can avoid it.

Wow, that is just so wrong and so sad. I am REALLY sorry for you and your kitty. Mad is surely an appropriate reaction - but that he felt entitled to do something like that without asking you is just ... wrong on so many levels.

Anyway, I'm sure she'll recover from the spay just fine. Rarely are there complications, and if she made it through the anesthesia fine, there's not a lot to do - especially as she's at the vet and not home with you for recovery.

As to the declaw, that's different. It will likely hurt her to walk for some time, and I know that others had to carry their cats - well - here's an article on what you can expect and what you need to look out for. This is hosted on a collaborative website by several members of TCS, and written by a member of TCS. Here's the link: http://www.straypetadvocacy.org/declaw_detoe.html

your kitty will avoid the worst of the "side effects" of a detoe.

We almost always have a few declawed cats at the shelter. I've never dealt with one that had any real problems because of it, and I understand the motivation of those with nice furniture (a category that would not include me).

The good news is that a declawed cat that is caught as a stray or surrendered to the shelter has a much better chance of being adopted and is much less likely to be euthanized, just because we have a certain number of people coming in looking for one.

My sister, the bleeding-heart liberal tree hugger, always declaws her cats. Obviously, this is a subject the even the best people don't understand or have a blind spot on.

Blue (my 14 year old) and Sissy (my sweet bridge kitty) were front AND back declawed before I got them. They lived nice, long happy lives and have not had any issues with the declawing. I was very particular about them and they did not/have not ever gone outside (on purpose...and when one escaped a time or two, we searched until said baby was brought in safely) because they could not protect themselves at all.

Your kitty will be in a lot of pain - spending the night at the vet is probably best since she will be kept still in the kennel tonight. The hardest part for you is going to be keeping her still when she gets home (the paws can bleed for DAYS after the surgery and some cats will even try to remove the bandages). The vet may send her home with pain meds. That is a lot of trauma at once.

I hope you will update us when she is feeling better! This too shall pass. *hugs* to you and your furbaby!

With the invention of "Soft Paws," this category needs to be obsolete. Blue has no claws front or back. Chloe and Rex wear soft paws at all times and none of the cats hurt my furniture at all (and it is leather).

Another thing to consider..With no front claws your cat is not able to defend itself and will for sure have to be a inside only cat..

Since it's a kitten rather than an adult she'll will recover quicker and will adjust to being declawed much more easily than an adult. The behavior problems usually occur when an adult cat is declawed. I have no experience but I have heard of people using shredded newspaper in the litter box. Doesn't really do the job of litter but it keeps them in the habit of using the litter box and won't cause problems with the healing of the declaw.

I'm so sorry. I can only imagine how you must have felt

Your at the right place for help and support should you need it though, but many mega healing and painfree coming for Kitsy

True. When we worked for a large trucking company, they required that cats be declawed to ride in the truck. We demonstrated Soft Paws to them on our Wickett, and they approved it. He never did any damage to the truck.

I understand that declawing is now illegal in many countries, and I know there are a number of cities in the U.S. that are taking that step, too.

I just clip the claws on our current cats. But then, they're not riding in the truck, either.

My cat had been declawed (front) when I got her from the shelter. The Shelter lady said "oh, no one will want her as she has been declawed"...well, that did it for me, she was home with me in a second! She is a sweet, lovely and kind cat, she goes out into the little garden I have as I can keep an eye on her there and there is only one neighborhood cat around (she doesn't like her) who tends to keep away. It's not her fault that she has no claws, nor is it your fault or even your boyfriends fault....these things happen. She "scratches" at her favorite spot on the rug and the cushion...she doesn't know the difference!
I love her to pieces and I know you love your cat.

Many people come into the shelter where I volunteer looking for declawed cats. These cats have a better chance for quick adoption. The shelter doesn't declaw. They discourage it in the literature they give out with adoptions, but they aren't exactly against it.

My parents had our cats front paw declawed. My mother insisted because of the furniture. This always bothered me. I'm very against it now. VERY! But, I must admit that none of those cats showed any behavior problems from it. This involved 5 cats when I was growing up.

I have nice furniture. Some of it is quite new and I intend for it to stay beautiful for many years.

I don't clip my cats' nails. I don't find any reason to do so, at all. I want my cats to have fully workable claws should they ever get outside by accident. They have scratching posts - 5 of them - different types. They use them. I respect their claws. I don't let them sit on my bare skin or take other risks like that. They don't get their claws caught in things. It is normal and natural for cats to have claws - including the tips of them. They know how to handle them. I don't remember getting scratched by any of my cats. I sometimes get scratched at the shelter as I am working on socializing cats. My Ariel scratched the person who put her in the carrier when she had to go to the vet. But Ariel has problems, and taking hold of her paw, or her, is long away from danger free at this point.

To trained the 5 cats who have moved in since December of 2007 to not scratch furniture, I used Sticky Paws 2 sided tape, available at big pet stores. I put strips of it on spots where my cats wanted to scratch on furniture. They don't like how it feels and they give up the whole idea. After a couple months (for Harlow it took 4 months) I took off the tape. Problem is gone.

Maybe your boyfriend had no idea about how terrible declawing is and how you feel about it. That's some excuse.

Robin

How long was the recovery period if you don't mind? Any complications such as bleeding, infection, or signs of lameness? Hope all is well.

To throw in my 2cents, from my research the recovery and the risks and possible side-effects vary depending on the type of declaw and procedure used. The most dangerous part of the procedure is the anesthesia though, but since it is needed for the spay surgery anyway its statistically minimal extra major risk.

It is a routine surgery at this point in the US with a low reported complication rate, but the same can be said about spay surgeries, and I believe we have a member here who's poor kitty went blind from the operation. And I have read much worse, and freak incidents do occur (that beautiful Brazilian model recently died from minor cosmetic surgery she didn't even need for example), so I can understand the concerns over unnecessary elective surgery.

One type involves a tiny incision tendonectomy, which retain the claw but involve removing the ability to extend it. This is minor and quick healing, but means that constant human intervention is needed throughout the cats life to clip the claw, or else it can grow too long curving into the pad.

Other declaws involve either partial or complete removal of the distal phalanx. Partial removal retains the entire digit and tendons, but removes only the claw and the germinal cells of the supporting bone via shaving. The risk of this surgery is that if incomplete and any germinal cells remain, the claw can regrow behind the soft tissue which would be very painful. Complete removal of the bone is over the long term safer, and the bone is not needed for walking as it is naturally retracted for normal locomotion and does not support the footpad. The claw naturally has a protective sheath of loose skin around it, and this allows for a simple closure w/o a sensitive tight stub end.

There are different methods of performing this declaw as well, either with traditional scalpel procedure or the newer laser surgery and surgical glue to close the wounds, and that effects results. Lasers are very expensive equipment and require proper training in their use, like any tool. Luckily, they have been in circulation for quite some time now, so there are plenty of experienced operators, but the cost is still passed on to you so its often three times the price. The benefit is the same as in human laser surgery, that the laser instantly cauterizes nerve and blood vessels, resulting in greatly reduced pain and bleeding so no bandaging is required, with much more rapid healing and reduced risk of infection.

Healing time for traditional scalpel method is around 2 weeks, whereas younger kitties are said to usually be walking around normally by day 2 with laser surgery. Cost aside, I believe just about anyone would agree that if the choices are between traditional and laser/glue, modern laser surgery is much better.

For precautions post surgery, its obviously too late now, but for others searching this thread in the future, the cat would be best confined to a room or rooms with soft carpeted flooring if possible and nothing very high to jump off of. With pain medication and laser surgery, the toes will likely feel numb and tingly and not painful, so cats may still run and jump hard on them which is ill advised until healed. Special litter is advised, usually Yesterday's News unscented, but I know the Swheat Scoop I buy is also advertised to be safe w/ kittens and recent declaws so may work as well. Definitely avoid clay.

Oh, I'm sorry. I would be absolutely infuriated if that happened to my kitties. Sending that she'll have no complications.
I've known some declawed cats, but I've never had my own cats declawed, so I have no information for you. The general knowledge of what can happen I have has already been mentioned. I just wanted to drop in and send some and .

I'd sure like to see an update on this kitty. Obviously a concerned and loving mom.