Declaw or no cat!  

Why? Do they give you a reason for this?

And what happens if you declaw said cat and it starts inappropriate peeing all over the expensive furniture because of the surgery, many cats do. Or peels out with the back paws, or gets kitty fur or puke on it? Animals can damage stuff, it happens, it's life and you need to realistically consider that before bringing one home, far too many pets get dumped just for doing things animals do. You can certainly clip nails, put on those little plastic paw things, get scratching posts and everything but it's still a possibility that furniture might get scratched at some point.

There are ways to reliably train a cat not to scratch the furniture. Of course, kittens will be naughty (just like puppies chewing things!), so keeping them in Soft Claws while they're learning can prevent any damage. Soft Claws are kind of fun, too. Check out the links in my signature for specific training advice.

I, too, wonder how they feel about the other damages cats can cause. Will they make you get rid of the cat if it barfs on the furniture, chews the leather couch, or starts peeing on the carpet? If so, it may be better not to bring a cat into the home.

Unfortunately there's no 100% guarantee that you can train a cat not to scratch. There's also no 100% guarantee that a cat you declaw won't have behavioral/health issues in the future. You say that your parents don't want a previously declawed shelter cat because the cat could be nasty... I have friends who only adopt previously declawed shelter cats and they have gotten 3 wonderful cats this way. You can work with someone at a shelter who will know the cat's personality and disposition and can help place you with a cat that will work for you. IMO, that would be the best way to know what kind of pet you are bringing home.

I think the main concern is that you are looking for a way to assure your parents that a cat will not scratch their furniture, but there's no way to know that, whether you declaw, trim nails, or use soft paws. The concern is that your parents will feel that they didn't get the cat they agreed to, and then where does that leave him?

I think people tend to scream and yell rather than to rationally educate. Being emotional never makes anyone honestly listen to your points of view. Maybe you should take this approach when talking to your family. So some research online about WHY the laser declaw is really just a different way of doing the same basic procedure. It doesn't hurt less, it doesn't make a cat less likely to develop complications from being declawed later in life such as arthritis.

If cats are given PROPER outlets for scratching and climbing then they should have no interest in your furniture. Cats like couches and curtains when they do not have trees and window seats and sisal rope of their own. Please notice I said proper. A two foot tall cardboard scratching post that tips over will not suffice. Cats need different textures, sizes and heights of scratching activities.

I suggest you do lots of research on providing a proper enriching environment. These things do not have to be expensive - and it's not hard. But all in your home will be much happier

Most people who don't know just assume you declaw your kitty. It sounds like you are trying to do the best thing. You just need to put in the effort to bring everyone else around. Best of luck to you - I know you can do it!

To be honest, I think you're better off not getting a cat until you have your own place and can make your own rules, and be sure the kitty won't be declawed. My cats never scratched on furniture, but in the process of running around, their claws caught on the leather dining chairs, and scratched them and destroyed them. A kitten WILL play on the furniture and will cause damage.

Yes, I have heard that laser declaw is not as painful, but you are still altering the cat's structure, and their main defense mechanism, which can cause psychological and physical problems.

Please, save a cat by not adopting it and putting it through inevitable problems.

Congrats on your new kitty, that is very exciting. If possible though, I would recommend leaving the kitten with its mother until 10-12 weeks. It may not seem like long, but it ensures a proper weaning and socialization by its mother and peers. I don't know if its even a possibility, but I also HIGHLY recommend adopting cats in pairs from a litter with their favorite sibling. They are less destructive this way since they have a playmate to chase and wrestle and cuddle with to occupy their time when you're not around.

Even declaw advocates will tell you straight out that you really can't declaw a cat that young regardless. Kittens are very likely to cause damage with their claws though, so do some research on soft-paws aka soft-claws. These are nail caps and can be quite challenging to get on a kitten, but will give you the time you need to try and train the cat. There are stickies in this forum on various techniques and tools you will need to purchase. Generally speaking, you want a flat, angled, and vertical scratching post, preferably in various materials from sisal, to cardboard, to carpet. Any good cat tree generally has the vertical sisal part covered for you, so you just need a few of the others. Don't expect catnip to work as an attractant for very young kittens. Most cats I know don't get excited about catnip until they are almost adults, but you can scratch with your own claws or drag theirs over it, and they will still want to scratch even w/ the caps on... and in fact even declawed cats scratch, just without damage as its instinct to scent mark things with their paws.

If you ultimately come to a cross-roads where its declaw or cat goes to the shelter, then I would advise the declaw, as the majority of shelter cats are unfortunately euthanized and I'd much rather be a declawed pampered indoor cat than a released stray having to learn street smarts without the headstart. The most dangerous part of a declaw is the anesthesia, although that is fairly routine. What you may want to do then is to put off having the kitten fixed until you come to that crossroad at around 4 months. Early neuters/spays really aren't beneficial for cat's health and is done IMO for the practical reason that if its not done at time of adoption, it may NEVER be done and cat overpopulation is a very serious problem. That way the cat only has to go under and recover once. At this age neither is microsurgery, but the cat is still young enough that they heal quickly and its not too much weight on the paws.

There are different types of declaw. One is a tendonectomy which merely prevents the claw from extending (it is usually tucked up by a flap of skin in the paw). This is minor quick healing surgery, but has the disadvantage that the claws will have to be regularly trimmed. The others involve either shaving of or removal of the dystal phalanx on which the claw grows. The shaving removes just the claw, but the disadvantage is that if germinal cells remain the claw can regrow inside the now closed pad. Thus removal of the dystal phalanx although more difficult surgery, is generally recommended. There are three methods of performing the surgery, but the latest and highly recommended is with laser, and insist that they pay for this if you go this route. Although it is expensive, it ensures that blood vessels and nerve endings are instantly cauterized, which reduces pain, bleeding, and heal times and allows the cat to walk the next day bandage free. Pain medication should be given at least for one week. You will need to use a specialized litter, as you don't want fine clay to impact in the site and cause infection and pain. For commercial products, Yesterday's News Unscented by Purina is often recommended. The Swheat Scoop that I use, a great litter, says that its also designed to be safe for newly declawed cats on the bag, although I don't know of first hand accounts if its as good. The downside w/ the laser and pain medication is that some kittens won't be respectful of the recent surgery, so confine them to a soft carpeted area without tall things to jump off of while healing. Complete recovery should take approximately 2 weeks, at which point you can use regular litter and allow them to do jump wild.

Unfortunately, no. The vets around here recommend doing de-claws at 8-10 weeks, but they say that's too young to spay/neuter, which results in rather a lot of young de-clawed tomcats being surrendered to the shelters or dumped to run loose in the streets. And a lot of de-clawed pregnant females. Because, of course, their owners have no problems paying $100 to protect their precious furniture from naughty kitten claws, but won't cough up another $75-$120 to have him neutered or her spayed. Or else they "forget" to have it done before he starts spraying (or she gets pregnant), and won't gamble with the chance that neutering might stop the spraying. It's a bad practice and I wish vets would refuse to de-claw an unaltered cat.

And the AVMA now recommends strongly against tendonectomy. It's just not supposed to be considered an option anymore, at least for vets who are AVMA members. Evidently too many people were neglecting to clip their cats claws, and since the cat couldn't extend them for grooming, they were growing into the cats' paws. And almost everyone who had their cat tendonectomized eventually had the cat fully de-clawed after a few years anyway. There's an explanation of their recommendation on their website if you want to see it for yourself.

At the very least, I think most would agree that a 4 month old kitten is physically larger, and thus has reduced risk for anesthesia and surgical errors since the anatomy isn't quite as tiny. Mine were spayed/neutered as tiny kittens too and are perfectly fine, but its just not ideal IMO and I would have chosen differently personally.

There is the possibility (hopefully) your parents will fall in love with your little one and forget about the furniture!

buffalo-mitch, this comes from someone who for many years had a declawed shelter cat. She was the best, sweetest cat ever, no problems there, not a single one. But the long-term effects of the surgery made her life more painful and difficult when she started aging and we did have to make some changes to make things easier, less painful for her. (The changes involved the substrate that goes into the litter box. We had to find the kind of substrate that was soft and cushiony enough for her needs and it was also something she could accept. Some things that should have worked didn't, but that's normal for cats.)

Anyway, please read this information
http://declaw.lisaviolet.com/

and seriously consider sarahp's advice in post #8

Please do not declaw the kitten. Thank God, my cats are adults now and since they have their scratching posts they aren't interested in the furniture anymore, but when they were young, they were and they scratched our sofa a little. Now we are all moving to a new house and with new furniture, my family is a lottle worried aboit the furniture, but they have learned to love my cats and they know I love them so they don't care.

I think getting a kitten, wicth your parents feeling that way will be stressful and difficult for you. It won't be easy.

Just my , in this case I do not think you should get a kitten since everyone in the household is NOT in agreement. So even if the kitten was declawed then some other "issue" would pop up and then the kitten/cat would still need to be rehomed.

However I do not feel that declawing a cat is always a bad idea like most of you do. I think if it is done when the animal is young enough it is very acceptable.

Having done cat rescue/fostering for many years I know that many cats are given away due to clawing inappropriate items. So I feel that if the cat/kitten is declawed but stays in its home that is not bad.

Second as a vet tech and domestic cat owner it is much easier to do "home medical needs" on a cat without claws. Like giving a oral medication. Or even in some cases put on the monthly dose of flea medication.

Some of you will say that declawed cats spray/pee in inappropriate places more. I have never seen any statistics to prove that. I also have never seen a rescue/foster cat do that. Hence I am not convinced of it on a personal level.

Now some of you will say a declawed cat bites more. I think that is only true due to the fact people "press there luck" more with the cat that is declawed and then get bitten. But I do not think the cat actually bites more. I just think people take "liberties" that they would not if that cat has claws.

*** I know some of you will jump down my throat but you will not be getting a rise out of me :***

Lastly none of my personal domestic cats are declawed nor is my Savannah. But my Savannah even in play cause me "injuries" on a weekly basis. If someone wants I can post photo's and then you will all see why I wished I had him declawed when he was a kitten. But he is almost a year old now and I would not do it. But I wish I did .

Lol, someone on my dog forum is catsitting a de-clawed cat who needs to be medicated. She's having a terrible time of it. Not sure she'd agree that the cat being de-clawed is making it easier! Unless you mean taking the back claws out, too (this cat is kicking her so bad with her back claws that she looks like she's been in a fight with a chainsaw), but a lot of vets won't do that.

I just can't imagine my kitties without their claws, it is part of who they are, they need them. I don't care how many things they scratch or break, they are mine and they have claws, that's it.

If the options are as the title says 'declaw or no cat', I'd honestly say no cat.
If you do get the kitten, let him/her stay with the mother until he/she is 12 weeks old, it's very important for the kitten so it'll learn from the mother and siblings what is ok and what's not for example when playing (no biting and scratching, atleast too hard).
Start clipping it's claws so it gets used to it (it's easy if started early), and if he/she doesn't seem to understand what the scratching tree is for, you can show him what he's supposed to do with it.
I have no experience with Soft Paws (none of my cats have ever had inappropriate scratching problems) but I'd try those also if needed.

There is some excellent information in this article
http://www.laziblues.com/articles_facts.html

Personally, I very much appreciate this part

Then there is this

And this

Of course, the rest of the article is not any less valuable, all in all, it is great information.

Sprinkling catnip on the scratching posts will attract them to the posts (might not work right away, some kittens ignore catnip till they're older). I hate that catnip leaves a bit of a mess so I spray it with the liquid catnip. Works just as well with my cat. Since we do that it helps when we buy him new scratching posts, beds, toys, etc. We spray it with catnip and he knows it's his.

Well, I've read the entire thread up to this point. First off, congrats on your very first pet There is not a doubt in my mind you will do what is best for your kitty and for your family. A lot of really good advice has been given to you by some of the folks responding regarding redirecting the cat's clawing instinct.

I'm in the anti-declaw camp even though 3 of my meezers had their front claws removed before I adopted them. My 4th cat had to have her claws removed due to injuries suffered from being thrown from a car (too long a story) when she was 6 weeks old. Thankfully all 4 of them have their rear claws.

If push comes to shove and it is either declaw the cat or surrender it to a shelter, as much as I am against it, I would opt for the declaw. That is just me though. I'd rather give the kitty a good home than surrender it, regardless of the circumstances. Sounds like your hands are a bit tied so I am wishing you the best and I'm confident you will make the right decisions.

Hope the test goes well

Congratulations on your decision!

Remember that it is a natural act for a cat to scratch on things, and unless you have alternatives to furniture to scratch and show them how to use those alternatives, the furniture will suffer.

Get a scratch post that is tall enough for the cat to fully stretch up on. While a kitten is still small, when full grown, that means it can stretch up to roughly 3 feet. A good scratch post needs to be at least that tall. Cat condo's are great because they are typically taller than scratch posts, and gives him something to play and nap on.

If you see your kitten start to scratch on furniture, give him a firm NO, pick him up and carry him to the scratch post. Place his arms on the post and rub on them. Pretend you are scratching the post with your fingers to show him what you expect of him. Cats learn pretty quickly if you are 100% consistent with them. But remember that kittens still have short memories, and you may need to work with for a bit until he is more mature.

You will show your parents that you are commited to prevent furniture scratching if you consistently work with the kitten. They may be more forgiving if the kitten has an accident with it until he learns what he is supposed to do. Never assume that a kitten/cat will figure it out on their own. You must teach them the right thing to do.

Though you've already decided on the cat you want, you could spare the pain and suffering of declawing her AND save another life by adopting a cat that has already been declawed. Tons of declawed cats and even kittens end up at shelters...

My two (or more) cents:

We have seven cats, including a 6-week old kitten who was a stray. Five of the seven are declawed....we just didn't think about it back then. When I was growing up, a cat was automatically declawed when it was spayed or neutered. And that's what we did.....when the cat was neutered or spayed, it was automatically declawed. But Mollipop is not declawed and Tabitha will not be declawed either. Just not going there anymore. (Mollipop has, thankfully!, grown out of that "Let's tear the drywall!" stage and is learning to behave. She still scratches the carpet every chance she gets, but we feel it's a small price to pay because we love her anyway. And we'll deal with Tabitha and whatever stages she goes through, too. DH has already said he's not repairing the drywall and repainting now until Tabby goes through her drywall stage. )

That being said, we have never had a issue with the declawed cats. Never. They didn't bite, even in play, they didn't bunny-kick any more than cats who have their claws bunny-kick. They are the sweetest, most lovable cats anybody would want. Have we been lucky? Probably. Only one cat ever peed throughout in the house, unless a cat was ill....and we expect kitties to get sick sometimes and have accidents.

Hydrox, The Old Coot, started spraying in the house even before he was declawed. He never stopped peeing inappropriately, but he started doing so at around 3 months old....he was not neutered and declawed until he was around six months. He was the only one who ever did this *knock on wood*.

One of my sister's cats; in fact the only one who is not declawed is an inappropriate sprayer and she is constantly cleaning up after him. She has two other cats, both are declawed (keep in mind that this is what we were told.....spay or neuter and declaw....and we don't declaw anymore) and both use the litter boxes. He does not.

So while research and statistics may show otherwise (and I don't really know if it does or does not), I don't feel that lumping declawed cats into the mis-behaving category is the right thing to do. Like I said, maybe we just got lucky with our gang. And either way, we're not declawing anymore cats....we now realize what's involved and future babies will not go through it.

At our shelter, we have never had a declawed cat that had the "issues" many here refer to. And we have declawed cats all the time. The good news is that when a declawed cat comes in, they are kept much longer than normal, because we DO have people who want them. We had an elderly couple a month or two ago who adopted ALL the declawed cats we had at that time, 3 of them!

We discourage declawing, and, in more and more places, it's illegal. If I understand correctly, it's not legal in any European Union country.

And I ask people if they would cut off their children's fingers at the first joint to keep them from picking their nose. That puts it in a new light for many people.

That said, my sister, the ultra-bleeding-heart-liberal, declaws all her cats. Go figure.

And I must say, I would rather have a cat adopted and declawed that see it languish in a cage for weeks or months, only to go to that terrible dark room in the back of the shelter.

And no, don't let them scratch ANY furniture. Consistency is the secret to good parenting, you know!

I have 2 kittens now 11 months old. They each needed to be taught the proper place to scratch

In most declaws, the only the front are removed. I do hope you continue to do researching on declawing before you consider it. You run the risk of behavior changes that you may not like. Some people have come on to the site after a declaw to seek help because their happy energetic kitten now is withdrawn and depressed.

No, teach your new kitten to use only acceptable scratching surfaces. You will need to watch your kitten to see what type of scratching surfaces he likes. I have a couple who like the vertical scratching posts but also like horizontal ones. They really like the cardboard scratchers you can find at pet stores.

I found it was helpful to play with a wand toy, enticing the cats up the scratching posts.

1. Doesn't change a thing whether they have a friend or alone.

2. I would say no furniture at all. They can't tell the difference between "this couch is ok to scratch but this couch isn't."

I do believe that kittens should be raised in pairs. . .it's really much easier and the kittens grow up to be more well-adjusted, IMO. But it won't make any difference with scratching.