Declaw vs retrain a 14-year old cat

Hey y'all. My friend's 14 yo indoor/outdoor cat has just returned from his second multiday adventure (read: getting lost then rescued via craigslist) in 3 months. She has had it with the emotional trauma and is bringing him inside to stay, yay! However, she plans to declaw him because apparently previous attempts to bring him in resulted in shredded couches and she doesn't think retraining will be successful due to his age and temperament (cranky). What do you think? Should I encourage her to abandon her plans for declaw? Is it possible to retrain a senior/geriatric cat (who will likely be extremely unhappy about being kept indoors full-time anyway)?

Someone here once posted about having their 13-year-old cat de-clawed. That cat died from it. I don't recommend any unnecessary surgical procedure for a senior cat, and especially not orthopedic surgery. I would hope that any ethical vet would refuse to do it, but some vets are only out for the $$$ and I don't know what kind of vet she has.

Of course I'm completely against de-clawing in any circumstance, but especially a cat that age. And if he's already cranky, losing his toes isn't going to improve that at all. In this situation I would recommend having multiple scratching posts of different materials (including a natural, bark-on log, if possible). And providing him with an outdoor enclosure may keep him from going entirely crazy.

Yes, please, please PLEASE encourage your friend not to declaw her cat. Show her pictures of what actually happens in the procedure (http://pawsneedclaws.com/), if you have to. Declawing is illegal in Europe and IMHO it should be illegal here too. People should not be allowed to mutilate their animals because they cannot retrain them. And keep in mind that like Willowy said above, the surgery is dangerous for a cat at any age, but a senior cat is much more likely to die from it.

If you've been here at TCS for very long, you know what actually happens when you declaw a cat. I won't spell it out for you. But you should spell it out for her. :nod:

I would suggest to your friend that she observe him while he is outside and try to figure out what he scratches on when he is out there, and try to replicate it in her home. If it's her wooden fence, bring in a 2x4, if it's a tree, a branch from that tree, etc.

Also, encourage your friend to get a cat tree, and some Feliway. Those 2 things can go a very long way in helping an angry cat be less angry.

Good luck, and give us updates!!

OMG- That just makes me ill to think of an elderly, senior cat being declawed. This will be a very brutal and cruel thing to do to this old cat. I doubt very much that this cat will even recover well from this kind of mutilation. Please try to convince your friend to research the impact of declawing any cat, let alone an elderly one. Also tell you friend, that this cat will most likely have litterbox issues and will be too old to recover from the pain of the amputation to ever use a litterbox again. So instead of scratched up couches, etc., she will have pissed on couches, etc. This cat will NEVER be the same if she goes through with this..... nfire: I am so sorry for this cat

Offering various surfaces or materials to scratch on and using Feliway to calm him indoors would be far more humane than taking the convenient and dangerous route of declawing him at his advanced age.
Have you suggested Soft Paws? A lot of people use them successfully.

She could also use a harness and leash to take him outside every day if he went stir crazy being indoors all the time. TCS has an article about leash-training cats, Cats on a Leash? and you'll find many threads discussing it if you search using the word "harness". At his age, a short jaunt around the yard once or twice a day so he can sniff around, watch birds, etc., would probably be enough to satisfy him.

I spoke to her about the declaw and while she says she's considering alternatives I'm not so sure. She keeps shooting down the suggestions I made saying that she "knows" they won't work for Shadow. SoftPaws because she's never touched his paws because he scratches and fights when she tries, and that she'd have to take him to the vet to do it and since it's every 4-6 weeks that wouldn't be feasible. She says no scratching posts because he's used furniture for 14 years and she doesn't think he'll learn to use them. She didn't comment on Feliway. 

I've been at TCS for six months, long enough to know many of the risks, and that I'd never choose a declaw. I haven't read those links though. 

She was saying something about laser, not sure what that means, and says she wants to talk to the vet about it. Not sure when her appt is but I will keep y'all updated. Hopefully like Willowy said the vet will take declaw off the table altogether. I'm really worried for Shadow and hope she changes her mind. 

Sorry for any formatting or spelling errors, my computer cord is dead and I'm on my phone. Thanks for the advice and vibes y'all!!!! 

parsleysage said:

I spoke to her about the declaw and while she says she's considering alternatives I'm not so sure. She keeps shooting down the suggestions I made saying that she "knows" they won't work for Shadow. 

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How would she know if she has't even tried them? She would seriously rather put her cat through agonizing pain and a lifetime of debilitation, all in the name of some furniture (furniture that doesn't have feelings or emotions, I shouldn't need to point out). 

Quote:

Originally Posted by parsleysage  


She says no scratching posts because he's used furniture for 14 years and she doesn't think he'll learn to use them. 

Then she hasn't tried hard enough to teach him. She needs to get the right KIND of scratching post for Shadow and make it the most appealing thing ever (like with catnip spray or honeysuckle powder), and she needs to make the furniture less appealing to him (cover it with a sheet, use tinfoil or double sided tape, get a SSCAT cat deterrent).

Quote:

Originally Posted by parsleysage  


She was saying something about laser, not sure what that means, and says she wants to talk to the vet about it. 

From this website (which you should beg her to read): http://www.pawproject.org/faqs/

 Is declawing with a laser better? What about tendonectomy?

No, laser isn't better. Neither is tendonectomy. Currently, the most common surgical procedures used to declaw cats are complete amputation using a blade, nail clippers or laser. Partial amputation, nail bed ablation,  and tendonectomy (also called tenectomy)  are also common declaw procedures. Some of these techniques were developed in an effort to compensate for the mutilating effects, extreme pain, or health complications known to be associated with the other techniques; however, each of these techniques has complicating factors or adverse health risks associated with them.

Lasers  declawing is often marketed by veterinarians who have bought a laser. Laser beams are used to burn through the cat's toe joint instead of using a scalpel or guillotine blade. A study reported in the September 1, 2002 issue of the Journal of the American Veterinary Association  by Mison, et al.,reported that lasers offered no benefit over the more conventional methods of declawing, stating "differences in discomfort and complications between groups treated via scalpel versus CO2 laser were not clinically relevant."

Levy, et al.  (1999), found that complications (bleeding, limping, swelling, infection) were generally worse in the laser onychectomy (declawing) group, compared against blade onychectomy in the first 2 days after surgery. Laser declawing can result in 4th Degree burns (burning of the bone).

Tendonectomy  or Tenectomy  is a procedure in which the tendons in the toes are severed. The cat still has its claws, but is unable to control them. This procedure does not necessarily protect people from being scratched, and it is associated with a high incidence of abnormal claw growth and muscle atrophy. In a 1998JAVMA  article, Jankowski, et al.,concluded that "owners should be aware of the high complication rate for both [tendonectomy and declawing] procedures and of the need for constant trimming of claws of cats that have undergone tenectomy."

Jankowski  also reported that 55% of the cats having tendonectomy were still able to scratch with their claws to some degree, and that 10% of the cat's owners had the cats declawed after the tendonectomy procedure for this reason.

In March 2003, the AVMA  stated that tendonectomy is "not recommended."

Dr. Wendy Feaga,  a Maryland veterinarian, wrote in Veterinary Medicine  (May 1998), regarding tendonectomy, "I hope this cruel practice is stopped immediately." She describes a post-tendonectomized cat that "had badly arthritic toes and did not move around comfortably. The toenails were thick and disfigured, and the toes were painful on palpation. I was horrified."

Robert Goldman, DVM,  says, "Veterinarians who recommend tendonectomy for cats will tell their clients that they have to trim the cat's claws at least every week. If the client is going to have to trim the nails every week, why not just trim the nails and avoid the tendonectomy procedure all together?"

Oh wow.... I would just start pumping everything you can find about declawing, laser's, tendonectomy to your friend. I am so sick to think what this cat might have to endure. I hope you have told her about this cat never using a litterbox regularly anymore too. Again, this cat is WAY to old to handle this and I would even think she won't be able to find a vet (an ethical vet) to perform that cruel procedure on a "senior" cat... And personally, this is just me, I would tell my "friend" that I will no longer be "friends" if she were to go through with something so brutal, I could never look at her the same way again. hno: More vibes for this poor old kitty.

Declawing a cat is the same as if you hacked off all of the last digits of all of a human's toes.  It unbalances a cat's gait, traumatizes the cat psychologically, and often causes bite aggression, as it removes one of a cat's natural methods of self-defense.  It is illegal, as it should be, in over 37 more enlightened countries, and many municipalities domestically are following their lead in legally banning this barbaric, brutal and absolutely senseless mutilation.  Anyone who would even think of declawing a cat should not have the right to have cats in their care.  There are numerous scratching pads, posts and cat furniture choices to choose from, so that cats can exercise their natural need to scratch.  But it sounds as if this person should not have the care of cats at all. 

:doh3: The "no posts because he's scratched the furniture for 14 years" part makes me think she's never even PROVIDED a scratching post/object for him to begin with...

Yeah. Like Lauren and others have said, I recommend you tell your friend these things, in this order:

1. Your cat will likely die from this procedure.
2. Even if your cat survives, he will be in a massive amount of pain for the rest of his life.
3. Your cat will probably get all sorts of infections from the declaw.
4. Your cat will not use the litterbox correctly.
5. Your cat will start biting people.
6. Your cat will not be able to walk normally.
7. You will spend more time, money, and emotional currency on a declawed cat than if you hadn't declawed him.

Many vibes for this poor kitty....

And to you, hopefully you'll be able to convince your friend!!!

Thanks for your help with this issue, guys.  I sent her another message with the link from pawsneedclaws.com and some of the info that y'all shared with me.  I really think it will be like Lauren said, if Shadow is declawed he will start peeing everywhere, because as an indoor/outdoor cat who always "goes" outside, he already hates the litterbox.  When we had Hurricane Irene back in September, Shadow couldn't go outside for more than 24 hours and refused to use his litterbox, he just held it until he was let back outside.  I read on the website that declaw is the #1 cause of litterbox aversion so that doesn't seem like a good mix?  I think she's upset because several friends (this is on her facebook page where she chronicled his "adventure" and his return home, as well as announced she would declaw) have spoken out against declawing and she seems to be getting defensive now.  But if she has to put her beloved cat of almost 15 years to sleep because she can't live with his behavior???  How much more devastated will she be?  I'm anxious to hear what the vet says about the declaw.  Let's hope s/he says "no way!" and that will make it a little more clear to my friend.

My vet said to me that if you are declawing a cat to do it as a young kitten. The sooner the easier they heal. After a year he doesnt reccomend it as it is quite a traumatic experiance. I doubt a 14 year old could survive the surgery and if she did would have lasting mental repricussions.

parsleysage said:

But if she has to put her beloved cat of almost 15 years to sleep because she can't live with his behavior???  How much more devastated will she be?  I'm anxious to hear what the vet says about the declaw.  Let's hope s/he says "no way!" and that will make it a little more clear to my friend.

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She may as well just have him put to sleep instead of declawing him.  It would be much more humane. 

Seriously, for the cat's sake I hope she does not do this.  Also, if she were a friend of mine and had this done I would never speak to her again. 

ilovemia said:

My vet said to me that if you are declawing a cat to do it as a young kitten. The sooner the easier they heal. After a year he doesnt reccomend it as it is quite a traumatic experiance. I doubt a 14 year old could survive the surgery and if she did would have lasting mental repricussions.

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If my vet told me she regularly did the surgery and/or recommended it I would find another vet.

Shadow seems to be adopting better than expected to his new routine, and my friend said she talked to the vet today and they "both agree declawing is a last resort."  I guess we're not out of the woods yet (declaw off the table altogether), but at last Shadow gets to keep his claws for now, and gets a chance to show he can be her indoor baby without shredding the furniture.  I plan to keep a lookout for updates that indicate she's having trouble with him and maybe see if I can bring up scratching posts, etc., again.

You could suggest that your friend log on to TCS - we have TONS of information about the detrimental and negative effects of declawing. Lots of articles too. Might get her to see the light and forego even a thought about declawing. Here is the link : http://www.thecatsite.com/t/155451/declawing-resources

Even if she won't invest in furniture-style scratching posts, please encourage her to get cardboard scratchers.  They make flat ones and angled ones (they look like a ramp).  Most are under $20, and some are under $10.  Sisal-wrapped boards are another option.  Cats need to scratch, so providing someplace that's okay for them to scratch is essential to protecting the furniture.

What a sickening thread.  I hope Shadow will be OK.

I hope there isn't a vet that would declaw a 14 year old cat. I find it really odd it's not off the table altogether!

Exactly why isn't taking him to the vet every six weeks for soft paws feasible?

CatMom2Wires said:

What a sickening thread.  I hope Shadow will be OK.

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I do agree. This thread has been bothering me since the beginning - the more I think about this person EVEN considering declaw at all - but on a senior cat :stomp: makes my stomach turn..... nfire: