Polydactyl Kitten Selective Declaw Opinions

[okeelady]

Morning all! My Emily is about 8-9 months old and has six toes on each front paw. I recently adopted her and took her to my vet a week or so ago for a check up. I talked to my vet about the extra claws between her toes and she told me I'd really have to watch them so they don't get embedded. My vet is 100% AGAINST declawing (which makes me happy) but said if the nails became a problem I should consider having the problem ones removed. One nail is SO THICK and you can't even get too it. I've always been able to clip my cats nails in the past with no problems but I don't think I'll be able to it with this kitten. I can't reach the nail and am afraid since its so thick if I do clip it I'm afraid of splitting it. Has anyone had the select declaw done and whats the recovery like? My vet said they don't walk on the extra toes so the pain wouldn't be as bad.

 

[epona]

One of my senior cats has arthritis so because of low activity his claws do grow quick and sometimes get overgrown - I can't do them myself because I have arthritis myself in my hands and cannot manage claw clipping.

I just take Sonic in for a claw clip with a vet nurse about every 2-3 months - sometimes there are claws where the sheath has not been pulled off so they get very very thick, this is due to his arthritis and low level of activity including not using scratching posts as often as he did when he was youthful.

It can always be dealt with at the vet surgery - without declawing (declawing for non-clinical reasons is illegal here, and not even an option that I would take it if it were possible, I find it repugnant) - I pay £11 per pedicure 4 or 5 times a year to get his claws trimmed, and it's something I would do myself at home if I were able

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

Morning all! My Emily is about 8-9 months old and has six toes on each front paw. I recently adopted her and took her to my vet a week or so ago for a check up. I talked to my vet about the extra claws between her toes and she told me I'd really have to watch them so they don't get embedded. My vet is 100% AGAINST declawing (which makes me happy) but said if the nails became a problem I should consider having the problem ones removed. One nail is SO THICK and you can't even get too it. I've always been able to clip my cats nails in the past with no problems but I don't think I'll be able to it with this kitten. I can't reach the nail and am afraid since its so thick if I do clip it I'm afraid of splitting it. Has anyone had the select declaw done and whats the recovery like? My vet said they don't walk on the extra toes so the pain wouldn't be as bad.

I've never had a cat who has gone through a select declaw, but I just wanted to say that it sounds like you have a great vet there! Maybe just one or two more discussions with her, like about recovery and other details, might help with your decision-making.

 

[theyremine]

Polydactyl cats are quite common in this area. Three of my five cats are "double pawed". I've had Pepper since she was 6 months old as a foster. Recently, after two years, I decided to keep her. When I got all her medical records, I was quite surprised to find that she had had a claw removed at her spaying/ vetting after being trapped. ( Our rescue is anti-declawing; anyone who adopts from us signs a contract promising not to declaw.) Naturally, I questioned the declawing and was told that the claw was positioned such that it was growing inward and would cause extreme discomfort. She came to me about 10 days after the surgery and has never shown any discomfort .

 

[Willowy]

Some of those odd claws aren't quite attached to a bone, so removing them isn't as big of a deal.

I agree; your vet sounds great, ask her to fill in the details about recovery time and all that.

 

[okeelady]

I've decided to hold off on any decisions for awhile. Yesterday she was sound asleep in one of the cat hammocks and I was able to clip all of her front nails! Yeah! I'll work on the back ones next time shes asleep. She uses the numerous cat scratcher's in my house and I'm not too worried about her other claws. I know the extra claws are there and I will keep an eye on them and once it comes to the point I can't handle it I'll talk to my vet. She's probably pretty lucky I am the way I am otherwise if someone else had adopted her they may not have even cared or payed attention.