I have a cat that is almost exactly 1 year old now. For a while, we've been having a lot of problems with a specific claw that she has. It is a claw that grows between the main part of her foot and the extra "thumb" toe that she has on the front feet. It looks like this:
It has always been a problem clipping it since it seems to be just really thick and fleshy compared to the other claws. We were managing to clip it before, but more recently it has become obviously painful for her. She will scream when this claw is clipped and will bite (not to the point of breaking skin). I've also noticed that she messes with the claw herself when she is grooming and will chew on it as if it is bugging her. We cannot keep it clipped back really short since the quick just keeps extending out further as the claw grows making it more likely for it to bother her when she walks. She hates having it touched at all so I worry it might be hurting her all of the time.
The picture above was taken a few months back when the nail was still manageable. Now it looks much different. It seems to have dried blood down the bottom of it (possibly from her chewing it) and it is longer. The quick is at the very end of it. I clipped a tiny sliver off of it today and she screeched about even that much of it. I will try to get a picture of it later to compare, but its too dark right now to do so.
I've been reading on the internet that in cases where a claw causes pain and discomfort many vets suggest a selective declaw (I think that's what its called) where she would only have this claw removed and possibly the one on her other foot that is similar, but not currently an obvious problem. I plan to have a vet look at it to see what options we might have but wanted some advice in the meantime.
I was hoping someone else might have experience with this procedure. I myself am against declawing as a whole, but taking off a claw that is causing pain and discomfort to an otherwise healthy cat seems like it may fall into the "medically necessary" category. I worry about having her have to go under for this procedure and of course potential lasting effects.
Do you feel that it would be reasonable to have this claw (and its partner in crime) removed? Has anyone else done this? What were the lasting effects if any and was it worth it?
It has always been a problem clipping it since it seems to be just really thick and fleshy compared to the other claws. We were managing to clip it before, but more recently it has become obviously painful for her. She will scream when this claw is clipped and will bite (not to the point of breaking skin). I've also noticed that she messes with the claw herself when she is grooming and will chew on it as if it is bugging her. We cannot keep it clipped back really short since the quick just keeps extending out further as the claw grows making it more likely for it to bother her when she walks. She hates having it touched at all so I worry it might be hurting her all of the time.
The picture above was taken a few months back when the nail was still manageable. Now it looks much different. It seems to have dried blood down the bottom of it (possibly from her chewing it) and it is longer. The quick is at the very end of it. I clipped a tiny sliver off of it today and she screeched about even that much of it. I will try to get a picture of it later to compare, but its too dark right now to do so.
I've been reading on the internet that in cases where a claw causes pain and discomfort many vets suggest a selective declaw (I think that's what its called) where she would only have this claw removed and possibly the one on her other foot that is similar, but not currently an obvious problem. I plan to have a vet look at it to see what options we might have but wanted some advice in the meantime.
I was hoping someone else might have experience with this procedure. I myself am against declawing as a whole, but taking off a claw that is causing pain and discomfort to an otherwise healthy cat seems like it may fall into the "medically necessary" category. I worry about having her have to go under for this procedure and of course potential lasting effects.
Do you feel that it would be reasonable to have this claw (and its partner in crime) removed? Has anyone else done this? What were the lasting effects if any and was it worth it?