Declawing cats
Over the last few weeks the Humane Society of Imperial County has been fortunate enough to place several kitten and cats into loving furever homes for June’s AdoptA-Cat Month, but we have began to notice a trend rising in cats that we had hoped faded out – declawing.
Some cat owners love their feline friends so much that they will go to great lengths to be able to keep them. These loving owners go to every length possible in making sure that the entire family is able to happily coexist.
Cats are known for having long and sharp claws that can become somewhat destructive to household furniture. Some cat owners resort to declawing as a way of preventing their feline family member from destroying that brand new couch. What most cat owners who declaw their cats do not know is, declawing is actually very harmful to our beloved cats.
Declawing not only is painful for cats immediately after surgery, but it may also cause long-term problems later on in life for your cat. When a cat is declawed, the very last bone (including the nail bed) of the toe is removed. Imagine what is must feel like to have the ends of your toes removed and you still have to walk on them after surgery during the entire time they are healing. Ouch!
Not only do cats have to walk on their feet after the procedure, but cats also use their paws to help them go to the bathroom. If a newly declawed cat is not properly cared for after the procedure, its paws can very easily become infected which may cause other problems.
As far as long-term complications, if the cat’s procedure was not performed correctly there is a possibility for the claws to grow back misshapen, which could potentially lead to more problems. Some veterinarians will say that some cats may experience back and joint problems later in life because they are not able to walk correctly.
Once a cat’s claws have been removed, the cat can no longer perform their natural kneading and stretching rituals. They become weaker as they age and may experience debilitating arthritis in their backs and shoulders. These problems can either be very hard and very expensive to treat, and most often they are irreversible.
A more common problem that is seen in cats that are declawed is that they tend to develop negative behavioral issues. Cats without claws have lost their first line of defense and because of this they may live in a state of constant stress. They cannot fight off other animals they would consider predators nor can they escape from a dangerous situation. They may also become temperamental because they can no longer use their claws as a warning to ward off unwanted visitors who are intruding their bubble of personal space.
Believe it or not, some veterinarians, groomers, and people who care for declawed cats in shelters find some of them to be nervous, irritable or difficult to handle. Some pet owners have reported that their declawed cats have even been known to stop using their litter boxes. They may associate the pain they feel in their paws after being declawed when trying to cover their wastes with the litter box itself. They look for less painful places to relieve themselves (such as the carpet, bathtubs, on the bed, or even piles of laundry). Even though there are effective ways to modify a cat’s negative litter box behavior, it can be quite difficult to influence the disassociation of a cat’s pain from declawing in relation to using the litter box.
As a safe and effective way of being able to save your furniture, most veterinarians and animal behaviorists will suggest that indoor cats have plenty of toys and/ or scratching posts which will allow the cat of the house to be able to express their very many kitty needs.
Another alternative to declawing cats is by using Soft Paws. Soft Paws are plastic caps that go over the end of the nails. Not only do they keep your furniture safe, but they come in tons of fun colors and can be quite the fashion statement for the feline fashionista! Soft Paws can easily be applied by your family veterinarian or by your pet’s local groomer.
In conjunction with providing a safe and suitable living environment for your feline friend, as the pet owner it is important to establish boundaries and let the pet know what behaviors are acceptable and unacceptable from an early age.
Always remember, a happy cat makes for a purrfect home!