The age-old question of whether or not to declaw your cat is a difficult one.
Some people believe that it is a necessary measure in order to protect their furniture and carpets from damage. Others find the practice too cruel for an animal who can still scratch, albeit less hard. Regardless, any decision on this topic should be made carefully and with consideration of all the factors involved before making a final choice.
Declawing your cat
1. Declawing is a surgical procedure that requires at least two vets to be present. The person who owns the cat must agree to the procedure and sign an agreement form on behalf of their pet.
2. The whole process begins with giving the cat anesthesia through intramuscular injection of drugs. Two people then hold them down before the veterinarian makes incisions on each paw pad and removes all claws.
3. There are risks associated with declawing as it can cause physical reactions in your pet such as struggling, trembling, refusing to eat, drooling, vomiting, seizures, or any combination thereof. It’s important for you to take your pet back if they exhibit these behaviors.
4. There is also a chance that your pet can develop laminitis, or inflammation of the hoof tissue, which can be painful and cause loss of appetite, pain when walking, weight loss, and more.
5. If you decide to declaw your pet there are some pre-operative and post-operative guidelines to follow.
6. You should give your pet plenty of rest the day of the surgery and keep them quiet in a warm and dimly lit area until they recover from anesthesia.
7. The incisions should be cleaned daily with iodine or povidone-iodine solution for about a week to prevent infection or other complications.
8. Your cat should be provided with soft bedding and non-stretchy material to go in its litter box until the incisions are fully healed.
9. Any pain or discomfort can most likely be treated with over-the-counter analgesics like ibuprofen, but feel free to check with your veterinarian first.
10.You should avoid giving your pet any raw meat or bones to chew on as this can cause irritation and trauma to the paws, which increases the risk of infection.
11. Rates for declawing surgeries vary from vet to vet but expect to cost you somewhere between $300 and $1,000.
Pros and cons of declawing
Pros
-Declawing your pet is an easy way to keep them from scratching up furniture, carpets, clothes, or other valuables. If you don’t want scratches all over their claws, this may be the best option for you and your belongings. This is a humane way of keeping them from ruining important items in your home that need repair.
-Some believe it’s necessary to declaw pets because they feel guilty when they see the animal out of fear that they are causing pain, even though this is not always true.
Cons:
-Declawing does cause some pain to animals even if it is a quick process, so it’s not the most humane thing. You can still remove claws and give nails without completely declawing the cat.
-Many people believe that this is not a safe option to keep the cat from scratching things up, and it may even hurt them in other ways than just their paws or nails such as their back legs. Some also believe it’s more painful for cats because they naturally have claws and feel pain when those are removed. When you declaw your cat, they will most likely have to amputate their toes and claws, which might cause infections or pain due to the procedure.
-Some believe that it’s a cruel way of keeping them from damaging items in your home, but this can be prevented if you teach cats right from wrong because some people let their pets roam freely.
Alternatives to declawing
Alternatives to declawing your cat include clipping the nails, tying the animal up when you’re not home, and scratching posts. If you are going to declaw your cat, make sure that she is given a warm place to sleep. Be sure to consult with your veterinarian beforehand and discuss pain management options. Declawing can be painful for your cat.
Conclusion
It is clear that the controversy over whether or not cats should be declawed has been a long one and will most likely continue for a long time. Today, there are still people who advise against declawing cats because it is an unnatural act and it causes physical pain to them. Those people believe that when you go through all the effort of getting and taking care of a cat, you should be capable of training the animal only to scratch appropriate surfaces. However, many people agree that declawing a cat is necessary not to damage your furniture or carpets. They also think that cats can still be taught to refrain from scratching certain places if needed.
