DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Everything Else... Declawing cat

So, I am sure this is a hot topic to say the least.

What are peoples thoughts on declawing the cat.

I fully understand that it is akin to amputating the tip of my finger. I fully understand the risk of infection, bleeding, pain during recovery period, it leaves a cat defenseless. I fully understand that over 10 countries have even banned it.

But at what point do you still have it done? My wife is vehemently against it to the core. Me, I don't prefer the option, but I feel we are at the time where its either declaw them or rehome them.

WE have had our cats for 8 years. We have spent countless hours training, putting soft paws on them, clipping their nails with regularity, giving countless scratching post, redirecting their scratching, and on and on. When we took in these cats, I knew that no matter what I did, there was going to be some destruction. I realize that no matter what we did, there would a stretch that would snag a piece of furniture, or or that "patting" their paws into something when they content. I am ok with that. I understand that. However, the two cats we do have, have not just done that. An example, we have that's finished with an interior door to the unfinished section of the basement. The cat wants in there. The door is closed, they will sit there trying to dig and claw and scratch their way under the door. That's not sharpening, that's not scratching, its a behavior that they want somewhere they will stop at nothing to get there.

I would leave the door open, however they will just go to the next closed door and try to get in their. If I leave all the doors open (which the way hour house is setup - its not feasible, but even when we have tried to experiment, they then went to the couch and tried to dig a way inside the couch. They like to have hiding spaces where you cant find them or see them. They are skiddish of people so they look for places they can make to where they cant be seen or found. Usually its inside the box spring (they will claw their way through the bottom and it the box spring. Now its the couch, where they try to scratch open a hole into the side of the couch to get inside the couch.

This isn't just them trying to naturally scratch or sharpen their claws, this is behavioral that we have not been able to train out of them.

I am at my wits end, we just moved into a new home last week, and this morning they clawed about a 5 by 5 inch hole to the bare floor of brand new carpet trying to get into a room to where the door was closed.

I just don't know if I have any other options other to declaw them or rehome them at this point.

I've declawed every kitten I've ever had, they were indoor cats, they didn't need to hunt or defend themselves.. it's a temporary discomfort to the cat for a lifetime of peaceful existence and comfort in my house. Always seemed like a fair trade-off to me.

did you ever have any issues with them not using the liter box afterwards? That is a big concern for afterwards. I have heard stories that no matter what, the cat wont use the liter, as the liter itself hurts the cats paws afterwards.

Never and I've done this with 5 or 6 cats. Immediately following the procedure you have to use a special litter that won't get stuck in their paws and won't cause infection, it's almost like a paper.. but after that they all transitioned to normal litter with minimal issue. Now I did this with kittens, sounds like your cats are much older.

Ahh do to my hatred of cats I am going to bite my tongue on this one.

I think it's cruel, but it's your cat. In my opinion, when you accept a pet, you take on all the good and the bad (not too much bad, you know what I mean). A cat may scratch and will cough up hairballs from time to time. A dog barks, chews shoes and tracks mud into the house.....etc. I don't think there's a perfect pet.

Our cat has a few scratching posts and uses them all the time. She'll find something she's not supposed to use every few months, but it's easy to ween her off it.

She's my buddy. She always seems to know when I'm feeling like crap and wants to lay on my belly.

I’ve had cats for most of my adult life. One I had for 15 years. I trained him as a kitten to horizontally sharpen his claws. He took to it easily and left my furniture alone. Clawed up some cheap rugs but that was an okay tradeoff.
I got another while he was still around. I had her declawed as a kitten so I could move into an apartment. It changed her. Her personality really changed. She became really whiny and would yowl at night. She’s the only animal I’ve ‘given up on’. I re-homed her.
I have two cats in my life now. One only scratches at her post. (The tradeoff is she throws up on everything.) The other was my girlfriend’s prior to her and I getting together. I love the cat but she’s destructive as hell. A fury lovable Freddie Kruger. I’ve given up defending my chairs. Thankfully she’s left the couch alone. Ultimately furniture can be replaced. I love her. I have another 6-8 years left with her. When she goes I’ll change the tattered chairs out.

Do the research on what the surgery really is. It’s not just nail removal.
Your call either way.

They are older. about 8 years

I agree Punch, and I have lived 8 years with scratched up furniture etc. That's not the issue. This is just a random scratching of furniture. This is complete destruction. This is for them to sharpen their claws, this is because they want to go where they want to go, and will destruct and destroy anything they want to get there.

I can live with normal scratching, and have accepted that, but this beyond that. I understand there are those that just want an easy fix. But believe me, we have tried multiple scenarios over 8 years. Nothing has worked. I am in a new house now, and I cant have this continue.

So I have 2 options:

Declaw or Rehome - I am looking for the better of the two. Neither are ideal, but one is a must.

Cats are simply different. Each one kind of has their own personality and habits.

If your cats are causing great damage as you describe, you have to do what you have to do.

Don't allow people who won't be paying to repair the damage and replace your items dictate your actions.

In the past, through no fault of my own, I've had cats in my home. Some that caused virtually no damage and cats who have caused great damage. In the case of cats who have caused great damage I have had the declawed.

Some people think that cats who cause great damage should be free from being declawed. But like I said, they won't be paying the cost of that damage. So it's much easier for them to cast stones.

I have had 5 or 6 strictly indoor cats over the last 30 years or so, and two of them came to me feral. They present a different challenge. Though, even with them, I found the catnip on the scratch post/pad/tree things worked as they got older. Having a multi-layered cat house with little compartments helps too, as they will scratch the carpeting on that.

Certain spray-able scents (like citrus) in the areas where they shouldn't be using their claws also helps. Orange scent worked to deter the last stubborn one.

I'm sure you've done your research on all alternatives to declawing, but I'm personally against it. I never put the cats through any surgery unless it directly had to do with their longevity and health.

jmho

I get that. But were not just talking legs of chairs either. We are talking feet of carpet. Complete holes in furniture. Its not scratching. I can live with scratching. This is "I want to go in there, I am going to claw my in". and if they cant, they will claw and claw and claw until they can or there is nothing left to claw. This isn't normal cat behavior.

I know what the surgery is. I am not fond of it myself. Its amputation. But we live in a city with a ferel cat problem to begin with (my cats are never outside - they will walk 2 steps out the door when they have got out, and turn around and run back in), shelters are overloaded, no one ones to take cats in. I can try to rehome them or declaw them.

When it gets down to the end of it, that's the help I am looking for. If those are the two options you have - rehome (with a very high possibility of the cat ending up in a shelter) or declaw - what do I do?

My cat uses scratching posts and that seems to satisfy his urge to use his claws too much. I also have his nails clipped once a month or so .. that typically keeps it controlled

If the possibility is that high that they will end up in a shelter instead of a good home which you know will be prepared for this behavior, then declaw.

I wish it did. We have post, clip their nails, have tired soft paws on their nails. No avail.

Just a comment from someone who has never had, and will never have a cat .....

You moved to a new house. Could it be that the cat(s) feel insecure? Do they have a place to go where they can feel safe?

That usually is a thing, however this has been going on since before we moved. They did it to the upstairs of our old house that we repeatedly tried to find alternatives for. And its the same MO, they only do it to places they want to go too that they cannot. So they want to go into the couch, they will tunnel their way into. They want to go into a room that's closed by a door, they try to tunnel under through the carpet.

Incredibly cruel. I can't believe this is even a question.

Get a nice scratching post they can play and sleep on and train them not to scratch on furniture or rugs/carpet. Cats hate water...squirt them with a water pistol when they try to scratch on things you don't want them to and they will very quickly learn not to. We didn't want our cats up on our kitchen counters...2-3 squirts and they never did it again.

DON'T remove their claws!

If these are your only options then my opinion is to rehome it. Don't remove its claws.

Well said, Pit.