Declawing cat or soft paws?

[britfish]

We have a 9mo. old kitten who is tearing up my leather couch. We are using a water spray bottle and hes doing better but now hes tearing up the carpet. I have tried scratching posts, cardboard scratchers, and even sparying the scratchers with cat nip but he was no interest. A lot of the issue is he is being a kitten and bouncing off the furniture and gouging it. I am not sure I want to declaw him and my vet recommended trying soft paws. Has anyone tried these on a cat?

 

[Gigi22]

I haven't tried soft paws, but a friend did, and liked the product. I believe the technician at her vet's applied the product on the cat. I believe one set lasted about two weeks. A lot of vets won't declaw cats any more.

 

[ChiCat]

Please do not amputate part of your cats paws for your furniture. Research it before you even consider it. It's very inhumane.

 

[Scurvy]

Have you tried clipping his claws shorter? You can use clippers intended for cats but human toenail clippers also work well. You do have to be careful not to clip them too far back - you just need to blunt the ends of the claws, not cut them all the way off. If he's damaging the leather by just jumping or running on it, that ought to help. We had the same problem with our cats (who never intentionally claw furniture, but were scratching it by running across it) and found that keeping the claws shorter solved the problem.

I agree with ChiCat - please don't declaw him. It really is cruel. I have never tried Soft Paws because clipping the claws works for us, but I've heard good things about them from people who have tried them.

 

[angierae]

I love SoftPaws! The initial application is a pain, but then they fall off one or two at a time so you never have to do all of them at the same time again.

I agree with the above posters that declawing is inhumane. My vet won't even do it anymore. They don't just take out the nails, they cut off the entire first knuckle of their toes.

 

[charming23]

I agree to at least try the soft paws. I have had friends who have had success with them. We did not have to try them as our one cat came from the rescue declawed and the other on had to be because of deformed paws, the nails were growing into the paws. We would not have done it by choice but it was necessary to keep her comfy and healthy.

 

[ChiCat]

Have you tried clipping his claws shorter? You can use clippers intended for cats but human toenail clippers also work well. You do have to be careful not to clip them too far back - you just need to blunt the ends of the claws, not cut them all the way off. If he's damaging the leather by just jumping or running on it, that ought to help. We had the same problem with our cats (who never intentionally claw furniture, but were scratching it by running across it) and found that keeping the claws shorter solved the problem.

I agree with ChiCat - please don't declaw him. It really is cruel. I have never tried Soft Paws because clipping the claws works for us, but I've heard good things about them from people who have tried them.

As my signature shows I have two cats, Soma came to me as an adult cat without front claws and it's so sad, she still tries to scratch the scratching posts and her paws look all deformed when she tries to "bake bread" it totally breaks my heart. Luckily she is not a runner so I don't have to worry much about her ever getting outside and not being able to defend herself.

Moxie however I got as a kitten so I've started clipping her claws since day one. However, she did scratch up one of my canvas-like couches up. DH mentioned getting a leather couch and joked about having Moxie declawed and I reminded him when he married me, the cats and I were a packaged deal and part of that package is Moxie's claws!

When we do get new furniture I will probably do Soft Paws.

 

[DVCLiz]

I would never have another indoor cat without declawing. I don't find it inhumane at all. My vet uses pain meds and I board my cat until healing is complete so the vet can administer pain meds as needed.

I think cats are wonderful pets and I love mine dearly but they are destructive if they have their claws and I'm not willing to have them destroy my furniture.

I know how this thread will go so I just wanted to post in support of declawing. It can be done humanely and happy cats can live long lives with responsible owners.

 

[Sarahlovy]

Cats who are declawed tend to have a lot of behavioral problems. While your cat would not be clawing things all the time, peeing all over is a common (pretty much unstopable) problem that cats who are declawed have much more commonly.
I have a 4 year old cat that I use softclaw on. I tend to use them for a couple of months, then she realizes that clawing things is not as satisfying, then I am able to leave them off for a couple of months until her clawing starts up again. She does not really mind them, and application is easy once you (and your cat) get the hang of it.

 

[angierae]

Cats who are declawed tend to have a lot of behavioral problems. While your cat would not be clawing things all the time, peeing all over is a common (pretty much unstopable) problem that cats who are declawed have much more commonly.

My mother-in-law's cat came from the shelter declawed, and he BITES. To the point of drawing blood. She has to keep multiple Feliway diffuses plugged into different rooms of her house to keep him calm.

Would he be a biter if he weren't declawed? I don't know, of course, but the vet says it is almost certainly because of being declawed.

I don't care how much pain medication a cat gets, you're still cutting off his fingers. The cat is deformed for your own comfort and convienence. I can't support that.

 

[SaraJayne]

Every single one of my cats (all indoor only) have been front declawed and I wouldn't ever do anything different.

Our new kitty will be declawed (if they aren't already when adopted).

None of my cats have ever gone anywhere but the litter box, so I've found there has been no "behavior" problems due to declawing.

It can be done humanely (my vet only takes out the claws, not parts of the foot) and I will continue to declaw, as it's what's best for my pet and my home.

 

[kamik86]

Every single one of my cats (all indoor only) have been front declawed and I wouldn't ever do anything different.

Our new kitty will be declawed (if they aren't already when adopted).

None of my cats have ever gone anywhere but the litter box, so I've found there has been no "behavior" problems due to declawing.

It can be done humanely (my vet only takes out the claws, not parts of the foot) and I will continue to declaw, as it's what's best for my pet and my home.

The places I adopt cats wont even let you if you say anything about having them declawed. I couldn't do that to my kitties.

My biggest one did gouge some of the furniture when climbing on it, but the kittens have been great. Espeically since they are so good tempered that either my DH or myself can easily trim all their claws without the others help. (The big cat takes us both and he will try to claw, bite, wiggle, etc to get out of having it done)

 

[DVCLiz]

My mother-in-law's cat came from the shelter declawed, and he BITES. To the point of drawing blood. She has to keep multiple Feliway diffuses plugged into different rooms of her house to keep him calm.

Would he be a biter if he weren't declawed? I don't know, of course, but the vet says it is almost certainly because of being declawed.

I don't care how much pain medication a cat gets, you're still cutting off his fingers. The cat is deformed for your own comfort and convienence. I can't support that.

Respectfully, I don't need you to support my decision. None of my cats have ever bitten or peed in the house. I 'm on cats #4 and 5 in my adult lifetime and they have all lived long, healthy spoiled-rotten claw-free lives.

I understand there is an inflammatory language used by people who are against de-clawing but it does not effect me or my decisions to be a responsible pet owner. I would never allow an animal to live in my house and destroy my fuurniture. If others are willing to have that happen and live with the (tattered) consequences, I am happy to support their decision to do so. But I won't live like that.

 

[SaraJayne]

The places I adopt cats wont even let you if you say anything about having them declawed. I couldn't do that to my kitties.

My biggest one did gouge some of the furniture when climbing on it, but the kittens have been great. Espeically since they are so good tempered that either my DH or myself can easily trim all their claws without the others help. (The big cat takes us both and he will try to claw, bite, wiggle, etc to get out of having it done)

The place I adopt from (the humane society) usually has them declawed before they are adopted, as they know few people want indoor cats with claws.

 

[SaraJayne]

Respectfully, I don't need you to support my decision. None of my cats have ever bitten or peed in the house. I 'm on cats #4 and 5 in my adult lifetime and they have all lived long, healthy spoiled-rotten claw-free lives.

I understand there is an inflammatory language used by people who are against de-clawing but it does not effect me or my decisions to be a responsible pet owner. I would never allow an animal to live in my house and destroy my fuurniture. If others are willing to have that happen and live with the (tattered) consequences, I am happy to support their decision to do so. But I won't live like that.

 

[RachaelA]

I would never have another indoor cat without declawing. I don't find it inhumane at all. My vet uses pain meds and I board my cat until healing is complete so the vet can administer pain meds as needed.

I think cats are wonderful pets and I love mine dearly but they are destructive if they have their claws and I'm not willing to have them destroy my furniture.

I know how this thread will go so I just wanted to post in support of declawing. It can be done humanely and happy cats can live long lives with responsible owners.

Would you like the tips of your fingers cut off? Because that's what you do to a cat when you declaw them.

Its illegal in many foreign countries because of how inhumane it is. There is no way it can be done "humanely."

 

[DVCLiz]

Would you like the tips of your fingers cut off? Because that's what you do to a cat when you declaw them.

Its illegal in many foreign countries because of how inhumane it is. There is no way it can be done "humanely."

Respectfully, that is your opinion and I don't agree with it.

Cats are not human beings. They are animals. Removing a claw surgically and using appropriate pain meds so that the animal does not suffer is a perfectly legitimate and responsible action to take. The inflammatory language used by anti-declawing groups and individuals does not change my mind.

I will continue to declaw my pet cats if I should have others in the future. My current cats are 4 and 6 and I won't have more than two at a time, so I hope we are many, many years in the future before I have to choose this option for a new cat. But if that time comes, I will most certainly choose it.

 

[angierae]

Respectfully, I don't need you to support my decision. None of my cats have ever bitten or peed in the house. I 'm on cats #4 and 5 in my adult lifetime and they have all lived long, healthy spoiled-rotten claw-free lives.

I understand there is an inflammatory language used by people who are against de-clawing but it does not effect me or my decisions to be a responsible pet owner. I would never allow an animal to live in my house and destroy my fuurniture. If others are willing to have that happen and live with the (tattered) consequences, I am happy to support their decision to do so. But I won't live like that.

You're free to do whatever you want. I just want the OP to realize that declawing is a lot more than just removing the nails. If after learning what actually takes place during a declawing, and if the OP can find a vet willing to do it, then they are free to make their own decision.

But I will speak out against declawing every time it comes up. (And we have three cats and none of them have "tatttered" or 'destroyed' my furniture.)

 

[DVCLiz]

You're free to do whatever you want. I just want the OP to realize that declawing is a lot more than just removing the nails. If after learning what actually takes place during a declawing, and if the OP can find a vet willing to do it, then they are free to make their own decision.

But I will speak out against declawing every time it comes up. (And we have three cats and none of them have "tatttered" or 'destroyed' my furniture.)

That's certainly your choice. I too will continue to respond as I see fit. The OP and others who might read this thread deserve to read responses from people who have successfully and painlessly declawed a cat and had no subsequent behavior issues.

I am glad your cats haven't destroyed your furniture. Since the OP specifically complained that her cat WAS destroying her furniture, I felt it was a valid point to make.

 

[britfish]

thank you for all your replies and information. I did try to cut his nails but now he seems to scratch more, maybe I didn't cut them short enough?