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Declawing a Cat

I need help. Every nerve in my body is telling me to not declaw my baby but seeing how destructive she is I can’t help but think declawing is the only answer. She has 6 scratching posts around the house (2 flat cardboard ones, 3 tall ones (various carpet) and 1 6ft cat tree). When we see her scratching something she is not allowed to we spray her with water until she is soaking wet and she does not stop. We are trying soft paws but we have to pay to put them on each time (she’s not the most cooperative). She is also a chewer that chews cardboard constantly (we have no clue how she developed this) we spray her with water and still she gets soaked.

I keep her claws trimmed when not in SoftPaws (this is the first time and she hates them) and exercise her regularly and give her correct places to claw (all the different types I can find). I honestly do not know what to do other than to declaw her. I have also tried loud noises to get her to stop, she does for a second then goes ri


Asked by Member 1032576 on May 2nd 2011 Tagged declaw in Scratching
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Allie

The fact that "every nerve" in your body is telling you not to do it tells me that you are aware of how harsh the surgery is and know that it is not a very nice thing to do to a cat. www.de You do not mention how old she is. If she is a kitten, then please give her more time to learn. I would never do it to one of mine under any circumstances. However, if there is no other way that you can keep her because of her destructive behavior and it came down to rehoming her or declawing her, then that may be the best choice for you. Many cats come through it just fine after the initial period of healing their bloody little paws. However, be aware that some cats can become aggressive or may start biting. Discuss it with your vet and weigh all of the options before making a decision.


Allie answered on 5/2/11. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 0 Report this answer


gracie tatanka

if you cant stop her and really cant cope with living in a scratched up home please please please dont declaw her you know in your heart of hearts this would be wrong find her a good home with some one else who wont mind this habit so much once you take her claws you cant go back.


gracie tatanka answered on 5/2/11. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 0 Report this answer


Izadore (Izzie)

Red's answer is totally inappropriate for what we try to accomplish on this board and I would like to apologize to our Guest for the rudeness and sick sense of "humor" of this person. I wonder if you have chatted with your vet about her behavior? Cats who obsessively claw may have a neurological issue and could benefit by a course of kitty prozac. All cats do scratch to keep their claws sharp, but hyperactive clawing could be a sign of something else. Perhaps she needs more playtimes with you? She could be bored and taking out her excessive energy the only way she knows how. I have to say that Izzie enjoys water and spraying him just charges him up more. If she also chews, declawing won't help. She'll just ramp up her chewing. Please try speaking with your vet (if you don't have one, now is the time to get one) about this. They are behavioral and well as medical experts and I'll bet they'd have some suggestions. Once again, I apologize for Red's owner's comment.


Izadore (Izzie) answered on 5/3/11. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 1 Report this answer


Spike

Yes, you have a problem. You acquired a cat without being prepared to deal with an animal that is more likely than not to scratch in inappropriate places. You seem to value your possessions more than your cat. You aggravate the situation by making her nervous and afraid by spraying water on her until she's soaked. On the up side, you've done all the things you should do in a case like this--cat scratching posts, SoftPaws, a cat tree. That's good. Most of us who have cats have felt the frustration you're feeling. We sympathize. Declawing is cruel, but taking Kitty to the shelter is tantamount to a death sentence. If you can find a reliable person to rehome her with, consider that. While you're considering the declawing issue, please also reconsider your priorities. Are your possessions more important to you than the presence of your furry friend? Are they more important than her psycological well-being? Some collateral damage is always involved in having a cat.


Spike answered on 5/3/11. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 0 Report this answer


Dahlia

My cats have 2 large towers, an entire couch of their own, and cardboard scratching posts. Yet, they still go after my couch. It's frustrating but I love them enough to let it go. I have since thrown decorative throws over my couch and that has really helped. I think it is difficult for them to understand what is okay to scratch and what is not. On top of that, cats don't respond well to negative reinforcement. Therefore, yelling at them or spraying them with water when they do something bad doesn't quite register with them. They get the most benefit from positive reinforcement, which would be petting them and giving them treats when you DO catch them scratching in the right place. At the feline-only vet hospital I work at, declawing is the worst part of the job. The worst. If owners saw the process and what the cat does when it wakes up, not a single soul would do it, much less pay for it. It's rough for sure. Best of luck to you! : )


Dahlia answered on 5/3/11. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 0 Report this answer


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