Oh right! Declawing.
Let me start by saying that I have had a cat declawed in the past. I am not judging you, nor do I think you are a bad person if you have done so as well. I assume that, like me, you 1) didn't realize how invasive the process truly is, and 2) thought you were doing the best thing for your animal (in my case, it was that or return the cat to the shelter).
The Surgery
The first point above is fairly common, if I can extrapolate from my experience with other cat owners. People assume that declawing just involves removing the claws themselves and are often surprised and dismayed when they find out what the surgery actually does.
Rather than just removing the claw, declawing a cat removes the entire end of the cat's 'fingers' so the claw won't grow back. Not only is this traumatic and painful for the animal, it also changes the structure of the paws themselves.
The Complications
There are a host of issues related to declawing that can affect the health of your cat both long term and in the immediate future.
Pain Problems
This is the obvious one. Of course there will be pain when recovering from any surgery. But the pain of declawing is one cat's can't escape - it's refreshed each time they take a step. And it sometimes lasts even after the surgical sites themselves have healed. From the Humane Society:
Removing claws changes the way a cat's foot meets the ground and can cause pain similar to wearing an uncomfortable pair of shoes. There can also be a regrowth of improperly removed claws, nerve damage, and bone spurs.
Behavioral Issues
Some cats begin to associate the litter box with pain while they are healing and thus may begin voiding outside of it. Since cats with litter box issues often get surrendered to shelters, this problem extends beyond soiled carpets and a stinky house.Biting is another common issue in declawed cats. They have been deprived of a primary means of defense, so a cat may resort to using teeth earlier and more often than they otherwise would have. This also relates back to the chronic pain issue - a cat who is hurting is a cranky cat who may be more likely to bite. From Animal Planet:
For a declawed cat, the absence of claws on his forepaws leaves him feeling defenseless. His mouth becomes his main means of defense, and he may react to frustration or fear by biting. Studies have shown that some declawed cats develop behavioral problems, including biting, and that they bite more frequently and intensely. Biting is one reason that many declawed cats end up in shelters, surrendered by owners who thought having the cat declawed would prevent scratches, and didn't bargain for an unhappy cat that bites.
Health Troubles
Even if you manage to get your cat through declawing with a minimal amount of pain and avoid the related behavioral issues, you're not out of the woods. From Pet Health Network:Most mammals walk on the soles of their feet, but cats are different. They are “digitigrade,” which is another way of saying that they walk on their toes. Their entire bodies are engineered for toe-walking: their backs, shoulders, paw and leg joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments are designed to distribute a cat’s weight across its toes.
Plus, cats use their claws for many things: balance, exercise, and stretching. If a cat is stiff, it sinks its claws into a surface to create an anchor from which to stretch its back, legs, and neck. This is the only way a cat can exercise many of its back, leg, and neck muscles.After declawing, some cats may change the way they walk on their paws, trying to minimize the pain. This changed gait and an inability to fully stretch those back, leg, and neck muscles can lead to lameness and back pain. Some have even linked declawing with the later development of arthritis.
The Alternatives
Don't despair - there are a number of ways you and your cat can live in harmony with their claws.Training
As with any animal companion, proper training is the key to a peaceful relationship with their humans. Of course, this is somewhat easier with younger animals, but even adult cats can be trained away from undesirable behaviors.The trick is to discover what your cat prefers to scratch and then provide acceptable alternatives. There are many types of scratchers out there, so it's highly likely that you will find one your cat will take to. Then make scratching that a pleasant experience (maybe some catnip if your cat digs it?) while you make scratching the furniture an unpleasant experience (spray bottles, sticky tape).
Consistency is paramount with any training. Because they aren't into people pleasing like dogs, training cats can take much longer and be a *very* frustrating experience. But if you stick with it, you'll both be happier in the long run.
Trimming
All of the benefits of claws without the drawbacks. Trimming your cat's claws removes the vast majority of their destructive power while leaving the paw intact. Again, this is much easier when you begin with a kitten, but even older cats can be coerced into accepting a spa day with some tasty treats.If you are having trouble trimming your cat's claws yourself, your vet or a local grooming salon can do it for you, though fees vary.
Tipping
Okay, that's really not what this is called, but I wanted another 't' word. If you really just don't want those claws touching *anything,* there are a number of brands of claw covers on the market. These are little caps that you glue onto your cat's nails so the risk of scratching is nil. They don't hurt the animal and they come in various colors so you can make your kitty all fancy-like. Nail caps do come off as the cat naturally sheds its claws, so you will have to regularly reapply.Using these will require more handling of your cat's paws, so if they aren't amenable to that, you may want to enlist help. Especially the first few times while you're getting the hang of it.
If you absolutely must have a declawed cat for whatever reason, consider going to a shelter and adopting a cat who is already declawed. You get a declawed cat, a cat gets to move out of the shelter and into your home, and a space is opened up for another cat to come into the shelter. It's win-win-win!
When I had my cat declawed, I didn't have this information. I didn't get why it was a big deal - if your cat scratches too much, you just get them declawed and everyone goes on with their lives. Knowing what I know now, both about declawing and no-kill shelters, I would have returned the cat and tried to find one who was less aggressive with my pacifist pup. My point with this post isn't to shame or harass anyone. I just want you to have the knowledge necessary to make a fully informed decision so down the road you aren't saying "if only I had known..."
