The Truth About Declawing
Declawing is a disturbingly common
practice, and one that many pet owners are completely
uneducated about. It is a disfiguring, painful, permanent
and expensive "cure" for behavior that is easily
modified through training and basic feline care.
The declawing procedure involves
one of two methods, either removing the last knuckle of
each digit or severing the tendon that allows the claws
to distend. Both leave the cat permanently disabled and
deprive him of a natural and essential feline behavior.
Many cats experience a change in behavior, becoming aggressive,
aloof, depressed, or even disinterested in grooming themselves.
Scratching is not only a comforting pastime and part of
grooming, but an important social behavior for your cat.
When provided with an appropriate scratching surface and
with claws kept well clipped, your cat can be easily trained
to leave your couch alone. For the stubborn ones, there
are several alternatives to declawing that do not leave
permanent disfiguring.
Please visit this web site for
a detailed explanation of the procedure. This is something
that every pet owner should see BEFORE they ever make
the decision to declaw their cat.
http://declaw.lisaviolet.com
Training:
Scratch training from an early age
will work wonders. You must be consistent and
persistent, just like potty training a child. Correct
the undesirable behavior each and every time you see it
and in exactly the same way. A squirt bottle, clicker,
or rattle (like a can of nails) are very effective deterrents.
I have trained all my cats by then immediately picking
them up, taking them to the scratching post, and "scratching"
their paws on it while I praise them. It helps to pay
attention to the cat's scratch preferences--horizontal,
vertical, sisal, carpet (some like to lay on their back
and scratch overhead!). Locate the scratch object in a
prominent place--Kitty wants the world to admire his scratch
graffiti! so hiding it in a back room won't be effective.
Near windows or lookout places, by the food bowl or bed;
places Kitty wants to claim ownership offer the most scratch
allegiance potential. Catnip can be a very useful tool
in making a new scratching post "attractive."
Clipping nails needs to begin at
a young age, and again must be done with consistency.
If Kitty grumbles about it, hold him still for a while
and keep going. Do not let him "escape" this
grooming, it will only teach him that if he acts out he
will get away. Some of my grumpier cats have their claws
clipped in the bathroom where there is no escape for the
first few months. It doesn't take too long before they
realize that it's going to happen no matter what they
do, so just take it, grumbling and whining the whole time.
Alternatives for stubborn cats:
Sticky Paws (double sided tape product endorsed
by the ASPCA) can help persuade Kitty to leave certain
areas of the furniture alone by "booby-trapping"
forbidden targets. This self-corrects the cat, too--you
don't have to be there to yell at him to stop.
Soft
Paws (nail covers) are little plastic
"sheaths" that are glued over the nail to keep
them from becoming sharp. They can be applied by a vet
or put on at home and need to be replaced every couple
weeks as the nail grows. They allow Kitty to scratch wherever
and whenever without damaging the target. They even come
in fashion colors. :~)
Feliway (newest in the arsenal!) is a spray
that is a chemical analogue of the cheek pheromone. It
helps curb marking behavior such as urine spraying, and
scratch marking. This is a favorite of many breeders.
Valuable Links about Declawing:
DECLAWING--A Veterinarian's
View
Devil's
Advocate - Another Vet's view, educational on how declaws can be done differently
The
Facts About Declawing from Max's House
Cat
Fancier's Association Health Committee Statement on Declawing
amby's DECLAWING
CATS: issues and alternatives
Declawing-Pros
and Cons
