Where To Get A Cat Declawed
Where to Get a Cat Declawed
Where to Get a Cat Declawed
There are a variety of methods and costs, as well as a few different legitimate applications. You can find an expert in your area who will perform the surgery with little to no pain, and you can be assured that your cat will be in good hands.
Position Statement On Declawing Cats
The ASPCA is strongly opposed to declawing cats for the convenience of their owners or to prevent damage to household property. The only circumstances in which the procedure should be considered are those in which all behavioral and environmental alternatives have been fully explored, have proven to be ineffective, and the cat is at grave risk of euthanasia.
Cats’ claws are a vital part of their arsenal for both offense and defense. They use them to capture prey and to settle disputes with or escape from other animals or people who are hurting or threatening them.
As part of their daily rituals, cats instinctually pull the claws on their front paws through surfaces that offer resistance. They do this to mark their territory, exercise muscles normally used in hunting, relieve stress and remove worn sheaths from their nails.
A variety of alternatives exist to manage natural scratching behavior and to prevent injury from cat scratches. These include having a cats nails trimmed regularly in order to blunt the tips, providing scratching pads, posts and other appealing structures for the cat to use and employing behavior modification techniques to induce the cat to use them, using deterrents such as double-sided tape to protect furnishings, and covering the claws with soft temporary pads . Owners should also be familiar with cat behavior and proper handling techniques to avoid being scratched.
Is Cat Declawing Services Right For You
While normal scratching behavior comes with the territory of cat ownership, sometimes a cats behaviors can start to impact your family. When cats become too aggressive or destructive, they can start to do some real damage to your home. In the worst case scenario, they may even hurt you, your family, or other pets. At this time, many cat owners look for effective solutions to prevent property damage and injury.
In most situations, there are alternatives to declawing. Routine claw care, which requires you to regularly trim the cats nails, can help keep your cats claws shorter and more manageable. There are also other methods such as putting temporary synthetic caps on the cats nails to prevent destruction and injury. However, there are some cases where cat declawing services may be necessary. For instance, families with small children might consider cat declawing to help prevent babies and toddlers from being seriously injured by aggressive cats.
Every situation is different, so it is important that cat owners carefully consider all of their options before pursuing surgical intervention. To determine whether or not cat declawing services might be right for you, it is best to consult with your veterinarian.
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When Is Declawing Needed
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Ultimately, the decision to declaw the cat is up to the pet owner in conjunction with their vet . Some veterinarians are open to declawing if it means the cat doesnt end up back at the shelter or out on the streets.
Samantha Canup, DVM, from Noble Creatures Veterinary Services in Washington, Georgia says she recommends the procedure, if it ensures the cat will have a home for the rest of its life. It is better than being outside and at risk for trauma or disease. She does, however, emphasize that it is not for every cat and urges owners who choose this option to commit to having the pet indoors for the remainder of its life, or to finding it an appropriate home if they can no longer care for it. Declawed cats must be kept indoors because we have taken away their ability to fully defend themselves, she explains. Dr. Richardson points out that, in addition, removing the claws removes a cats ability to climb trees and jump fences, etc., to evade predators, and they would be very vulnerable if allowed outside.
What Can I Do Instead Of Declawing My Cat
Nail caps or claw covers, such as Soft Paws, can be a great and immediate way to protect your surfaces while youre working with your cat to redirect any undesirable scratching behavior. The nail caps can be applied by you, your veterinarian, or a cat groomer, just place adhesive inside the nail cap and slide it on.
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Whats Wrong With Declawing
Contrary to what many believe, declawing a cat isnt simply shortening their nails it actually involves a surgical procedure that removes the bones at the tips of their toes. Without these bones, cats have to walk on the cartilage that used to be a part of their joints. Walking on this soft and sensitive part of their feet can not only be uncomfortable for your cat, but it can also cause them to chew on their paws and experience chronic pain.
If you care about felines enough to have one as a pet, you surely dont want to do anything that will harm them. A cat in frequent discomfort or pain is more likely to develop additional behavioral issues like urinating outside of the litter box, increased anxiety, flinching, and excessive chewing. Instead of putting your furry friend at risk of these painful symptoms, consider safe and humane alternatives to declawing.
Pros Of Declawing A Kitten
The pros of declawing a kitten are pretty straight forward. If your cat is a scratcher, declawing them will help keep those in your household safe from scratches. It can also help protect your other pets and animals in your neighborhood. Additionally, declawing a kitten can help save your furniture if your cat is ruining it by scratching them.
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Cons Of Declawing Cats
There are many downsides to declawing cats.
Those opposed to elective declawing of cats cite numerous objections to declawing cats, including the following:
- Potential for infection after surgery
- Surgical amputation is an unnecessary mutilation
- Some cats may have long-lasting pain or phantom pain
- Some people claim declawed cats develop other unwanted behavior issues like aggression and inappropriate elimination
Why Should I Declaw My Cat
If behavior and environmental modification efforts fail, declawing your cat can ensure the safety of your family, pets, or property. For your family, this could be for the safety of your infant, elderly, or family members with health issues that cannot risk infection from a scratch.
In some situations, your vet may recommend your pet to be declawed for their own safety, such as in the case of a tumor, chronic infection, or other health complications that require being declawed.
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What Is The Best Time For Kitten Declawing
When you bring in your kitten for spaying or neutering, we can also perform kitten declawing. This is the perfect time to handle the operation because the kitten is under the effects of anesthesia on one time. In addition, with a four-to-eight-month old kitten, the recovery time is significantly lessened. As a result, younger cats tend to experience less complications and can bounce back much more quickly than older cats.
Im Looking For Vets That Declaw Cats What Questions Should I Be Asking
Be sure to ask whats included in the procedure. Always confirm that:
- Nerve block will be used in each of your cats paws that will be declawed.
- Pain medication will be prescribed for 7 days after the declaw surgery.
These are must haves regardless of where you go for the procedure.
If you come to Cherished Companions, well make your cat as comfortable as possible.
Looking for vets that declaw cats?
If you want to discuss cat declawing and you live around Castle Rock or Denver, call our cat vets at 303-688-3757 or:
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What Methods Are Used To Declaw Kittens
The two most common methods to remove the front claws from cats are the excisional method and the guillotine method. The excisional method involves using a scalpel to remove the last bone of each toe to make sure the nails are gone. Using the guillotine method, we sever the bone in half, which removes the claw and the distal portion of the bone. Both of these procedures are performed with anesthesia so the animal does not experience pain.
Are Indoor Or Outdoor Cats Better Off
- Indoor cats tend to have longer lifespans, because they are less likely to get hit by cars or encounter feline viruses.
- However, indoor cats need good environmental enrichment otherwise they are much more likely to develop psychological problems
- Indoor cats in multiple-cat households are more likely to experience stress-related disorders if they dont get on, because cats are naturally solitary animals
- Outdoor cats can express their inherent behaviour more readily, such as hunting and playing with bugs
- Vets say outdoor cats can appear braver, and more psychologically balanced, as they are challenged multiple times a day
- However in rural parts of the US outdoor cats are much more likely to encounter predators
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Our Veterinary Team Treats A Variety Of Conditions
Your pet will never be lacking for skilled, experienced veterinary care at our hospital. Each veterinarian on our four-member team has many years of expertise and a genuine love for animals. We’ve pretty much seen it all at West Boca Veterinary Center, so rest assured that our team can treat such varied and common conditions as infections, dental problems, skin issues, allergies, cancer, neurological disorders, and pest and parasite infestations. We can also leap into action to treat a wide range of emergencies, from bloat and difficult labor to heatstroke and traumatic injuries. If your pet needs a chronic pain management strategy, we can help with that, too.
What Should I Know About The Procedure
Before completing any procedure at Dr. Phillips, our vet and staff will walk you through the process, potential complications, post-surgery care, and will be happy to answer any of your questions. At Dr. Phillips, we use a blade declawing procedure using delicate care and years of experience. Primarily, we remove only the front paw claws. Rarely do we remove all four. The procedure entails an incision on each toe to remove each claw carefully while another staff is monitoring and tracking your pets pulse, blood pressure, and vitals. This allows us to maximize their safety and comfort through the procedure.
After removal, these incisions are typically closed using dissolvable sutures, followed by a recovery process. We strive to make the procedure as quick, painless, and safe as possible.
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What States Is It Illegal To Declaw A Cat
New York became the first state in the nation to pass a ban on elective cat declaw surgery in 2019, and Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver and St. Louis have passed similar bans in recent years. More than 20 countries, including England, Germany, Spain, Australia and New Zealand, have also long banned the practice.
Pet Declawing In St Paul Mn
Stop the scratching and save your furniture! At our animal hospital, we perform pet declawing for anyone who wants to remove the front nails of their cats or kittens. Let our friendly and knowledgeable staff answer any questions you might have regarding the declawing process.
Kitten declawing is available at our animal hospital once your kitten reaches a certain age. This age varies by breed and the living conditions of your pet, but we usually recommend declawing when your kitten is between the ages of four and eight months. We perform these pet declawing services under humane conditions and provide you with the information necessary to help your pets recover quickly.
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Should Declawed Cats Be Allowed To Go Outside
Should declawed cats be allowed to go outside? Letting your cat outside after he or she is declawed could be dangerous, because declawing a cat takes away the ability to defend themselves. Therefore, cat owners of declawed cats should be committed to keeping their feline friend indoors for the rest of its life.
How Much Does It Cost To Get A Cat Declawed
You may think that declawing your cat is easy if you cut its nails.Even so, its a fairly significant operation.Cut through the joint and amputate the cats knuckles and the tip of the claw. The veterinarian cuts the cats toes. So if you want to declaw your cat, you have to know the cost of declawing.
So read our article on how much does it cost to get a cat declawed? The price varies greatly depending on the procedure, and many veterinary hospitals hesitate to give an estimate since recovery charges are included in the charges. Heres an overview of the surgerys average cost.
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When Should My Cat Be Declawed
Apart from the cost to have a cat declawed, choosing an appropriate time is necessary. Normally, it is ideal that your cat gets the surgery between three and six months old. Most cats go through this at the age of five months old.
Nonetheless, kittens are better at recovery from the surgery compared to older cats. Therefore, plan the surgery ahead so your cat wont suffer too much after the declawing procedure. In fact, older cats arent advised to be declawed.
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What Are The Issues Associated With Declawing A Cat
Here are the primary issues associated with declawing cats: 1 Declawing cats may result for cats to develop arthritis on the joints 2 If the front claws are already cut, the back claws may still do more damage. 3 The cat may no longer use the front claws in scratching however, 4 Declawing the cat includes removing the first toes
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When Should I Declaw My Cat
Pet owners often choose to declaw their pets to protect furniture, property, pets, family, or for the pets safety. We recommend declawing your cat while they are still kittens between the age of 3-8 months, usually at the same time they are spayed or neutered between 5-6 months. This is recommended as they will recover quicker at this age and run a lower risk in experiencing complications.
We recommend choosing to declaw your cat in one of the following situations:
- Medically necessary for their health to relieve pain, infection, or illness
- Threatens the safety of a family member
- Training, behavioural, and environment enhancing efforts have proven unsuccessful curving bad behaviour
- Last option before euthanasia or relinquishment
When Should I Not Declaw My Cat
If your cat is primarily an outdoor cat, we do not recommend declawing your cat. Claws are a cats natural defense. Without claws, their safety is put at risk if they come across aggressive cats, dogs, or other wildlife while outdoors. Generally, once a cat is declawed, they become house cats.
If your cat is older, we do not recommend declawing your cat. The experience can be traumatic and painful for your pet at an older age, which is why declawing is recommended when they are still kittens.
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I Have Tried Everything But My Cat Has Destructive Behavior And Cannot Keep My Cat In My Home
If you have tried everything to deter destructive scratching, but your cat continues to scratch, declaw can be considered. Cats that have destructive scratching behavior are more likely to be relinquished which adds to the problem of homeless cats in the shelter. If declawing cats will guarantee that they will remain in a loving home, then declawing may be considered.
What Cat Litter Should You Use For Declawed Cats
Why do declawed cats pee outside the litter box? As your cats paws are more sensitive than a non-declawed cats, every step can be painful at times. Because of this, gritty cat litter can make your cats feet feel like theyre stepping on glass. This is why so many declawed cats stop using the litter box, it hurts! Thankfully, if your cat isnt reacting well to standard cat litter, there are softer cat litters for declawed cats so they can comfortable use the litter box. Here are a few of the most popular soft cat litters for declawed cats.
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What Should I Know About The Recovery Process
The recovery process is usually between 2-6 weeks after the operation.
Paws are bandaged up for 24hrs immediately following the operation. Carefully monitoring their recovery during this time, we provide them with sedative or pain medicine if they are in distress or experiencing large levels of pain. The following day, after the dressing is removed, your cat is kept for a specific period of time while they recover and adjust. This is to allow us to track their recovery and ensure they get the proper type of rest needed so they can get back to bouncing on all four paws as soon as possible. During their recovery process, it is recommended to use shredded paper over kitty litter due to the sensitivity of their paws.
Do Declawed Cats Bite More Often
They also looked at the felines medical histories and behavioral reports from their vets and owners. They found that declawed cats were seven times more likely to pee in inappropriate places, four times more likely to bite people, three times more likely to be aggressive, and three times more likely to overgroom themselves.
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