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it will be a cold day in hell, when I would allow any animal to ruin my home.
Nobody has to let their cat ruin a home. It just takes a little patience, intelligence and willingness to spend some time training. Well worth it. With all the nice towers and many kinds of scratching materials around, anybody with half a brain can keep their cat from ruining their house.
Location: the wrong side of the tracks Richmond, VA
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Berate me if you like for being frivolous but I have a $3000 sofa. It was the ONE big splurge I made when I moved into a new condo, everything else is crappy Target furniture, I just wanted one really nice thing that would last for most of my adult life and move around with me easily. ANYWAY... I have four cats, none of them are declawed - in fact, I am prohibited from the adoption contracts on three of them to do so. Not like they'd ever find out but I could never imagine doing it. I declawed the kitten I got in high school because my grandparents wouldn't let me have him otherwise and am filled with regret to this day for what I did to him, I had no idea at the time how cruel it was but that doesn't change how guilty I feel.
Scratching is not an issue in our house. The cats stretch and scratch on the cheap rug I have in the kitchen and did ruin one window screen ($20 fix, no biggie) but they don't go near the couch. I regularly trim all of their nails myself - one hates it but she's getting used to it, the others tolerate it and know they get a treat if they're good so we've worked it out.
Paw covers are another option - I used them on my senior when we lived in our last place but stopped trying with the kittens as it was just too tedious to replace them every other day. Have you looked into that option? Here's one kind: Alternatives to Declawing, Nail Caps for Cats They aren't that hard to put on, especially if you have help (I didn't and still managed). My kittens went through them something crazy but my senior didn't need them replaced but maybe twice a month, if that. Once you get used to putting them on, it isn't too tough.
You can also get special tape to cover any appealing edges that tend to get scratched. I haven't even had to bother, my crew is very good about using their scratching post.
Declawing is cruel, period. Pardon my French but f^&% my $3000 sofa, my cats' well-being and comfort is worth more than a piece of furniture. That said, with behavior modification techniques (like offering LOTS of appealing scratching surfaces and redirecting when you see your cat(s) scratching where they shouldn't) on top of keeping nails trimmed, it should not be an issue.
Declawing is barbaric, and as others have pointed out, is illegal in many countries. Including the UK, where I'm from.
Please, please continue to advocate for your kitties! If they are declawed and should accidentally escape sometime, the consequences could be tragic.
That brings me to your other point - I don't know where you live, but in the US it's best to keep kitties indoors if you can.unfortunately there are just too many dangers out there for them. Wildlife, disease, cars, evil humans, getting lost... I'm sure you get the picture.
Our two kitties are fine with the furniture but we trained them from kittens to use the scratch pads. You can get good scratchers from Target etc, best sprinkled with catnip if your kitties love them. Our Zoe has a vertical scratcher that she loves because she can stretch up. You could also find a spare corner and install a cat tree. Check amazon.com, they often have good deals on scratchers and supplies.
Good luck and thank you for doing the best for your kitties!
I use the soft paws with my cat- actually I got an off-brand called "kitty caps" at petsmart that was cheaper than softpaws. They were 15 dollars for a pack of 40, and I only put them on the four toes of both front feet (excluding the "thumb") so they should last awhile. He didn't mind me putting them on, put he is a super calm cat to begin with. He nibbled at them a little bit, but the key is keeping them distracted for several minutes after putting them on so the glue can set. After the first few minutes he didn't seem to notice them. It's only been a week, but so far they all are still in place and don't look like they're coming off. They're supposed to shed once every 4-6 weeks I think. The only thing he occasionally scratches is the carpet, and with the caps on he can't do any damage. It's also really nice for me when I'm holding him because he constantly kneads and before the caps it was painful even though he wasn't trying to hurt. I think it would depend on your cats and whether they'll tolerate them- but it's definitely worth a shot!
Maybe I read through these posts too fast, (and too tired) and missed this, but:
Declawing isn't ripping out nails (like my mother, who is not an animal lover, thought) My mother commented that I was lucky that Alfredo was declawed, so ... I borrowed these really graphic surgery pictures, that a friend of my sister, had found years ago, at a flea market. They were in a [text?] book on small animal surgery.
I lived in a very tiny apartment for ten years. When my kitten got to be somewhat grown he used the couch for a scratcher, and refused to use the scratch post. The couch was torn to shreds in six months. The place looked crappy, and I did not want to camouflage the couch with some tacky throw.
Mr. Cat got declawed, I bought new couch. No problems, I exercised him to keep him stretched...he died fourteen years later, never having had any health problems, except the final one in old age.
Clearly this never would have been done if he had access to outdoors. Given that experience, if I were in the same position again and was certain of my vet. I would do it again.
The declawing issue has raised it's ugly head in my home, I have so much love for our girls that I'm refusing to consider declawing them because I think it's unethical and harmful. They need their claws to climb, jump and stay, and it cushions their front paws when they jump down, they're meant to have them, and I ask my family, how would you like to have your finger nails ripped out never to grow back? Our furniture is "getting raggedy" they say from their claws which is an exaggeration, but I wouldn't care if it was getting raggedy. "People think our house is a dump". I could care less what visitors say, put a throw over the chair if you're embarassed, and we have a beautiful home thank you very much. Our entire house is hardwood and tile and throw rugs because we've always had dogs, now we have cats as all the dogs have passed over the years so it's easy to keep the place clean. The battle of outside priveleges rages on too, I've refused them outside priveleges despite all the blogs about "being kept captive" inside, they're not going outside and that's that, they don't want to go outside, they're never tried to run outside, and indoor/outdoor cats aren't for me, they get hurt, pick up disease, get lost or hit by a car, climb/get stranded in trees, they require toxic flea treatments year round and on and on, I've been there, done that, I'm not letting these girls go out and that was the stipulation when we decided to get these cats, so not only am I a meany, I'm letting the cats destroy the house [which they're not], next I guess I'll become a hoarder. Ya'll can move out, everybody is all "yes yes yes" let's get kitties, then all is forgotten and it's all about "me,me,me" sorry, felines are precious animals that deserve the best treatment and they get it, and I'm happy to fight the fight to keep it that way. I get so mad at even my own family for disrespecting and devaluing animals for their own perceived needs. That's why I like animals better than people anyday, they're not selfish, they give you unconditional love, they're innocent and I just plain love these cats. Anybody else have these kinds of disagreements at home? Yikes.
You are a wonderful hero. Declawing is illegal in more than 26 countries around the world, because it is considered inhumane and cruel. And 8 cities in California. Someday it will be outlawed in the USA too.
I have had vet techs tell me that the procedure is so painful the cats actually jump and cry even deep under anesthesia, when the bones are cut. And when they wake, they scream from the pain.
As mentioned, provide them with multiple scratching surfaces of their own, and make sure they have a cat tree for climbing and jumping.
As for keeping them in, that's just good sense!
Quote:
Originally Posted by kevxu
I lived in a very tiny apartment for ten years. When my kitten got to be somewhat grown he used the couch for a scratcher, and refused to use the scratch post. The couch was torn to shreds in six months. The place looked crappy, and I did not want to camouflage the couch with some tacky throw.
Mr. Cat got declawed, I bought new couch. No problems, I exercised him to keep him stretched...he died fourteen years later, never having had any health problems, except the final one in old age.
Clearly this never would have been done if he had access to outdoors. Given that experience, if I were in the same position again and was certain of my vet. I would do it again.
Your cat most likely suffered pain all his life from the mutilation. Going outside has nothing to do with it. Cats can be trained to scratch on their own furniture, it just takes a little effort. You know, spending time with the cat, teaching him what he may and may not scratch on. It's not hard at all really, it just takes some time and consistency, a little work on your part.
If you feel you must have a cat who has had his toes amputated, go to a shelter and adopt one who has already been crippled. The shelters are full of them, because people who declaw cats place so little value on them, they dump them at the first sign of trouble. There is no need to cause even more suffering.
Thanks for all the support, rather than move out, I had my family read these posts, it caused a big pause, we do have several scratching posts throughout the house, a large 6 ft cat condo with 10 scratching posts on it which they use, and we bought a new chair and so far it's off limits to the "girls" and they're OK with it, they love to pull themselves along the throw carpets and as I said, in my opinion, the whole thing has been a big exageration, things are quiet for now, and reading the numerous blogs has silenced the naysayers that now are looking at being declawed in a different light: totally unacceptable, barbaric, painful and gross mutilation. I'm off today and this morning we sat watching the Olympic commentaries and watched the girls running around, running up and down the condo, using the scratching posts, how they stretch their bodies and strengthen their legs and paws by scratching, and talked about how none of that would be possible without their normal anatomy. I don't usually get to see them in the morning, cats are truly wonderful creatures. Thanks for all the support, you're all great!!
Thanks for all the support, rather than move out, I had my family read these posts, it caused a big pause, we do have several scratching posts throughout the house, a large 6 ft cat condo with 10 scratching posts on it which they use, and we bought a new chair and so far it's off limits to the "girls" and they're OK with it, they love to pull themselves along the throw carpets and as I said, in my opinion, the whole thing has been a big exageration, things are quiet for now, and reading the numerous blogs has silenced the naysayers that now are looking at being declawed in a different light: totally unacceptable, barbaric, painful and gross mutilation. I'm off today and this morning we sat watching the Olympic commentaries and watched the girls running around, running up and down the condo, using the scratching posts, how they stretch their bodies and strengthen their legs and paws by scratching, and talked about how none of that would be possible without their normal anatomy. I don't usually get to see them in the morning, cats are truly wonderful creatures. Thanks for all the support, you're all great!!
Declawing should be saved as a last resort. Our boy was declawed for the safety of the veterinary staff - without their safety, there was no way to treat his multiple medical issues. He had chronic stomatitis, his bites alone would put you in urgent care because of severe infection. Adding claws to the mix was even more dangerous.
I must admit that he did not scratch the furniture, he destroyed it. He took a brand new couch down to the frame in 3 weeks. All the cloth, all the foam, and most of the wood. Did that influence our decision to declaw him? I admit, yes. Would we have declawed him for the furniture issue alone? No. Have I declawed since? No. Would I declaw in the future? No.
He had no side effects at all from the declawing, except that he could no longer toss a tortilla like a pizza.
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