Cat Declawing Alternatives

If you have a pet cat at home, you will surely know how annoying it is to see your pet destroying your expensive furniture by scratching it with its claws. One of the ways that has been found by human beings to stop this kind of behavior is declawing. However, most cat owners do not know exactly what is declawing. Some believe that it is a painless process which is similar to cutting the nails or getting a manicure done. However, the procedure of declawing is not such a simple one. Rather, it is a surgery which is known as onychectomy where the claws which are closely attached to the toes are completely amputated. When this is done, it becomes impossible for the claws to regrow again.

Though not many people know about it, the cat declawing procedure is extremely painful. Hence, in many countries it is considered to be inhuman and is declared as illegal. This procedure does not have any positive effects and is done only for the convenience of the pet owners. However, the problem of damage furniture is still an issue and there are ways in preventing this without declawing the cat. So, if you do not want to cause harm to your feline, it is important for you to look at some alternatives that are safer than a declawing surgery.

Alternatives for Cat Declawing Surgery
The first thing that pet owners must realize is that scratching with the claws is a natural cat behavior and is an important part of cat grooming process. So, taking away its claws can be considered to be a cruel practice and should be done only when the behavior is causing harm to the health of the cat. They also help the cats in defending themselves from other cats, animals as well as humans. It has been observed that some cats that have been declawed are likely to resort to biting as a way of self defense. There have also been cases where the pain that is caused after the surgery can change the cat's normal gait, subsequently leading to arthritis or crippling. So, as you now know about cat declawing facts as well as its dangers, it is better you take a look at some of the feline declawing alternatives which do not have any complications attached to them.

Nail Trimming
One of the best and the most commonly used cat declawing alternative is the nail trimming method. This can be easily done at home with inexpensive clippers which are available at all pet stores. The best time to trim the claws is when the cat is in a relaxed or sleepy mood. Gently take the cat's paw in your hands and very lightly squeeze it's toe to see the nail tip. When you can see the nail tip clearly, snip the tip carefully. However, make sure that you do not clip the dark part of the tip as this can lead to bleeding. If you are not very sure about how to trim your pet cat's claws, you can consult the vet who can show the correct way of doing it.

Scratching Posts
If you want to save your furniture from damage and your cat from mutilation, the best way would be to provide it with scratching posts at home. You can either buy sisal covered posts of various shapes from pet stores or make them at home. Do not just restrict to one scratching post, rather invest on posts of different shapes, elevations, surfaces like, plain, horizontal, vertical, etc. If you are not very keen on spending money on these posts, the cheapest alternative would be to buy cardboard scratching posts. These posts should be kept at several locations inside the house and you have to train your cat to scratch on the post instead of the furniture.

Soft Claws or Vinyl Claws
Another alternative to cat declawing procedure is making the use of soft claws or sift paws. These claws are vinyl nail caps which are attached to the cat's claws with the help of glue. Though this will not stop the cat from scratching, this behavior will not cause any damage because these nails are blunt. These soft claws come in different colors and will give your cat's claws very fancy look. The only problem is that they come off when the claws grow and hence, you would have to replace it from time to time.

Laser Cat Declawing Procedure - A Humane Alternative
Though the above given methods are usually quite effective, there have been cases where the alternatives have not worked for some cats. If this has been the case with you, a humane alternative that has been found by veterinarians is cat declawing laser surgery. The benefits of getting your cat declawed by laser other than the actual declawing process is that it is less painful, does not cause bleeding or the need to apply bandages. However, like all other laser treatments, even this has certain side effects. If the veterinarian who is doing the laser surgery does not have adequate experience, the operation can go wrong and can cause problems like delayed healing, tissue burning, etc. Hence, it is extremely important to research about the vet before taking any decision. Apart from that, the cost for laser surgery will be much higher than the conventional cat declawing price and cannot be afforded by everyone.

As you now know about all the cat declawing alternatives, I hope you will opt for one of these instead of the conventional cat declawing procedure. Just remember that declawing can cause extreme pain and may also change the behavior of the cat towards you. Hence, choose one of the alternative methods and enjoy the company of the loving cat without causing it any agony.