The decision to add a feline to the family sometimes accompanies a decision as to whether to have the cat’s claws removed. Usually, this is a practice of removing the cat’s front claws only and not the back ones but can sometimes be both. The procedure must be done by a qualified veterinarian.
The Humane society has a nice write up on Declawing Cats for those deciding or just looking for information. The statement at their website, “If performed on a human being, declawing would be like cutting off each finger at the last knuckle”, sticks out. I’ve heard defenders of the procedure say that it’s done with a laser now… blah blah blah. I’ll be honest.. I’m not even listening after a certain point. I wouldn’t want it done to me so there’s no convincing me that it’s some way less of an issue to a cat.
That includes a tendonectomy, a surgery that stops the cat from extending their claws to scratch. Cat’s deserve to keep their claws in my opinion. If you’re trying to save your furniture, there are several options.
Side Effects from De-Clawing
Both Belle and Paws exhibit the side effects of having their claws removed. It was apparent immediately. To watch Belle walk across the room it becomes obvious there’s something wrong with her front legs and has sensitivity when walking. Her brother Paws also has an issue but its not so prominent. Belle maintains sensitivity in her front paws and walks as if there’s a tenderness in her toes. It certainly doesn’t stop her from walking, running, or playing. The issue is there all the same.
It is more apparent when Belle jumps down from something. It doesn’t even have to be from a high place. Waist level is high enough to notice. She doesn’t.. or rather maybe.. can’t land with grace. In fact anything higher than waist level is a hard landing for Belle.
Jumping and Walking are Issues for Belle
Hard landings don’t seem to deter Belle from jumping though. Belle will always take a less jumpy route if she can but she’ll also make the jump if she has to. It’ll be a hard landing and you can see she is perplexed if she needs to make the decision to jump.
We have a very cat friendly home. Cat’s aren’t allowed on the table, counters, or on the coffee table but everything else is fair game. We have scratching posts and cat trees in every room except the kitchen. There’s always a place for a cat to lounge… off the floor. All the cats know the rules for what they can and cannot get on, and that includes Belle and Paws.
Aside from jumping down from something and feeling her sensitive feet. Belle also exhibits sensitivity in her toes when she walks. It’s obvious when you compare her walking to another cat’s gate, stance and walk. Belle walks like she’s walking on egg shells. As I said, Belle runs and plays just fine.
I don’t want to convey the idea that Belle’s in any kind of pain. I don’t believe she is. But there is a sensitivity there. She doesn’t like you playing with her front paws… AT ALL. She draws them back very quickly. She has only recently gotten to the point that if we insist, she’ll allow… but you can tell she don’t like it one bit. She doesn’t want anyone touching them.
Stunting of Growth in Front Legs after De-clawing
Another side effect from the de-clawing that Belle is shows signs of is the stunting of growth in her front legs. Her front legs are shorter than her back ones. No joke. She’s slanted a bit with her back end higher than her front. We’ve read that if you declaw a cat while they’re still developing as a kitten some animals exhibit shorter leg growth in their front legs. This is explained with the reasoning that the procedure was done to early in the cat’s life. Belle is definitely in that category. It doesn’t seem to hinder her by any means but the issue is there all the same.
In fact both Belle and Paws still use the scratching post and trees for scratching even though neither one has front claws. It must be a sensation they enjoy feeling. It’s the only explanation we can summon. They claw away like they have claws that are digging in and ripping away.. but they’re not doing anything but giving a deep rub down to some rope.
Paws shows side effects of declawing too
Paws on the other hand has very little sensitivity. It’s still there as well but I don’t believe anyone would even notice. We only notice because we know how cats without the issue move around. Paws also doesn’t know how to land. You almost get the feeling the cats (previous to coming to us) weren’t allowed to jump up on anything because these cats can’t land. Belle and Paws are lovable, adorable, and cute as heck… but “graceful” they are not. “Nimble” is not a word that comes to mind. One hard landing after another. That being said, Paws is really enjoying the jumping up on on the tree and is slowly getting better at landings. His feet don’t seem as sensitive as his sister’s.
A look at the difference between Belle and Paws feet and you can see there’s a noticeable difference. Paws has two small extra toes. When you see this, it actually makes a bit of sense. I have a theory that Belle also had a couple extra toes. She no longer does. I believe when they declawed Belle they took her extra toes. It would explain the extra sensitivity she may be experiencing. Here’s Paw’s feet…
Previous to Belle and Paws, we have had a few cats with extra toes. One in particular was named “Bam Bam”. Bam Bam had enough extra toes to look like an extra paw. We had thought about declawing Bam Bam… and that meant (at least in our heads), extra costs for extra toes. It turns out no. The veterinarian said they would just take the extra toes because the cat will likely have issues with or rather because them, later in life. The vet said that if we did decide to declaw the cat they would just take the extra toes rather than declaw them. The vet then added that even if we decided not to declaw the cat, we should consider having the extra toes removed because of issues the cat MAY encounter.
Needless to say, we didn’t have Bam Bam declawed.. and we didn’t have the extra toes removed. Bam Bam lived a happy full life without any issues with his toes. Clipping his nails wasn’t the easiest because he had extra claws and a huge dew nail. Generally speaking, he knew he had large mittens and he used them. He could wrap his paw around pretty much anything and was known to open a door when he wanted into a room. The point is, from our experience, extra toes weren’t a problem with any cat we’ve owned with extra toes. We made the decision to trim the cats claws and a couple extra toes didn’t matter. I’m sure there are times when a cat absolutely has to have them removed. I’ve seen some pretty screwed up nails on a cat that WAS causing an issue. There are cases where a cat should have extra toes removed. However; if your cat isn’t having an issue… don’t assume the cat will have an issue. Not all cats experience issues with extra toes… and I’d even go as far as to say cats WITH issues are in the minority from our own experience. Wait for it to be a problem before doing something about it. Don’t wait for a problem to become a major issue either.
In the case with Belle and Paws… My theory goes something like this. We were told Belle and Paws were found as kittens from a litter found in the woods. The family who found them were able to get rid of all the kittens except Belle and Paws. I believe when the family decided to keep Belle and Paws they decided on one condition. To have them declawed to save their furniture… and Belle was the first to go. I believe the veterinarian recommended that Belle have her extra toes removed (the same as our vet had recommended to us for Bam Bam). I’m sure Belle’s family was told the procedure was common and the cat initially would be in pain but then eventually not even notice. Having it done later would be worse for the cat (Um… what?). If you look at Belle’s underside of her paw, you can indeed see an indentation in her paw where an extra toe or two may have been. she even has a residual toe like stump. Small but it is there.
Now move forward, its Paws’ turn to go to the vet and get declawed but by this time “Paws” has a cool name because of his extra toes. This time when the vet recommends the toes be removed the family opts to keep his toes because that “fit his personality” or something to that effect. Paws’ toes were saved and Belle’s weren’t. At least that’s our theory. No way to confirm it as we have absolutely no contact with Belle and Paws’ previous owners. After the initial hand off of the cats to us (with no vet records)… we haven’t heard hide nor hair from them.
Just a short side note, we’ve noticed that without their front claws, both Belle and Paws use biting as a defense mechanism much more than our cats that still have their claws. Both cats tend to bite when a normal cat would swat or scratch. Belle will even start gnawing on the ropes instead of scratching sometimes. Paws also tries to bite as a form of domination over the other cats. It doesn’t go very far because the other cats have claws and they now know I’m sure. We have noticed the little bite marks left on the other cats from Paws though. He goes for the back of the neck. A typical domination point for cats.
Paws may have a bit of a very slight growth stunt in his front legs. Not really noticeable by any means. Paws also doesn’t walk around like he’s on egg shells like Belle does. He does land hard though. You can tell either he doesn’t like landing so he doesn’t put himself in a position where he has to jump very far down OR the cats weren’t allowed on anything up off the floor. I tend to lean toward Belle nor Paws not being allowed to get up on anything which meant they had to stay on the floor. When Belle and Paws first came to us, they stayed on the floor by their own choice. It wasn’t until they saw other cats on things that they decided to start jumping up. However; they are not practiced in jumping down AT ALL. They’re learning to jump up on things pretty good though. Paws gets going at full gallop and can jump from the floor, over my shoulder (sitting in a chair), and land gracefully on the second tier of the cat tree in that room. Without stopping, doing a complete turn around he flies through the air to keep up his momentum only to land with the grace of an albatross. So it’s a learning process.
If you’re looking to try alternatives to removing your cat’s claws, there’s several options. Hands down… we think having a scratching post for the cat is the number one tool for getting your cat to scratch something other than your furniture. Find a post or cat tree that will fit the place you’ve designated to put it… and the cat will notice it. Cats notice everything. Rub some catnip on the post if they’re not interested… Ta-da!.. instant interest. Good positioning for the post or tree will depend on your issue. If the cat ignores the post and is still going after the furniture, try moving the post near the furniture (with the intention of moving it away over the course of time).
Try putting “sticky paws” tape on your furniture to deter them until they get used to scratching somewhere else. We’ve included a few products below this posting for you to take a look at. These products may help you with your problem. It’s safe to say we’ve tried all of these products and they each have their pros and cons. They work as they intend from our stand point but may not always be the best choice for you. For instance, a cat tree?… you need room for it… a cat post?.. not so much room needed. You need to determine for yourself what’s best.
Our own experience has shown that a cat takes to a scratching post more if there’s some sort of hideaway included with the post. Cat’s sometimes like to be tucked away somewhere… away from everything and we believe that the hideaway feeds into that hermit notion. It gives them that feeling of a “place of their own”. If you’re trying to get your cat to scratch something besides your furniture, a scratching post with a hideaway might be a better choice than just a post with rope wrapped around it.
Think of it for a second… the cat’s sleeping on your chair in the living room… he wakes up… he stretches… he looks around.. there’s the corner of the chair all wrapped in fabric… your cat’s thinking what a great place to rip into with the claws along with a stretch. Now picture the same scenario only the cat wakes up in the little hideaway cubby hole and gets up to stretch and the scratching post is looking him in the face. Think like a cat to remain on top of the issue.
For instance, if the cat hangs out in a cubby hole or maybe on a scratching post platform, when they get a hairball (and they will)… they are not going to get up and run over to your chair to get it out. When a cat is going to hurl a hairball, it drops the hairball where it stands. That is unless you’re chasing the cat down to contain their hairball mess/puke. The cat WILL run while throwing up… so don’t chase them.
Another thought… if the cat is going to have a hairball or throw up and he’s up on top of a cat tree.. the hairball will loft from whatever platform the cat is on unless your cat is prone to running to the floor to throw up. Some will… and do. We once had a cat named “Tabitha” who would run into the litter box to throw up. That’s an exception to the norm. Most cats will stop right where they are and start dry heaving… puke… then leave it there and walk away. When looking for a place to put the cat tree, it would be good to keep that in mind.
When you’ve made the decision to get a scratching post or a cat tree, make sure you measure the area it will be going into and compare it to the size of the post or tree. It will save you a headache later.
Here are some alternatives to removing your cat’s claws
As mentioned above… Use sticky tape strips or sticky tape on a roll as a tool to deter cats from scratching your furniture or rug. You should be encouraging them to go scratch their scratching post. It’s not enough to say “Don’t scratch here” and push them away from the chair. Remember, you have to give them a place to de-husk their claws with a scratching post or cat tree. There’s other product brands for sticky tape… but our experience is with the “Sticky Paws” brand, so that’s what’s listed here.
Putting caps or covers on your cat’s claws may be an option for you. Be sure to read into the product descriptions and instructions. If the caps use adhesive, it may require more preparation if you’re not just slipping on some covers. Be prepared with cleanup supplies or even a cage so the cat can’t really go anywhere until everything is dry and all cleaned up. Be advised, despite what you might read… its not easy to put adhesive and caps on a stressful cat. A laid back feline would be a nice candidate. If you think your cat might get upset after he realizes what your doing… another option might be best. We only mention it here because we actually know people who have had some success with this… not to mention we’ve got that “anything’s better than removing the claws” vibe going.
Sometimes, protection for your furniture is all you need. A plastic shield or some matting will protect corners and extended from the corners in some cases. Portable shield type corners that sit on the floor “shielding” the corner of your sofa work very well if you can place them without being in the way of house traffic and everyday activity. Some would argue your teaching the cat to scratch at the sofa corners. There’s some validity to that argument but in some cases there may not be an option. Maybe there’s no place for a tree or scratching post and all the cat has got is the corner of the couch… well now you can give him a corner you don’t care about. the laminate and plastic shields work. Some are held in place with fabric screws.. clear buttons with screw wire. In our experience the screws eventually break. They are upholstery screws, so they eventually work their way out and have to be screwed back into the fabric. This done over and over times proves to be too much for the wire type screw and the wire separates from the plastic button that the wire screw is attached to. Some will last longer than others. Replace with upholstery screws from the hardware store if needed. It’s cheaper than buying a new kit.
Spray deterrents have been known to work. You spray them in the area you want to keep the cat away from. The corner of the sofa, the carpet in the corner, or where ever. We’ve had some cases where our dogs were able to smell the spray and was constantly smelling the area when we couldn’t smell anything. It’s certainly not all the time and not all the products. It depends on the dog(s) and the product(s). You’ll have to try and see what works for you.
Ultimately, we don’t use any of the products above any longer. That’s right. We were able to solve our cat’s clawing problems by keeping the cat’s claws trimmed and using cat scratching trees and posts. When looking for clippers to keep your cat’s claws trimmed, don’t assume the clippers for your dog will also work for your cat. We usually have separate clippers for the cats and dogs. Size of the animal is something to consider. If you have a big dog… and a small cat… it’s a good idea to have nail trimmers to fit each type. They’re different types of animals with different types of claws is our thinking. However; we really can’t recommend a certain kind over another. It really comes down to comfort for you and the animal. What do you feel comfortable with and can get the job done with no pain or detriment to the animal. We’ve tried several brands and styles over the years and there’s sets we’re comfortable with when it comes to the dogs… and same when it comes to the cats. We use what works for each.
That being said. Every animal is different and if you’re having an issue with one style of clippers… try another that you find more comfortable. If you are uncomfortable cutting your cats claws because your afraid of going up too far and catching the quick.. good. You should be concerned. That’s the most common problem we see with pet owners. Owners try and take too much claw and nip the quick (where the padding meets the claw underneath). Beginners should just trim the very tips of the claws until they get more comfortable knowing where the quick is. However; trimming just the tips means you’ll be grabbing the cat in a week to do it again. Hence, one reason pet owners take too much claw. They try and stretch out the next time they have to sit and do the claws.
The Nail grinders work well. The problem is that it’s a roll of the dice as to whether your cat (or dog) is going to mind a grinder working their nails. It’s just a vibration really. We’ve never had any issues regarding the safety of any grinder we’ve tried. The only issue we did have was that some cats didn’t care and some cats wanted no part of it. It’s worth a try because as I said, they do work well in our experience… and that “anything’s better than taking their claws” vibe is still going.
Even the most experienced people get too close to the quick and see blood once in a while. Maybe a membrane is close on the inside of the claw. Whatever the reason, you’re going to see blood sooner or later… and you’re going to need styptic powder. It instantly stops the blood. If the pet is feeling pain, it might not do too much for that but it’ll stop the bleeding for minor nips to the quick.
Cat scratching posts and trees are probably the best solution. It gives a cat a place and maybe a hideaway to feel comfortable. Hopefully they’ll be tearing up the post or tree instead of your furniture is the idea. If you are having an issue with a cat’s claws, using a cat tree or post should be used in conjunction with some other method as trees and posts only gives the cat another place to go AFTER they have been deterred from somewhere else. Catnip will help lure the cat into a comfortable place with their post or tree. Even if you are not having an issue with your cat’s claws, you should have a tree or scratching post anyway. As stated previously, having a scratching post with some sort of hut or hideaway attached is usually best.
We’ve used PetFusion products linked here but cat scratching posts and trees we make ourselves now. We’ll be posting on how to make your own soon ! What we’ve linked here for cat trees and posts looks pretty good for the pricing and is along the lines of what you should be looking for. One thing’s for sure, there’s no shortage of cat trees on Amazon. Keep in mind that cat trees may need to be assembled.
I hope we’ve given you some options to removing your cat’s claws. Besides Belle and Paws, we have other cats and even with any previous cats we’ve had through the years… we’ve come to let them have their claws long. Yep. We don’t trim them unless we have to. The cats ripping into the cat posts and trees is enough to de-husk the claws and no cat is a real issue. The cats maintain their individuality among themselves and every one gets along. Trimming claws has almost become a form of punishment. If one cat is acting up with another and the claws are coming out…. well, we can fix that. We’ll even warn them by grabbing their paws and gently squeezing their paw so their claws come out and then gently rubbing one of our fingers over the claw while making a low “oohhh” concerned sound. If there was any doubt as to what you meant there and you have to clip the claws because the cat continues. The cat will know what you meant when they have trimmed claws. They do understand if you take the time to teach them. The next time you grab their paw because they’re bringing the claws out…they will pull away quickly knowing what’s coming next.
Living with a cat with claws is not such a bad thing. There’s few words that can describe a cat ripping into some rope wrapped around a post. The happiness they derive can be seen in their face and actions. You’ll be glad you spared them the pain and possible side effects.