Summary:
This article summarizes what a cat goes through with a declawing surgery and focuses on the alternatives cat owners can consider to control the instinctive but sometimes destructive behaviour of their cats´ scratching the furniture and other household items.

Details or Sample:
Humane Alternatives to Cat Declawing

It is common knowledge that cats enjoy using their claws, and most cat owners do not appreciate their feline friends tearing up the furniture in the process. A popular cure for this natural but destructive habit has been to declaw the family cat.

But what exactly what does declawing involve? Contrary to what the name implies, declawing is not simply the removal of a cat´s claws; to call it an amputation would be more accurate.The claw of a cat is not simply free-standing, it is attached to bone. Declawing is the amputation of the digit up to the last joint of a cat´s toe. It would be comparable to cutting off the tip of one´s finger to the last joint. This amputation includes the removal of ligaments and tendons around this joint.

Postoperative, there is a great deal of bleeding, and kitty must have his paws wrapped up very securely overnight after the surgery and observed by veterinary staff following bandage removal to be sure that the bleeding has stopped. If front and back claws are removed at the same time, these bandages must stay on for 2 days. These bandages are like casts enveloping each leg up to the elbow. We can all imagine how uncomfortable that must be!

Some side effects to this major surgery include a great deal of pain. This is not surprising when one stops to consider that the cat has had 10-20 (depending on whether or not the back claws are also removed) amputations performed at the same time. The long term effect on a cat must also be considered; when a cat walks, they put a great deal of their weight on their toes, and they use their claws to stretch and exercise. With the removal of the claws and adjoining digit, a cats natural gait and equilibrium is permanently disabled.
Declawing a cat that visits the great outdoors is not advisable. Cats need their claws for self-defense; if a declawed cat encounters a wild animal, it will be defenseless to retaliate from an attack or to escape by climbing a tree.

After considering the facts about declawing, many cat lovers would prefer a different option than the surgical removal of a cats´ claws. Fortunately there are some alternatives to declawing if one uses a bit of creativity. Sometimes it is helpful to think like a cat.
First to consider is, why do cats need to scratch? One reason is exercise; cats love to stretch and sharpen their claws, it´s as simple as that. Another reason is to mark their territory; visually, by leaving evidence of their presence , and through scent, which they leave on the scratched surface through sweat glands in their paws.

Providing a cat with their own scratching area is very important to avoid having kitty use the couch or drapes for their sharpening needs. Depending on the cat, and they all have their own personal preferences, scratching posts or pads work very well. A post is ideal for a cat that loves to scratch vertically (drapes, for instance), and a scratch pad, is perfect for cats that enjoy a horizontal scratch surface (such as a favorite carpet). Cats naturally love to scratch on tree bark, and many of the cardboard-type scratch pads or posts are made to mimic the real thing, and are very attractive to felines. Sprinkling catnip to attract a cat to the desired areas is very effective.
Speaking out praise while kitty is using his appropriate scratch area will let him know he is being a good boy, and will encourage him to continue to do so.

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Written by: D. Ashley
Available File Types:Text
Words: 1150