Mention declawing cats, and people go ballistic. While this is a controversial subject, it's important to separate rumors from facts so that cat owners are able to make an informed decision about feline declawing.
Here are some common misconceptions about cat declawing.
A Cat That has been Declawed Can't Climb Trees
Believe it or not, a cat that still has its back claws (and most declawed cats do) can certainly climb a tree. Many people have seen declawed strays who climb trees with no problems.
Declawing Prevents a Cat From Hunting
More than a few people have witnessed declawed cats hunting and catching prey. Front claws probably make catching prey easier, but obviously they aren't totally necessary.
Declawing a Cat Causes Behavior Changes, and Damages Her Relationship With Her Owner
It's possible that some cats may have some kind of behavior change after being declawed. However, the vast majority don't show any feline behavior changes at all. According to "Declawing and its Alternatives," published by the Mar Vista Animal Medical Center on August 19, 2009, there have been many scientific studies on this question. None have been able to document any behavioral changes in cats that have been declawed.
Plus one survey showed that 70 percent of cat owners had a better relationship with their kitties after the procedure, probably because the pets were no longer destroying the house.
Declawing Cats Makes Them More Likely to Bite
People love their cats, but it's important to remember that they're cats, and they can't think reasonably like people (supposedly) can. Cats don't understand what being neutered means, and they don't understand what being declawed means, either. So there's really no reason why a cat would bite more after being declawed, and studies have confirmed this.
Feline Declawing is Extremely Painful for a Kitty
Cats are usually uncomfortable for a day or so after being spayed, and pain after declawing is probably about at the same discomfort level. Sore feet are to be expected for a couple of days, especially if the feline is heavy, but most kitties recover uneventfully. Many vets today offer owners pain medications for their cats after spay surgery. These medications are probably available after declawing too, if the owner is concerned about it.
The younger a cat is when the operation is performed, the faster she will heal. Sometimes owners opt to have the feline spayed or neutered at the same time the declawing procedure is done, to minimize the pet's exposure to anesthetics.
The kitty should be completely healed in two weeks. If the pet still has sore feet at that point, she needs to see the vet for a check-up.
The Cat will Never Use a Litter Box Again
Feline declawing doesn't cause a cat to lose her instinct to use a litter pan.
It's recommended that shredded newspaper, or one of the recycled newspaper litters, be used for a few days after the surgery. This prevents regular litter from getting caught in the surgical incisions. The kitty might not be happy with the new litter, which can cause litter box problems for a few days, until the cat's paws heal, and she can go back to her usual litter.
A Declawed Cat Can't Defend Herself, and Needs to be an Inside Kitty
A cat that still has her back claws can do a respectable job on self-defense, although she will be somewhat handicapped. However, the indoors is definitely the safest place for any kitty, whether she's been declawed or not.
There are many declawing alternatives available, but if a cat owner has tried them with no success, declawing may be preferable to taking the cat to the animal shelter. A cat with a history of destroying walls and furniture with her claws would be very hard to place in a new home, and would probably end up being euthanized.
Declawing a cat is a hard choice to make. A cat owner must separate facts from rumors in order to make an informed decision when alternatives to declawing just aren't the answer.
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