What age is best to get a cat declawed?

For this reason, most veterinarians recommend that a cat be declawed at the same time as their spay or neuter – or between 5 and 6 months of age. However, the most ideal period to declaw a cat can be between 3 and 6 months of age since kittens can recover quickly and the trauma experienced may not be as severe.


Does age matter when declawing a cat?

Age to Declaw

They do experience discomfort, but recover faster and with fewer complications than older and/or overweight cats. In general, we do not recommend declawing cats over 3 years of age because of the greater risk of physical and behavioral complications.

Is it OK to declaw an indoor cat?

The ASPCA is strongly opposed to declawing cats for the convenience of their owners or to prevent damage to household property.


Is it OK to declaw a 3 year old cat?

The Age To Declaw a Cat

Yes, it is true that young kittens seem to recover faster than older cats, but it's not because they feel any less pain or have suffered any less trauma. Declawing cats isn't ok at any age.

What can I do instead of declawing my cat?

Don't Want to Declaw? 4 Alternatives for Your Cat
  • Training. Scratching is a natural behavior for cats, and you don't want to entirely discourage your cat from practicing it. ...
  • Nail Trimming. Sometimes, your pet scratches furniture and other surfaces because something about their nails is bothering them. ...
  • Nail Caps. ...
  • Feliway.


Should I declaw my cat? - Ask A Vet



Will declawing a cat calm it down?

Many people report that they are happier with their cats after declawing, because it makes the cats "better pets." Unfortunately, many people have also discovered -- too late -- that declawing frequently causes far worse problems than it solves.

Are declawed cats happy?

Declawing and the Feline Psyche

It's instinctive for cats to scratch things: It is, after all, their way of marking territory and lets them get a good stretch in, too. It makes them happy. “Declawing takes away all of this as well as their integral means of movement, balance and defense,” the vet explains.

How cruel is it to declaw a cat?

Why is declawing bad? Declawing can cause paw pain, back pain, infection, tissue necrosis (tissue death) and lameness. Removing claws changes the way a cat's foot meets the ground and can cause pain like wearing an uncomfortable pair of shoes. Improperly removed claws can regrow, causing nerve damage and bone spurs.


How much does it cost to get cats declawed?

The cost to declaw a cat varies depending on the type of declawing procedure as well as the location of your veterinary clinic, but the average price ranges between $600 and $1,800.

Do cats personality change after declawing?

The consequences of declawing are larger than many people realize. The cat's behaviors and personality can change dramatically. Declawed cats no longer have their primary defense mechanism and turn to biting as a default behavior.

Do cats become more aggressive after declawing?

According to research published in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, declawing increases the risk of long-term or persistent pain, manifesting as unwanted behaviors such as inappropriate elimination (soiling/urinating outside of the litter box) and aggression/biting.


Why do vets recommend declawing cats?

Reasons for declawing

Human Benefits—Many owners choose to have their cats declawed to protect their furniture or other household possessions. Scratching is a normal behavior of cats, but destructive scratching represents approximately 15 to 42% of feline behavior complaints.

How long is recovery for declawing a cat?

Most cats will be healed in 2-6 weeks. If you cat is limping more than 5 days after surgery please call. Larger older cats may take longer to heal. 7.

What states is it illegal to declaw a cat?

In the United States, declawing is outlawed in Austin, Texas; Denver, Colorado; the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County, Missouri; Pittsburgh and Allentown, Pennsylvania; and Madison, Wisconsin.


Are cats traumatized by declawing?

Declawing can cause infection, abnormal claw growth within the toe, inflammation, arthritis or behavioral changes such as increased aggression, biting, emotional trauma or litterbox avoidance issues.

Do declawed cats feel pain forever?

Issues such as nerve pain or phantom pain can persist for years, sometimes for their whole life. Also, cats often change the way they walk, which can result in back pain. Declawed cats may also stop using the litter box because of irritation and pain that comes from stepping on regular litter.

Are declawed cats in pain forever?

That's what a cat feels after being declawed. “Sensory and motor nerves in the cat's paw are cut, damaged, and destroyed. Recovery from the surgery is a slow and a painful process. The pain from declawing is life-long and normal cat behaviors are forever gone.


How long are cats paws sore after declaw?

Your pet may be reluctant to walk around, jump up on things or act sore. Some degree of discomfort is expected. In younger cats, pain experienced after the declaw procedure should lessen within 10 days and lameness (limping) should improve within one week. In older cats, this time frame may be longer.

Do declawed cats need special litter?

Dr. Bahr recommends finding the softest cat litter available to help a declawed cat use a litter box comfortably. She explains, “Declawed cats ... toes hurt from being amputated and owners should avoid any litter that is coarse or feels like small pebbles or shards of glass.”

What percentage of house cats are declawed?

It seems that 25%–43% of all cats in American homes are declawed. The reason for this high number is that many veterinarians actively market and recommend the procedure without disclosing the details of the procedure to their clients with cats. Others perform declawing unquestioningly.


Can you teach a cat not to scratch?

While kitties cannot be made to stop scratching, as it comes naturally to them, they can be directed into scratching the appropriate places. Make sure you are well stocked with scratching posts where your little one can scratch to his heart's content.

Are cat nail caps safe?

Are nail caps safe for cats? According to Mary Molloy, animal behavior counselor and founder of Nirvana Tails in NYC—yes, absolutely. “[The caps] do not prevent the cat from retracting his claw, and if properly applied, they do not cause any pain or damage to the claw bed,” she reports.

Does Petsmart put nail caps on cats?

Select locations offer grooming & bathing services for cats like nail trim, nail caps application, ear cleaning & sanitary trim. We use the exclusive state-of-the-art Hydrosurge BathPro 9.0.


Does Petco do nail caps for cats?

Cat Grooming Supplies

Petco offers cat caps in a variety of colors and styles. Use glittery cat claw caps to showcase your pet's style or even get them in the holiday spirit with holiday-themed cat claw covers.

How much does it cost to put caps on cats nails?

While a few different companies make them, you're most likely to see them from a company called Soft Paws. You can typically get a pack of forty (plus the adhesive) for under $15 on Amazon. You can put them on your cat yourself — no need to visit a groomer.