SAVE A PAW - DON'T DECLAW - SCRATCHING POST TRAINING
The Truth About Declawing
For many cat owners, their pet's natural impulse to scratch can become a problem.
Declawing may at first seem like a logical solution.
However, declawing creates more problems than it solves.
Physical and emotional complications arise from this procedure that are so severe,
many people end up relinquishing their pets to animal shelters or worse,
they put them to sleep.
Declawing is a painful amputation of the entire first digit, NOT just the nail.
Once the digit has been removed, cats can no longer perform their natural stretching
and kneading rituals. They become weaker as they age and experience
a higher incidence of arthritis in their backs and shoulders.
Cats without claws have lost their first line of defense. They live in a constant state of stress.
Less able to protect themselves, they cannot fight off other animals
or escape quickly from a dangerous situation. Many declawed cats will become biters
because they can no longer use their claws as defense.
Groomers, veterinarians and people who care for declawed cats in shelters
will tell you (if you ask) that declawed cats are nervous, irritable and difficult to handle.
Finally, declawed cats often stop using their litterboxes!
Some cats apparently associate the pain they feel in their paws when trying to cover
their waste with the litter box itself. These cats seek a less painful place to urinate, such as
a carpet of sofa. Even though there are ways to modify a cat's litter box behavior,
in declawed cats it is a particularly difficult challenge because the aversion
results from pain.
Other cats do not at once show their distress until another cat shows up near their home.
They do not need to see this kitty, only to smell him/her. They feel vulnerable to attack
even though the kitty outside cannot do them any harm and this distress translates
into misusing the litterbox.
Declawing: The Price of Convenience
The Truth About Declawing
For many cat owners, their pet's natural impulse to scratch can become a problem.
Declawing may at first seem like a logical solution.
However, declawing creates more problems than it solves.
Physical and emotional complications arise from this procedure that are so severe,
many people end up relinquishing their pets to animal shelters or worse,
they put them to sleep.
Declawing is a painful amputation of the entire first digit, NOT just the nail.
Once the digit has been removed, cats can no longer perform their natural stretching
and kneading rituals. They become weaker as they age and experience
a higher incidence of arthritis in their backs and shoulders.
Cats without claws have lost their first line of defense. They live in a constant state of stress.
Less able to protect themselves, they cannot fight off other animals
or escape quickly from a dangerous situation. Many declawed cats will become biters
because they can no longer use their claws as defense.
Groomers, veterinarians and people who care for declawed cats in shelters
will tell you (if you ask) that declawed cats are nervous, irritable and difficult to handle.
Finally, declawed cats often stop using their litterboxes!
Some cats apparently associate the pain they feel in their paws when trying to cover
their waste with the litter box itself. These cats seek a less painful place to urinate, such as
a carpet of sofa. Even though there are ways to modify a cat's litter box behavior,
in declawed cats it is a particularly difficult challenge because the aversion
results from pain.
Other cats do not at once show their distress until another cat shows up near their home.
They do not need to see this kitty, only to smell him/her. They feel vulnerable to attack
even though the kitty outside cannot do them any harm and this distress translates
into misusing the litterbox.
Declawing: The Price of Convenience