Declawing cats.

It sounds like a good idea, especially if you don’t want your furniture scratched up. But is it the humane thing to do?

Do you know how cats are declawed?

One way is to amputate with a scalpel or guillotine clipper. Ouch!

Stitches or surgical glue is used to close the wounds — the feet are bandaged.

Laser surgery is a more modern way to declaw cats. An intense beam of light cuts through tissue by heating and vaporizing it. However, your cat risks lameness and behavioral problems as if it amputation was performed.

Another way to declaw cats is the tendonectomy procedure; the tendon that controls the claw in each toe is severed. Your cat keeps his claws, but won’t be able to control them or extend them to scratch. This procedure requires more frequent nail trimmings.

People often mistakenly believe that declawing their cats is a harmless “quick fix” for unwanted scratching. They don’t realize that declawing can make a cat less likely to use the litter box or more likely to bite. Declawing also can cause lasting physical problems for your cat. The Humane Society of the United States

Let’s face it; scratching is a normal behavior for cats.

Cats scratch to mark their territory and stretch their muscles. Scratching also removes the dead husks from their claws.

You see. Cats don’t scratch so they can destroy your favorite chair!

Before you get your cat declawed (can be expensive), consider the following 10 alternative solutions. If you love your cat, don’t put him or her through unnecessary pain. Don’t take away their right to scratch.

3 Alternative Solutions to Declawing Cats

Trim Your Cat’s Nails

Regularly trimming your cat’s nails can help curb furniture scratching. If you don’t want to trim your cat’s nails, ask your vet or the vet tech to do it. You could take your cat to a groomer who provides cat nail trimming.

Put Soft Paws on Your Cats Claws

Soft Paws are nail caps for cats and dogs. They come in kitten, small, medium, and large as well as a variety of colors and easily slip on to your cat’s claws. Your cat can extend his or her claws as normal. Soft paws last about 4-6 weeks and fall off as your cat’s nails grow.

Teach Your Cat to Use Scratchers and Scratching Posts

When you adopt your kitten or cat, buy scratchers and kitty condos with built in scratchers. This way your cat won’t be tempted to scratch your furniture. If your cat scratches at your favorite chair, don’t yell or hit him. Get a scratcher (or move your cat to a kitty condo) and place his paws on it. He’ll figure out what to do.

Get All the Facts about Declawing Cats

The Paw Project is designed to inform the public about the painful and crippling effects of declawing cats.

By promoting alternative humane options, cat owners can forgo the harmful effects that declawing produces.

For more information or to provide a tax deductible donation, visit The Paw Project.

Over to you. Did you get your cat declawed? Why? Why not? What alternatives do you have to declawing cats? Let us know in the comments.