3 Important Things To Know About Declawing Your Cat
Posted on: 28 April 2020
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Scratching is an instinctive habit for cats. Scratching is a way to mark their territory and to take care of their nails. Scratching is also a defence mechanism for cats, a way they can protect themselves. If you have an inside cat, your cat doesn't need to be sharpening their claws, marking their territory, or defending themselves against anyone. That is where declawing your cat comes into play.
Thing #1: Declaw Your Cat When They Are a Kitten
When you get a kitten, declawing them may not be on your mind. After all, your cat is just a cute little kitten right now. However, if you intend to keep your kitten as an inside cat, you should seriously consider declawing your kitten now.
It is better and easier, from a health perspective, to declaw a kitten over a grown cat. It is an easier procedure for your vet to perform, and your kitten is going to heal up at a faster rate than a grown cat.
Additionally, it will be less of an adjustment for a kitty to get over not having claws anymore. It can be much more difficult for a cat who was used to having claws for years to get over this experience.
Thing #2: Work with An Experienced Veterinarian
Second, you are going to want to work with an experienced veterinarian who has performed this procedure many times. Declawing a cat is not as simple as just cutting their nails. Your vet is going to perform surgery on your cat as their tendons have to be cut in order to declaw your cat.
This is a delicate procedure, which should only be performed by a vet who has extensive surgical experience. You may need to get a referral from your vet to someone who has the right experience for this procedure.
Thing #3: Prepare to Nurse Your Kitten
Third, you need to be prepared to take care of your kitten. You are going to need to change and take care of their bandages. You are going to have to confine your kitten to a small space, which can be tough on an active kitten. You are going to want to give your kitten lots of cuddles and attention as they recover from this surgical procedure. Be sure to follow all your vet's recovery guidelines.
It is important to declaw your cat when it is a kitten. Kitten's recover quicker from the procedure and will adjust more easily to not having claws. When you get your kitten declawed, you need to be prepared to stay home and take care of them.
For more information about the process to declaw a cat, contact a professional.