Cat declawing in medical term is called onychectomy. This surgical procedure is very painful and complicated. This operation is performed on cats under anesthesia to remove the last bone of their fingers. It is the same as a man's fingers at the first knuckle. Cat declawing is an irreversible procedure and must be performed by a qualified veterinary doctor.
Cat declawing can at times create behavioral problems after the surgery. Some cats find it hard to grasp or stand firmly on their amputated feet. They feel a strong sense of loss in balance. There are cats are found to have changed personalities after the traumatic cat declawing operation. These cats feel that they have lost their means of protecting themselves and become paranoid. If the operation has gone wrong the cat could end up infected or injured beyond repair and could even die.
Very often cats that have been declawed stop using the litter box and urinate where and when they could. They do their markings not with claws but with urine. A declawed cat is a deformed feline and if the bones were not removed properly pain could linger on for a long time after the procedure and could lead to arthritis in the legs. Their feets hurt when they walk and it is cruel to give your pets so much pain in return for their love and loyalties.
On the other hand, there is the belief that most declawed cats continue to scratch without their claws. Many pet owners consider cat declawing a safe and affordable option to the destructive behavior of their cats indoors. There is some of the opinion that declawing seems to have no bad psychological effect on their cats. Their cats continue to show normal scratching behavior and their pets stayed active and healthy psychologically.
Since scratching is a natural instinct in cats, you will notice that your cat will continue to scratch even after being declawed. Many experts advise that instead of declawing your cat, purchase a scratching post and see if it does the trick. You should use declawing as the final draw. It can have such devastating effects that is should only be considered as the last choice.
To help your cat from damaging your furniture provide your pet scratching surfaces to modify and correct its scratching behavior to an appropriate location. You could get a chunky piece of log for your pet to scratch on. Another alternative is to trim the claws and nails of your pet regularly and then there is no need to resort to cat declawing.
One of the alternatives to cat declawing is - the vinyl nail caps. These caps are glued on to your cat's claws to make the nails blunt and harmless. They are introduced by a veterinarian and could last four to five times longer then a nail trim. There are other options such as applying odors, citrus oil, deodorant soap, or booby traps to areas the cats likely to scratch.
Declawing your cat is a form of torture. It may even cause your cat to distrust you and the vet who does the procedure. It is inhumane, and if you can find a different method of training your cat, you should use it. You would not chop your child's finger off if he or she took a cookie, you should not declaw your cat for the same reason. Your cat is part of your family, and you should look upon him or her as another child. He or she depends on you for everything, and it is up to you to protect them as much as you would your own children.
About the Author: Paulina Jenkins has information on the pros and cons of Cat Declawing. See more about Cat Declawing at Cat Declawing
by Paulina Jenkins
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