By Beth Taylor and Steve Brown
and Dr. Jean Hofve, Guest Author
Let your cat keep all her toes!
Declawing, the amputation of the ends of at least 10 toes -- severing nerves and blood vessels and bone -- is not a simple or routine surgery. It should never be done as a "preventative," especially in kittens.
Despite their reputation for independence, cats can readily be trained to leave the sofa, curtains or carpet untouched.
Declawing (more accurately described as "de-toeing" when the same procedure is done to chickens), is the amputation of each front toe at the first joint. The procedure is so excruciatingly painful that it was once used as a technique of torture. Physical recovery takes a few weeks, but even after the surgical wounds have healed, there are other long-term physical and psychological effects.
Claws are important to a cat's well-being!
Claws perform vital functions for the cat. Cats create a visual and scent identification mark for their territory through scratching. Claws provide psychological comfort through kneading, help the cat climb to safety and fully stretch her back and legs. A declawed cat never again experiences the head-to-toe satisfaction of a full body stretch!
There are many possible complications of declawing:
Post-surgical complications: Abscesses and claw regrowth can occur a few weeks to many years after surgery. Chronic or intermittent lameness may develop. In one study that followed cats for only five months after surgery, nearly a third of cats developed complications from both declaw and tendonectomy surgeries.
Pain: Cats can't tell us how it feels to have the ends of their toes amputated, but human amputees report "phantom" sensations from the amputated parts. About 40 percent of these sensations are painful. Because declawing involves at least 10 separate amputations, it is virtually certain that all declawed cats experience phantom pain. In humans, these sensations continue for life. There is no reason that this would not be true for cats.
Cats are stoic creatures, and typically conceal pain or illness until it becomes overwhelming. Cats may learn to live with chronic pain, and their behavior may appear "normal," but this does not mean they are pain-free.
Joint stiffness: In declawed cats, the tendons that control the toe joints retract after surgery, and become essentially "frozen." The toes remain fully contracted for the life of the cat. Most cats continue to make scratching motions after they are declawed, and this is often said to "prove" that they do not "miss" their claws. This behavior is more realistically explained as desperate but ineffective efforts to stretch those stiff toes, legs, shoulders and backs.
Litter box problems: Declawed cats have more litter box problems than clawed cats. In one survey, 95 percent of calls about declawed cats related to litter box problems, while only 46 percent of clawed cats had such problems. Some households with declawed cats have spent thousands of dollars replacing drywall, carpets and subfloors to repair urine damage.
Changes in personality: "My cat has never been the same." A friendly, delightful kitten may become a morose, fearful or reclusive cat, never to recover its natural joy, grace and love of exploration. Many declawed cats do seem to "notice" that their claws are missing, and turn to biting as a primary means of defense.
Death: Declawed cats with behavior problem are often taken to shelters, where they are not considered adoptable and will promptly be euthanized. Cats exiled to the outdoors are commonly stolen and used as defenseless live bait to be torn apart by fighting dogs, or sold to laboratories or biological suppliers. A tame, friendly declawed cat makes an ideal experimental subject.
Veterinary behaviorists agree declawing should be a last resort.
Veterinarians in the United States have become accustomed to performing the declawing procedure without thinking about -- or even recognizing -- the common complications. Some recommend declawing kittens at the same time they are spayed or neutered. However, this goes against the written policy of the American Veterinary Medical Association.
Top veterinary behaviorists agree that declawing should not be considered until all other options (such as training and deterrents) have been sincerely tried and failed.
Some ways to stop unwanted scratching behavior without declawing!
Provide an appropriate place to scratch.
Cats can be trained not to scratch furniture or other objects -- including people -- although it is easier if the cat is trained as a kitten. Because scratching is a deeply ingrained instinct in cats, if there is no appropriate spot, they will substitute furniture or other objects.
Watch where your cat likes to scratch. Does she go for a long belly-stretch on the carpet, or prefer vertical surfaces like the arm of the sofa or the back of a chair? Try to imitate her favorite spots with acceptable scratching options.
A vertical scratching post should be at least 28-36 inches high to allow the cat to stretch to her full height. Many cats prefer natural soft wood, such as a section of bark-covered log or a cedar or redwood plank, or posts covered with sisal rope (more popular than carpeted surfaces). The post must be very sturdy and stable. If it wobbles, your cat is unlikely to use it.
Don't be quick to discard a shabby, well-worn post. That's when it's the most attractive to your cat!
You can protect your furniture with clear sticky strips and other deterrents, and smaller cat-attractive scratching posts, mats and distractions.
Some cats like to scratch on a horizontal surface, and inexpensive cardboard scratchers are popular. Remember to replace these periodically so they provide adequate resistance to their claws. Start with the post near your kitty's favorite scratching object and gradually (by inches) move it to its final destination.
Make your furniture undesirable.
This may be as simple or draping a thick towel over the arm of the sofa. What your kitty likes about tight upholstery fabric is its resistance. This is what allows her to stretch. If he hooks her claws into material that gives, or that immediately pulls off and dumps her on the floor, she'll lose interest quickly.
Don't play with your cat using your hands or feet and her paws!
It's fun to watch the kitten attack your wiggling toes under a blanket, but when he's 15 pounds with razor-sharp, inch-long fangs, it's not nearly as amusing. Serious aggression problems require assistance from your veterinarian, or a friendly behavior consultant at Little Big Cat.com!
Padding for the paws ...
If you can't convince your cat to cease attacking the furniture, replaceable soft plastic caps for the claws called Soft Paws are a good solution. These caps are glued onto the nail, but come off by themselves after a few weeks and need replacing. A vet or groomer can apply them, but you can learn to replace them at home.
Conscientious nail trimming also keeps the claws blunt and minimizes the damage that a cat can do to fabrics, furniture and fingers.
Last but not least ...
Most people truly love their feline companions and want to do what's best for them. Please think carefully about the beautiful little animal who trusts you and relies on you for her very existence. Make the humane choice and don't declaw.
Contact Steve or Beth for more information at bat31@earthlink.net.
To provide you with the best information available, we are co-authoring some articles with some of the leading veterinarians in the country. For the important issue of declawing, we're pleased to work with Dr. Jean Hofve, editor of the Journal of the American Holistic Veterinary Association and an authority on cats. Readers can review more of her work at Spirit Essence.
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
There is indeed a special relationship that exists between pets and their owners that goes far beyond the sharing of a home together. Our happy-go-lucky, four-legged friends also provide us with constant unconditional love, devotion, friendship and something else that might not be at the forefront of most people's minds -- health benefits.
If you have a dog, I highly recommend you read their excellent book, See Spot Live Longer. Using philosophies similar to my own regarding the importance of nutrition, See Spot Live Longer presents solid evidence that a good diet is just as important for dogs as it is for us. When fed a proper raw diet appropriate for their body, hundreds of people, including veterinarians, have witnessed vast health improvements in their dogs.
Authors Steve Brown and Beth Taylor, both pet health and nutrition experts, provide an all-inclusive argument for feeding your dog a naturally balanced raw meat, bone and vegetable-based diet that provides much higher quality nutrition than any dry or canned dog or cat food. By convincingly covering all the bases, readers will:
- Review case studies of dogs and cats with chronic illness that improved after fed a healthy diet of fresh food.
- Dispel the myths that are sabotaging your dog's health.
- Learn how the ancestral dog's diet compares to the modern diet dogs eat today.
- Realize the canine anatomical digest process to better understand why and when our animals are at risk from different types of food and potential toxins.
- Find out why dry and canned dog foods may be harming your dog.
- Find out what real fresh foods will protect your dog from cancer and other disease.
- Discover the importance of exercise and how keeping your dog fit will add years to its life.
- Learn practical, cost-effective solutions to feeding your dog better for a longer and healthier life.
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Cats Need Wet Food
Our Animals Really Are Fat!
Your Dogs & Cats Need Meat -- NOT Dried Pet Food
Sardines and Eggs: Natural, Affordable Omega-3 Treats for Your Pet