Alternatives to Declawing

ALTERNATIVES TO DECLAWING

Over the years, declawing has become one of the most controversial elective procedures that can be performed in a veterinary hospital. Scratching is a normal behavior used to mark territory and communicate territorial messages to other cats. However, it can be destructive not only to your home, but also to the bond between you and your cat. The following are a few alternatives to a surgery:

• Training – Transfer the instinct to a scratching post (use treats or catnip to attract the cat to the scratching post); apply double-sided tape to furniture; use a squirt bottle to deter inappropriate clawing
• Frequent nail trims – Oftentimes, this is enough to adequately control scratching
• Soft Paws™– Blunt, acrylic nail caps are glued onto the cat’s claws. The idea is that a blunt nail will not be sharp enough to cause damage

Some things to keep in mind with Soft Paws

• Can last several weeks
• Must be replaced as the nail grows