Declawing

Scratching is a healthy and normal feline behavior. It is not to destroy a favorite chair or sofa.

Cats need to scratch to remove the dead husks from their claws, to mark their territory, and stretch their muscles.

Cats begin to scratch at the early age of 6 to 8 weeks old. This is the ideal time to begin training kittens to use a scratching post. We begin this process and provide a vast number of scratching options. Before taking your kitten home, you should plan on having at least two scratch post situated in locations where the kitten is most likely to spend a lot of time. You should trim its nails twice a week; doing it frequently will get them used to the procedure.

Declawing can lead to an entirely different set of negative behaviors that may be worse than scratching.

What is declawing?

Many pet owners believe that declawing is a simple and painless surgery done to prevent their feline from scratching. This process is the equivalent of having your fingernails surgically removed. Unlike human nails that grow from the nail beds, cat’s nails are an extension of their bones.

Declawing traditionally involves the amputation of the last bone of each toe. If performed on a human being, it would be like cutting off each finger at the last knuckle.

It is a painful and unnecessary surgery provides no medical benefit to the cat. Educated pet parents can easily train their cat to use its claws in a manner that allows everyone in the household to live together happily.

Declawed cats can exhibit many negative behaviors as a direct result of declawing. It can even affect their health. The most common issue is normal bathroom behavior. Even with a cat who has been well trained to use its litter box, it will begin urinating outside its litter box.

It is very painful for them to walk since a portion of their paw has been removed, they will not dig in their cat litter to cover their urine or excrement as it’s painful to do so and that’s one of the reasons why they will go to the bathroom outside their litter box.

Cats can also experience serious medical issues such as arthritis, infection, tissue death, lameness, and other joint problems. Although arthritis and lameness may take years to manifest, some declawed cats may experience negative social behaviors as well. They are more likely to bite and be antisocial because they no longer have their claws as a part of defense.

By providing the adequate number of scratching posts throughout the home your kitty is more likely to use the scratching post rather than your furniture to stretch and scratch. One of the best methods to attract them to the scratch post is by applying catnip which can be purchased in spray or powder form.