Tag Archives: kittens

Debunking Declawing

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For cats, scratching is an instinctual activity.  It helps them sharpen and condition their claws, as well as mark their territory.  But when your purring pet chooses to mark your carpet and furniture, the resulting frustration may interfere with your bond. To remedy the situation, some pet parents choose to have their cats declawed.

The procedure known as “declawing” is technically a partial digit amputation, during which the first joint of each toe is actually amputated.  It is a very painful procedure with significant recovery periods and potential for post-operative complications.  Declawing is not a routine surgery and should never be done as a preventative.

Declawing is a controversial subject, and the procedure is illegal in most of Europe, parts of Asia and in several U.S. cities, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Santa Monica.  The American Veterinary Medical Association discourages declawing unless all other options to discourage scratching have been truly exhausted.  Some adoption agencies will not adopt a cat to a person who intends to have her declawed.

Throughout the United States, declawing is often performed along with spay and neuter procedures, when cats are between four and six months old, before proper training to discourage scratching has taken place.  Declawed cats should remain hospitalized for several days after surgery to receive appropriate pain medications and have surgery sites monitored.  At Animal General we require hospitalization before surgery in order to start IV pain management.  Once the cat is ready to go home, she will need additional pain medications, special litter, and weeks of restricted activity.

What are the potential complications of declawing?

  • Post-surgical complications: Lameness, abscesses, and claw regrowth can occur days or weeks or many years after surgery.
  • Pain: It is impossible to know how much chronic pain and suffering declawing causes. However, we can look at similar procedures in people. Almost all human amputees report “phantom” sensations from the amputated part, ranging from merely strange to extremely painful. Because declawing involves ten separate amputations, it is virtually certain that all declawed cats experience phantom pain in one or more toes.
  • Joint stiffness: In declawed (and tenectomized) cats, the tendons that control the toe joints retract after the surgery, and over time these joints become essentially “frozen.” The toes can no longer be extended, but remain fully contracted for the lifetime of the cat.
  • Arthritis: Researchers have shown that, in the immediate post-operative period, newly declawed cats shift their body weight backward onto the large central pad of the front feet and off the toes. This effect was significant even when strong pain medication was given, and remained apparent for the duration of the study (up to 40 hours after surgery). If this altered gait persists over time, it would cause stress on the leg joints and spine, and could lead to damage and arthritic changes in multiple joints.
  • Litterbox problems: Experts say that declawed cats have more litterbox problems than clawed cats. Not many people would choose urine-soaked carpeting (or floorboards, sofa cushions, drywall, bedding or mattresses) over scratch marks, but this is a distressingly common outcome. In one survey, 95% of calls about declawed cats related to litterbox problems, while only 46% of clawed cats had such problems — and most of those were older cats, many with physical ailments that accounted for the behavior.
  • Biting: Some experts believe that naturally aggressive cats who are declawed are likely to become biters.

Luckily, you can avoid putting your cat through a painful procedure but still nix his itch to scratch:

  • Clip kitty’s claws.  The easiest (and most inexpensive) option is to keep your cat’s claws short.  Trimming every other week won’t prevent scratching behaviors, but it will minimize the damage done to your home.  Animal General offers free nail trims to current patients on Wednesdays from 2-4 p.m.  Just call that morning to let us know you are coming.
  • Consider covers.  Soft Paws® are plastic nail caps that are designed to fit over each nail, covering their sharp points and preventing damage.  They will need to be reapplied every 4 to 6 weeks.  They can be put on at home, but many pet parents choose to have their veterinarian apply them.
  • Tricks for training.  Teach your cat to distinguish “good” scratch surfaces from the family furniture.  Provide BOTH vertical and horizontal surfaces like scratching posts and corrugated cardboard scratchers, then entice your cat with catnip.  Be sure the vertical scratchers are made with sisal rope, not carpet, and are tall enough for the adult cat to stretch his entire body length.  Reward appropriate behavior with treats.  Use Sticky Paws® or double-sided tap to cover inappropriate items.

If your cat can’t seem to stop scratching, please talk to your vet.  You may find trimming and training are the right solutions, rather than surgery.

Cat Health Care

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Our feline friends are an important part of our lives, providing constant love and joy.  It is our job to provide the proper care so they can remain healthy and happy.

Vaccinations

Vaccines protect animals from specific viral and bacterial infections.  These diseases are deadly.  The vaccine is not a treatment, but a preventative.

  • Kittens should receive the combination 3-in-1 at 8, 12, and 16 weeks of age.  This protects against Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, and Panleukopenia (sometimes called Distemper).  After initial kitten vaccines, the vaccine is boosted one year later, then every three years for adult cats.  Even indoor cats need to be protected, since these diseases are airborne, and your pet can be unknowingly exposed if you’ve come in contact with the virus.
  • NYC law requires all cats older than 3 months to be vaccinated for Rabies.  The rabies vaccine is usually given at 4 months of ago, at the time of the final FVRCP vaccine, and then needs to be boosted every year.
  • Outdoor cats are also vaccinated against Feline Leukemia (FeLV).  This immune system virus can be transmitted when one infected cat licks another, and is often deadly.

Neutering

Female cats are spayed (ovariohysterectomy – removal of the ovaries and uterus) and males are castrated (removal of the testicles).  In addition to preventing unwanted kittens, spaying females helps prevent breast cancer (in cats, this is fatal 90% of the time) and pyometra (an infected uterus), a life-threatening problem in older cats that must be treated with surgery and intensive medical care.  Castration can prevent urine spraying, decrease the urge to escape outside, and reduce fighting.  It also reduces future prostate and urinary infections.  Spaying and castration can be done when the kitten weighs 2 pounds and should be done by 6 months of age.

It is a myth that spaying or neutering an animal will change their behavior.  Surgery will not affect their behavior.  Any variation in activity and playfulness is a result of age: as kittens mature into adult cats, they will become more sedentary naturally.

Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD)

Both males and females can develop lower urinary tract inflammation.  Signs of FLUTD are: frequent trips to the litter box, crying, bloody urine, and straining to urinate.  If your male cat looks ” constipated”, he may have a urethral obstruction and cannot urinate.  FLUTD can be fatal.  Urethral blockages are rare in females, although about 5% of all cats are affected by FLUTD.  Cats should get the majority of their calories and nutrition from wet (canned) food to help prevent lower urinary tract problems.  Certain prescription diets can prevent this condition.

Dentistry

Healthy teeth and gums are an essential part of your cat’s overall health.  Infected gums can be a breeding ground for bacteria, which can then travel through the bloodstream and attack the vital organs.  Have your cat’s teeth professionally cleaned annually. 

Feeding

We recommend that you feed your cat a name brand canned cat food, such as Science Diet, Iams, Purina, etc. two to three times daily. Supermarket brand are often too rich for the average cat.  They are higher in calories and fat than premium brands.  Milk is not necessary and can cause diarrhea.  Also avoid offering table scraps.  Cats can become finicky eaters if they are given too many different foods.

Medicines

Make sure you only give prescribed medicines to your cat.  Check with your veterinarian if you’re unsure.  Certain kids of medications are fatal to cats, including Tylenol and aspirin.

Scratching and Playing

Cats need to scratch.  When a cat scratches it pulls off the old outer nail sheath and exposes the sharp smooth claw underneath.  Buy or build a scratching post that is tall enough so they cat can stretch completely when scratching, and stable enough so that it won’t wobble when being used.  Cats also like scratching pads.  Praise your cat for using the post or pad; rub your hands on the scratching surface and gently rub your cat’s paws on the surface.  When the cat starts to scratch the furniture or rug, gently say no, pick up the cat, and bring him over to the post.  Also, purchase a cat dancer or similar toy; older cats can become sedentary and need encouragement to exercise and play.

Litterbox

Clean completely once or twice a week.  Scoop out at least once daily.  The litter box should be placed in a quiet, accessible location.  Do not use deodorant or scented litters.