Soft Paws nail caps

Question
I am thinking about moving in w/someone that has leather furniture.  They said my cat cannot come because she has back claws.  I know you cannot declaw an adult cat because it would be too painful.  I chose not to move in w/this person until I came across Soft Paws.  They are plastic nail caps that you glue on your cats front or back claws.  It's an alternative to declawing.  Have you heard of these?  If so, do they really work?

Thanks,

Beth

Answer
Beth,

Declawing is the term used to refer to a major surgery that amputates a cat's digits at the first joint. Regardless of the age of a cat when this surgery is done it's quite painful. There are serious risks to this surgery including long term, chronic pain, arthritis, difficulty walking properly and infection. Some cats become quite aggressive after being declawed, sometimes it's as a result of the pain other times the cat is left feeling vulnerable and will strike out offensively rather than take the risk that s/he might have to defend him/herself. Declawed cats often become biters which can lead to a cat being euthanized and in reality there are other options for pet parents seeking to minimize the damage their cat companion does to their possessions. Most veterinarians won't declaw a cat's hind paws simply because doing so would prevent them from being able to even scratch an itch. Soft Paws are a great alternative to declawing, they can be applied by the pet parent or the veterinarian and they're fairly well priced depending of course on where they're available in your area. Soft Paws are a painless, humane alternative to declawing a cat. These soft vinyl caps prevent the cat from doing damage to furniture, flooring or other items with his/her claws. Some cats will actually chew the nail caps off during the initial phase of using them so patience and persistance will help keep the nail caps in place. The times that I've needed to use Soft Paws they've worked well, for some cats getting comfortable with the nail caps happens almost immediately while other kitties need a bit more time...I would recommend that you start using the nail caps awhile before you plan to move just in case your kitty needs the extra patient, persistant approach to keep these caps in place and protect the leather furniture.