cat declawing,etc.

Question
We had a lovely calico cat show up a couple of months ago. She was scrawny and quite fearful. I never would have chosen to have a cat, but she is very dear. I didn't to get a cat because of the declawing issue. Is it bad to declaw them? My children are older now and I finally bought new furniture, carpet etc. I am really torn.

Answer
Yes, it is really a bad thing to declaw them -- despite what a lot of vets will tell you.  Most ethical ones are against preventative declawing. When I sell kittens, my buyers must agree never to subject a cat to this but to contact me if there is a scratching problem and I will help them address it. In two cases in 16 years, I have given up and said OK, and the cats have been declawed. But in all the others, we've fixed it.

So, what exactly is going on? Is there a scratching problem now or are you just concerned that there might be?  Are you trimming her claws? This is  basic element of cat care that every cat owner should know how to do. If you are near a Petsmart, their grooming centers can do it and show you how. Do you have the right kind of scratching post for her? The right kind meaning something that offers a scratching surface that's NOT covered with cloth or rug.  Otherwise the cat learns that it is OK to scratch something that feels like this and will happily scratch furniture and rug and post while you tear your hair out. If you are anywhere near the northeast, I always recommend the posts made by Arubacats in southern New Hampshire. I can put you in touch with them if you write back. Otherwise, look for something with sisal rope or cardboard (Petsmart's Turbo Scratcher is a good thing too).

If the cat does not take to whatever scratching place you provide for her, there is a nonsurgical option called SoftPaws. These are plastic nail caps that glue on and last for about a month. They have worked very well for me.

If you want more info about any of the topics I've mentioned here, including why declawing is bad, please write back and I will get more specific. It's a very broad topic so it may take a couple more questions before you get the answers you need.

iris