Cat owners who are worried about the safety of furniture and wallpaper in the apartment sometimes begin to wonder if it is possible to completely remove the claws of the pet in order to avoid problems in the future. Experts told why this is a bad decision, the pravda.ru portal writes.
Scratching on moderately hard surfaces—hard upholstery, cardboard, wallpaper—is a natural behavior for cats that helps them stretch and exercise their muscles, as well as control their claws. In the wild, cats scratch on tree bark and other suitable objects to mark their territory and to keep their claws from growing into their paw pads. Indoor cats still have the urge to scratch their claws, but in the absence of suitable objects, they may begin to scratch furniture and other things in the house.
However, stripping them of their claws is harmful and dangerous to their health. This procedure is painful for the animal and can lead to long-term medical complications, experts say. For example, after surgery, a cat may have trouble using the litter box due to pain when trying to dig in the tray, which will eventually lead to dislike of the litter box and doing their business in more “comfortable” places, such as soft blankets. In addition, kittens deprived of their defensive tool can become aggressive and unfriendly due to constant stress.
Medical complications are also likely. There are risks of hemorrhage, infection, abscess, and ingrown claws when declawing, which can lead to more pain and abscesses. In some cases, cats can develop permanent lameness and inflammation of the bladder due to pain, stress, and toilet aversion.
Instead of removing the claws, it is better to accustom the cat to the scratching post. There are a lot of options for scratching posts, from rope posts to curly structures made of pressed cardboard, and you can choose the one that suits your cat. By watching her, you can understand what materials she considers the most suitable for scratching her claws, offer her just such a scratching post and encourage her every time she uses it. You can also apply repellent sprays for those places where the claws are not needed, and increasing attractiveness for scratching posts.
Source: Rosbalt
Mario Twitchell is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his insightful and thought-provoking writing on a wide range of topics including general and opinion. He currently works as a writer at 247 news agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
