Kittens are a fun and frisky pet, but sometimes their sharp little claws can get them into trouble. Playful kitties have a tendency to scratch on furniture, carpets, and clothing. They may even snag on your skin, leaving painful scratch marks. Because of this, many people consider getting their kitten or cat declawed. This is a personal choice, and many veterinarians will perform the procedure. According to one veterinarian, the younger your kitten is the less painful the declawing process will be for him or her. There are many different techniques to declaw a cat, and some are much gentler than others.

The American Veterinary Medical Association published their stance on declawing domestic cats in 2003, after much controversy appeared over the subject. According to their archives, declawing a kitten should be a last resort after other options have been tested. Cats have a basic instinct to scratch. They use this action to mark their territory, which is why they often return to a specific chair or couch to do their damage. They also condition their claws and remove husks through methodic scratching. Cats have a tendency to scratch when stretching by digging their claws into a surface and elongating their bodies. In some cases, you may be able to divert your kitten from marring your furniture. Pet stores normally have a large variety of scratching posts for cats which range in price, shape, color, and features. Some scratching posts are scented to attract your cat away from your valuables and towards their own special place.

As well, sometimes a bit of corrective punishment can keep your kitten from targeting your curtains. If you start when your feline is young, you can normally reprimand her until she learns to steer clear of certain locations. Move your kitty from the couch to the scratching post every time she is tempted to dig her claws into your furniture, or use a spray bottle filled with water to give her a harmless but uncomfortable surprise. You can reward your kitten when she uses the scratching post with a cheerful greeting or a bit of attention. If these methods don't work, you may want to consider purchasing nail caps for your kitten. These plastic coverings can keep a kitten's claws from causing any damage by encasing the sharp claws in a soft, rubbery plastic. These casings come in a variety of colors are harmless. As well, you can clip the tips of your pet's nails to keep them from doing too much damage. While this will not end the scratching, blunting your kitty's nails will help to protect your valuables.

As a last resort, declawing will stop your cat from tearing the furniture, your skin, or anything else that is suffering damage. Some clinics do not support this surgery, so you will want to call and research the veterinarians in your area before making an appointment. Medically known as onychectomy, declawing a kitten is a surgical amputation. A feline's nails are not like a human's, and declawing should not be likened to clipping nails. Declawing entails cutting off all or part of the cat's third phalanges or toe bones and the claws attached to these bones. Normally a vet will only declaw the feline's front paws, but there are times when all four paws are operated on. Vets use nail trimmers, scalpel blades, or surgical lasers for the procedure.

If only part of the phalanx is removed, your cat may eventually regrow his or her claws. A partial removal allows the paw to retain its natural function and appearance. According to the AMVA, this surgery is painful for cats, though the degree to which they suffer is hard to determine. Only 9 out of 163 cats monitored in a study did not put weight on their declawed feet for 24 hours. A Cambridge research project which monitored declawed cats was not able to decipher their pain, and found that most kittens seemed to recover quite fast. Normally, kittens exhibited signs of pain for 48 hours following surgery and then returned back to normal. In conclusion, the AMVA suggests using alternative methods before deciding to declaw your feline. If you believe the surgery is necessary, find a careful and reputable vet to perform the operation, and watch your feline closely during the recovery period.