Alternatives to Declawing Your Cat

For many cat owners, the biggest daily pain is scratching.  Cats have natural instincts that cause them to claw at all sorts of things, particularly drapes, furniture and carpeting.  After dealing with scratching and destroyed home furnishings, some cat owners decide to remove their cats' claws through a surgical procedure known as "declawing".  However, many cat owners would rather avoid surgery.  In these cases, training may be a viable alternative. 

If you would like to get your cat to stop scratching, but want to avoid declawing, here are some tips that will save your possessions and your kitty's precious paws:

Avoid upholstery with a vertical drag.  Cats are attracted to this type of upholstery and will use it as a scratching post. 

Buy a scratching post.  These posts are sold in most pet stores and are very affordable.  If your cat does not seem interested in the scratch post, try to leave a little cat nip near it and see what happens.

Trim your cat's nails.  When you trim your cat's nails, it will still scratch, but the damage to your possessions will be reduced or become nonexistent.

Don't scold your cat.  If you catch your cat clawing your furniture or drapes, know it is natural behavior and that scolding will do very little to correct the problem from happening in the future.

If you have additional questions about scratching or alternatives to declawing, find a local vet now!