famaululat:

bouncybat:

Hey guys, I wanted to share with you a visual example of why you should leave your cat’s claws intact.

First off, let me say that I was 9 or 10 when I got my cat, and therefore didn’t really get a say in what happened to her claws. I was against removing them then and I still am today. She is now an older lady, 13 or 14.

The picture on the left is of one of her front feet. Notice how her paw-pads have become misshapen, and atrophied. If I touch them, they don’t provide much cushion at all, and I can feel the tips of the bones of her toes.

The picture on the right is of her back foot where her claws were not removed. Huge difference.

She was lucky that she didn’t have any complications when we brought her home, and she doesn’t /seem/ like she’s in any pain, but cats don’t show when they are in pain very easily.

Do. Not. De-claw. Your. Cat.

I’m gonna add to this actually because a very similar thing happened to my childhood cat, except her gait was permanently changed and she has arthritic complications in her wrists and elbows. Just watching her stance is almost painful (she doesn’t walk on the “tips” anymore—with age her wrists bend so far back she has to limp regardless of arthritis). Not only that, but after the surgery she turned from a once active, energetic young cat into a depressed, anxious cat who steadily gained weight and lost most interest in playing (she used to chase us as kids with strings from one side of the house to the other). 

As a vet tech myself I have assisted in numerous declaw surgeries. Every. Single. Cat. That wakes up from one shows it’s in tremendous pain, even with meds for pain management. 

Plastic claw tips are like $12 for a pack that will last several months at the pet store. All you need is some glue and if you can’t do it yourself your vet will be happy to for a fee. Training is also an alternate route to harmless plastic claw tips (that, for several years’ worth of safe protection for your furniture, ends up being less than the declaw surgery itself). 

Don’t declaw your cat.