Declawing cats is an emotionally charged and hotly debated topic both the american veterinary medical association and the academy of feline medicine stress that owners should be educated about both the procedure and its alternatives.
Can i get my cat declawed at any age.
Declawing cats isn t ok at any age.
There are several alternatives to declawing cats although effectiveness may vary depending on a cat s age and temperament.
My answer is always the same never.
Between 3 and 6 months of age is ideal.
Cats declawed at our practice and at this young age typically breeze through recovery have an extremely low incidence of infection or other complications and continue on through life.
Yes it is true that young kittens seem to recover faster than older cats but it s not because they feel any less pain or have suffered any less trauma.
Declaw surgery is ideally done between 4 and 6 months of age and can be done at the same time as spay or neuter since both procedures are relatively short.
For many cats that s around 5 or 6 months of age.
This is a much more effective alternative for kittens than adult cats and involves redirecting a.
Typically our veterinarians suggest you declaw your cat at spay or neuter time.
The family member can t afford to get scratched.
Some of the more prevalent alternatives to declawing cats are.
Declawing a cat can lead to much bigger problems than scratched furniture.
The age to declaw a cat.
I have on occasion received emails asking me what the ideal age is to declaw a cat.
The american academy of feline practitioners aafp goes even further by saying it strongly opposes the practice which is considered a major surgery.