Declawing is a topic that arouses strong feelings. Some people believe it’s cruel and unnecessary, while others think it has its place.
Why people declaw cats:
People often mistakenly believe that declawing their cats is a harmless “quick fix” for unwanted scratching. They don’t realize that declawing can make a cat less likely to use the litter box or more likely to bite.
People who are worried about being scratched, especially those with immunodeficiencies or bleeding disorders, may be told incorrectly that their health will be protected by declawing their cats. However, declawing is not recommended by infectious disease specialists. The risk from scratches for these people is less than those from bites, cat litter, or fleas carried by their cats.
Cats are usually about 8 weeks old when they begin scratching. It’s the ideal time to train kittens to use a scratching post and allow nail trims. Pet caregivers should not consider declawing a routine prevention for unwanted scratching. Declawing can actually lead to an entirely different set of behavior problems that may be worse than shredding the couch.
I personally do not recommend declawing your cat. My cat Lucy has never torn up any furniture, she loves her scratching post!