Cat Declawing: Laser Techniques and Other Great Alternatives

Cat declawing, whether by a laser or by traditional means, eliminates your cat's ability to damage or ruin your furniture and other personal belongings because of excessive scratching. The laser technique used to declaw cats is similar to the traditional procedure, but there are significant benefits and disadvantages to note. Read the following information about the laser declawing technique, its benefits and drawbacks, and the other non-surgical options available to you.

How Laser Declawing Works

Laser declawing removes the third toe bone in a cat, as well as the claw that grows from it. This prevents the claw not only from protruding out of the fur, but also from re-growing altogether. The laser is the primary tool in this procedure, whereas a scalpel and other tools are required in the traditional declawing procedure.

Benefits of Laser Declaw Surgery

During the laser declawing procedure, blood loss is minimal because nerves and blood vessels are automatically cauterized by the laser. The procedure also takes less time than traditional declawings and is a less invasive form of surgery.

Drawbacks of Laser Declaw Surgery

Although the surgery takes less time and isn't as invasive, extreme pain and recurrent infections can still occur after the procedure is complete. Declawed cats may also experience long term muscle weakness in their legs, shoulders, and back. Additionally, declawed cats are virtually defenseless against dogs and other predators. They cannot fight back when threatened, climb trees to escape, and should be kept indoors for their own safety.

Other Options

If you'd rather not declaw your cat, you still have plenty of other options. Cat nail clippers can be helpful in trimming your cat's nails, though if your cat is calm enough, regular nail clippers will suffice. Trimming your cat's nails reduces the sharp tip safely and painlessly. Even if you have trimmed your cat's nails, you should still provide your cat with toys and objects that he or she can scratch on. In order to satisfy your cat's scratching needs, you should supply plenty of scratching posts, trees, and pads.

Cat claw covers are also another good alternative to traditional or laser cat declawing. Cat claw covers are rubber caps that fit over your cat's claws. They come in different sizes for different sized cats and attach using adhesive. They are affordable as well as easy to apply, but must be replaced every four to six weeks.

 

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