A Guide to Declawed Cat Behavior

A cat makes use of its claws for a much wider variety of purposes than most pet owners realize, and a declawed cat can be very different from its former self. In addition to the variety of medical effects that can occur after you have your pet cat declawed, the cat can also have a number of different behavioral changes as well. Read on for a brief guide to some of the common behaviors that declawed cats will exhibit, and why those behaviors exist.

Declawed Cats and Biting

One of the main reasons that cats use their claws is as a self defense mechanism. If your pet is suddenly without the use of his claws, he will likely have to resort to other means in order to ensure that he is able to fully protect himself. One of the ways that he will do this is by starting to bite. You may notice your declawed cat becoming angrier or more aggressive by biting, but it's actually just his way of protecting himself against perceived threats when he doesn't have claws as a means of doing so any longer.

Cat Introversion after Declaw

Claws are an important part of your pet's identity. He uses them to mark his territory and express a wide range of other emotions as well. Without claws, it's not uncommon for your cat to quickly become introverted and isolated. You may notice that he seems to be less sociable and less willing to interact with people. This is likely due to the fact that he no longer has his claws as a means of expressing himself.

Nervousness after Being Declawed

Cats that perceive that they have no claws to protect themselves with will oftentimes become much more nervous and jittery than other cats. This has to do with the fact that these cats feel that they can no longer adequately defend themselves. You might notice your pet running away from people or other animals or acting much more afraid than normal after you have him declawed.

Litter Box Issues After Declaw

Cats that have been trained to use a litter box are accustomed to a certain type of feeling as they do so. When they no longer have claws, the litter in the box may cause pain or other unusual feelings in the pads of their paws. When this happens, your cat may begin to associate that feeling with the litter box and may then become afraid of the litter box. It's not uncommon for pets that have been declawed to suddenly regress and lose any litter box trained behavior that they previously had.

Marking with Urine

Without being able to mark with claws, a cat will resort to using urine to do so. While most cats will not spray inside of a house, those without claws oftentimes find that they have no other alternative as a means of marking their territory. You may see or smell your cat's urine throughout the house in unexpected places.

 

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