How Much To Have A Cat Declawed

Physical Exam Before Your Cat Is Declawed

Prior to having your cat , your veterinarian will examine your kitty to get a picture of his overall health and to determine which procedure will be used to remove the nails. The cost of the exam will vary. For example, a hospital in Los Angeles, CA may charge $65 for an examination fee prior to declawing. Another clinic in Albany, OR may charge around $50. Neither exam includes the cost of blood work, which can be as low as $65 for a presurgical panel and as high as $185 for a full blood panel with a urinalysis. Such tests are highly recommended prior to surgery to uncover whether your cat has any conditions that may affect his recovery.

Alternatives To Declawing A Cat

Soft paw nails

These are soft nail caps that go on top of the cats nails. These caps will be hollow inside and will fit over your cats nail securely using a non-toxic adhesive. These caps will stay on for up to six weeks and will fall off with the natural growth. Some cats, in the beginning, may aggressively groom them, causing them to fall off quicker.

Scratching posts

Cats will always naturally want to scratch, and a scratching post allows them to do just this. This will deter them from scratching your furniture or carpet. If choosing a scratching post, make sure its tall enough to allow your cat to fully extend, and choose a location where they may want to mark their territory. The best material, according to declawing.com, is sisal fabric.

Double sided tape

This is a sticky tape on both sides that can be applied to anything you dont want the cat to scratch.

Feliway

This feline facial pheromone is a simple odor placed on items you dont want your cat to scratch. If you ever watch a cat, you will notice they rub their cheeks on items around the house. The purpose of this is to mark their territory and claim it as theirs. This spray will calm your cat and deter them from scratching unnecessary things.

How Much Does It Cost To Declaw A Cat

The cost of declawing a cat ranges from $200 to $800 and is dependent on your cats age, your local veterinarians prices, take-home medications, and pre-anesthetic health assessments, and any other potential complications that may come with the surgery. Also, if your local veterinarian does not offer declawing, you will need to travel outside of your area to have the procedure done, which entails additional costs.

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Protecting Furniture From Cat Scratching Damage

So if declawing is inhumane, how can you protect your belongings from cat claw damage? Luckily, there are several things you can do to ensure that your cat’s claws can exist in harmony with your furniture and other household items. These include:

• Cat scratching posts

Providing enough cat scratching surfaces that have the qualities that are important to cats is one of the most important and effective ways for you to minimize cat scratching damage to your home. A cat that has access to scratching posts that meet their needs for marking territory, stretching muscles, and relieving stress will almost always choose to use them rather than the less attractive options of furniture and carpet.

Training your cat to use a scratching post involves making the post as attractive as possible for scratching while simultaneously rendering undesirable any unacceptable surfaces that he may be using. You can learn exactly how to do both things in the article “How to Train Your Cat or Kitten to Use a Scratching Post.”

So Is It Legal To Declaw A Cat In Florida

Right now, the answer is yes, but many vets and animal experts feel that should be a last resort if you have a cat with scratching problems. Trimming your cats nails weekly can help the issue. Soft claws can be utilized as well. But if you want to prevent your cat from scratching furniture, you may want to invest in covers. Some owners spray the cats target with synthetic pheromones to repel the cat.

Ask your experienced veterinarian for advice on how to keep your kitty from scratching where they should not. For cats, scratching is a natural part of their behavior, and we shouldnt, as humans, seek to bring them pain for our own convenience.

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Other Expenses That Comes With Declawing Your Cat

• Anesthesia Charges

The weight of your pet and the length of the procedure determines the usage of anesthetic. Vets prefer this surgery during 4 months of age. However, many vets do the surgery up to the age of 5.

The amount of anesthetic used and charges may differ with respect to age. In addition, some of the hospitals include anesthesia charges within the total cost. This may elevate your charges from nominal to heavy it is important to consult your vet beforehand to get to know the exact picture.

• Antibiotics

Any surgery comes with a certain risk of infection. Vets prefer using antibiotics routinely to keep the risk of infection lower. In some cases, oral antibiotics are preferred to minimize the further risks of infection once back home. The cost is dependent on the type of antibiotics used.

• Overnight Stay

Vets prefer to keep their pet until the afternoon after observation once your pet undergoes surgery in the morning.

However, if the surgery takes place later and there is a need for an overnight stay, these charges also add up. In fact, the length of the stay is more significant in the overall cost.

The duration your pet should stay in the hospital depends on many factors. If it requires extended treatment, care, and monitoring, then the stay continues.

Remember, if your cat has been spayed or neutered also affects the duration of hospital stay.

• Pain Killers

Pros Of Declawing Cats

Cats that have had their claws remove pose a much lower risk to children and other pets. This is one of the biggest reasons that influence this decision.

Aggressive cats that have severe behavior problems pose a safety risk due to their claws. Getting them removed saves these cats from having to be euthanized or left at a shelter because of their behavior.

Cats scratch, it is a natural thing for them to do. Expensive furniture often suffers because of this feline trait. Declawed cats cannot scratch up furniture. Thereby saving its owner money!

While there are some bad side effects of the procedure, most normal functions can still be performed without problems. This includes climbing, walking, and pad sensations.

Due to the fact that the cat can no longer scratch humans and other animals, their relationships with them may improve greatly. You are able to feel a closer bond with an animal that you are not afraid of.

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The Truth About Declawing

Will Declawing my Cat Reduce Damage to Household Items?

The Wisconsin Humane Society works hard to save cats. We provide extensive medical services and socialization for cats that are abandoned and we love every one of them for their beauty and unique personalities. The last thing that we want is for anything bad to happen to any cat. That is the reason that we actively educate people about the perils of declawing their cat. And, we’re confident that if people take our message to heart and follow some easy instructions on safeguarding their furniture, they will not need to have their cat declawed.

Many people assume that having their cat declawed is a routine and necessary activity. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is easy to train a cat to use a good scratching post and WHS has cat and guardian approved scratching posts available for sale. The post should be at least 30″ tall, mounted in a stable base and covered with sisal rope.

Here are some more eye-opening facts and opinions about declawing:

Does Declawing A Cat Affect Its Personality

Numerous studies that have researched a potential correlation between cat declawing and personality changes strongly indicate that none exists. Please remember that it may take your cat a little time to feel comfortable walking on surgically sensitive paws, which could indeed affect his or her personality traits and behaviors during the recovery period. Therefore, it is always important to be nurturing and supportive during the recovery process, in order to help facilitate a speedy recovery.

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One Instance Where Declawing May Be Necessary

There is one instance when a veterinarianwill suggest a cat has one claw removed. In polydactyl cats, cats with extra toes, sometimes the claw on the extra toe becomes ingrown causing infection and pain. If your cat is a polydactyl, having one toe declawedwill not cost as much as a full declaw procedure.

Some pet owners find keeping the nail cutextremely short helps eliminate this problem. Don’t rush into the declawing, talk to your vet to find out of that extra claw is going to be problematic or if keeping it trimmed will be enough.

Alternatives To Declawing Procedures

As you can see, declawing a cat isnt just painful and expensive, but depending on your motives, it can also be unnecessary.

It may be hard to adjust to the scratching behavior of your cat, but it can be managed and redirected, so he wont end up damaging your walls and furniture.

Hence, before you schedule a declawing appointment with your veterinarian, it would help to seek first some non-surgical alternatives that could address the underlying reasons why youd want your cat declawed in the first place.

Below are some alternatives that you can try at home:

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Cat Declawing Cost: What You Need To Know

Declawing cats is an emotional and controversial topic because it involves removing the cats first line of defense: its sharp nails and bones that hold the nails. The American Veterinary Medical Association and the Academy of Feline Medicine stress that owners should be educated about the procedure, the risks, and the alternatives.

If You Have A Kitten Who Is Scratching Up Your Furniture And Generally Tearing Up Your House You May Be Tempted To Have It Declawed Read This First

Cats by nature have a need to scratch to mark their territory, stretch their bodies, and remove the worn-out outer claws to expose fresher sharper claws underneath. For an indoor cat, this natural instinct can result in tattered curtains, torn up sofas, and carpets left in shredsdestructive and cranky behaviors that can leave frustrated pet parents scrambling for a solution.

Some may be tempted to declaw their cats. Also known as onychectomy, declawing is a surgical process in which the front knuckles of the cats toes are amputated so the animal can no longer use its claws to scratch household items or hurt others during rough playor defend itself should it meet an aggressive cat or another animal outdoors or even hop a fence or climb to get away from a predator.

Many groups, including the ASPCA and American Veterinary Medical Association , discourage declawing and suggests non-surgical alternatives. This major surgery has the potential to result in chronic, lifelong pain, and a change in the animals gait. In 2019, New York State became the first state to outlaw the procedure. Declawing is illegal in many countries in Europe, as well as in the United Kingdom, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, and Israel.

Read on to learn about special circumstances that may require declawing and a guide to safer alternatives to declawing so you and your kitty can have a happier relationship.

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Between 3 And 6 Months Of Age Is Ideal

How much to have a cat declawed. Typically, our veterinarians suggest you declaw your cat at spay or neuter time. Overall, the price could be as little as $40 or as much as $400. Many factors contribute to the average cost of declawing a cat.

Cat declawing prices can vary according to many factors, such as the vet, the age of your cat, or which technique is operated. How old does a kitten have to be to get declawed and fixed? How much does it cost to declaw a cat?the cost of declawing cats in countries that allow surgery, can range between $100 to $500 .

If your kitten is already spayed or neutered, we may perform the declaw surgery earlier. In general, the price to declaw a cat ranges from $200 up to $800, or even higher. How much to have a cat declawed.

How much does it cost to get a cat declawed. Overall, the price could be as little as $40 or as much as $400. However, the cost to get a cat declawed should be taken into consideration before making the final decision.

Depending on the method of declawing a cat, the cost varies between $100 and $500. Even so, it’s a fairly significant operation.cut through the joint and amputate the cat’s knuckles and the tip of the claw. While it can vary depending on your kittys unique situation, the typical cost could be anywhere around $200 to $600, and thats just the procedural cost.

But it does affect the cat. Richardson points out that, in addition, removing the claws. A few key factors will give the final price.

Three Methods Used In Declawing Cats

1. Rescoe Clipper Method

This is the fastest, simplest, and cheapest of all three methods. In this procedure, the veterinarian uses a sterilized clipper to cut the cats toe bone tips. As a result, the cat loses part of the bones from which his claws grow.

The incisions from the procedure will be closed using a suture or surgical glue. The cost of this procedure alone is usually $100.

2. Scalpel Blade/Nail Trimmer Method

This next procedure is more complicated than the first one, and its also more expensive.

It involves the use of a guillotine-style nail trimmer or a scalpel blade to surgically remove the last bone of each toe and the claws attached to them.

This procedure takes more time, which also means greater risks and more downtime from the anesthesia.

3. Laser Procedure

Laser declawing involves the use of a laser beam to amputate the bone and the claws associated with them.

As expected with any laser procedure, this method is less painful than the other procedures, but it is the most expensive.

The cost could go anywhere from around $350 to $600, which is still a reasonable price considering the cost of the equipment .

However, if you take away the price tag in the picture, what you will see is that it can give your cat an easier time to adjust after the procedure considering that it is less painful, and it has a lower risk for post-surgical bleeding.

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Laser Surgery Reduces Declawing Complications But The Procedure Still Hurts

When the surgical laser is used for this procedure, a skin incision is made around the base of the nail and then the ligaments attaching P3 to P2 are cut and the nail surgically removed along with P3. The advantage to using the laser is that as it cuts it also cauterizes nerves and blood vessels.

This reduces bleeding and inflammation and is believed to reduce pain as well. However, the laser in no way makes this a painless procedure, but does seem to help reduce the complication rate. Complications can include bleeding, infection, lameness, nerve damage, gangrene, extensive tissue damage, and death

Cat Declawing Cost Breakdown

• Pre-Anesthetic Health Checks

Depending on your cats age, it may need diagnostic testing before it can go under anesthesia. Young adult cats will likely require a CBC and basic blood chemistry panel, which has a cost of about $80 to $120.

Older cats, on the other hand, typically need a more extensive chemistry panel, a CBC, and a urinalysis, which cost roughly $175 to $250.

The morning before the procedure, an exam will also be performed to make sure your cat is feeling well enough for the anesthesia. This costs about $30 to $50.

• Anesthesia

The price for anesthesia will normally range from $25 to $75.

• Procedure

A technician will shave and sterile scrub your cats paws as best possible. Due to the nature of the area, the procedure is not sterile. Once the area is ready, the doctor will go ahead and remove the claws.

There are two methods to declaw a cat. In one method, the veterinarian will use a scalpel to cut the joint and remove the first bone of each toe. In another method, the veterinarian will use a trimming tool to cut through half of the first bone of the toe.

Veterinarians charge roughly $400 an hour for their time in surgery. After going under anesthesia and preparing the feet, the declawing process takes roughly 30 minutes.

With either method, tissue glue and bandages will be used to stop the bleeding and cover the wound. These bandages must stay on overnight. Proper bandaging is quite complicated and can cost $20 to $50.

• After Care

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The Consequences Of Declawing

However, the drawback to declawing while it is young is that it might be unknown if a pet is going to be destructive or not as it grows up. So, its not fair to put a cat through surgery simply because it has claws and may or may not be destructive in the future.

. Once a cat is declawed, it should be kept strictly indoors since the pet will no longer be able to defend itself or climb to escape a potential predator.

. If a cat is intentionally scratching people or other pets in the household, owners should be advised that this cat, if declawed, may start biting instead of scratching. In this case, where a cat is scratching people/pets as a form of aggression, a behaviorist should be consulted to attempt to manage this aggression instead of proceeding to surgery.