Declawing iiiiiiiisssss...

Well, let's just say I've seen the procedure done countless times, and it still makes me shudder. It's not even like removing our fingernails; it's more like removing our entire third knuckle.

Not only that, but the procedure really has to be done properly, or the claws will grow back into a twisted parody of their former selves. The vet I used to co-op for didn't agree with declawing, but he did it because he wanted to make sure people were having it done right.

Also, I've noticed that cats who are declawed tend to opt for their teeth for self-defence, and a deep cat bite can easily land you in the hospital.

On the other hand, I can understand people's need to protect their belongings; if it comes down to, "The cat gets declawed or it goes out the door," I'd rather the cat get declawed.

There are options, as you've discovered:

--Softpaws, obviously. These can be kind of a hassle to apply/maintain, though. They rarely come in the right size, and need to be cut back.

--Get the cats' claws trimmed on a regular basis. Cats scratch to peel the sheath that grows around their nails; with shorter nails, they're less inclined to "maintain" them.

--Get the cats some Whisker City cardboard playsets. My cats are mental about these, and rarely pass them up for furniture. They never cared for canvas scratchers, so I assume something about the textured cardboard is really appealing to them.

--Tape tinfoil to whatever they love to scratch. Cats haaaate running their claws on tinfoil.

--Citrus sprays might work. Cats haaaate citrus.

Hope that helps a bit!

It does help indeed! I have often thought about trimming the cats nails myself... I'm just not exactly sure how to do it and how far I need to cut.

I might pick up some of that Whisker City stuff later this week after I get paid. Winry has a a little scratch pad that is full of catnip that she typically uses to scratch. She's a sucker for catnip. Ed however couldn't care less about it.

The soft paws might be a good idea... If only to see Ed with bright pink press on nails lol!

Thanks for the input!

Hint: You're supposed to cut a cat's nails before applying Soft Paws, so nail-cutting should probably be your #1 priority anyway. ;)

Hint II: Cutting a cat's nails is blissfully easy--if they let you do it. I cut Dante's nails all the time. Cammy attempts to scalp me every time I try. If David was confident about helping me restrain her, I could do it. He's not, though, so I will have to take her to a vet or a groomer. Either or will do it for under twenty bucks, usually, but call ahead because some groomers are smart and won't work on cats.

All you're really looking at doing is gently squeezing the paw until the claws come out of the sheaths. Dogs have veins that grow with the nail, and so do cats, but cats' veins stay way back and make the prospect of "quicking"--cutting into the vein--far less likely.

There are "cat" nail clippers that look like a small pair of scissors, but I don't like them. I usually use a plier-style nail clipper meant for small dogs...something like this, though you can find it a lot cheaper at Petsmart and whatnot. Once you reveal the cat's claws, cut off as much as you're comfortable with. If you're new to the process, you can just start with the tips; cats' nails curve to a point, and it's pretty easy to gauge where you should cut. Start with the front paws, and do the backs when/if you're comfortable.

Just cutting the nails actually requires a lot less putzing around than applying the Soft Paws. ;) If you can't get the nails clipped, they're not going to let you apply the Soft Paws.

Bonus hint: I already mentioned that many groomers/vets will cut cat nails, and many of them will also apply the Soft Paws for you as well.

This will help a lot! Thanks! :)