Many cat owners struggle with the decision to declaw or not declaw their cat… One of the most popular reasons to declaw has to be to save the home furnishings and their belongings, but there are many more reasons that are against declawing cats. If you are still on the fence about making a decision then the pros and cons of declawing your cat can help you decide.
Pros of declawing your cat.
The cat is less dangerous to little children. Without the sharp nails, cats are non-threatening. Without the claws, cats can not destroy furniture, for example the sides of your couch or the carpet on the stairs.
The cons of declawing your cat.
If the cats cannot use your claws to scratch then they will bite! This is so because, not having claws will make the cat anxious and they can act out and biting is one of the ways to do that regardless of the situation.
Another way a cat can act out is by not using the litter box appropriately. It is not a behavioral issue because using the litter box right after declawing is a painful process for the cat so they stop using it for a while and not using the littler box can become an unwanted habit.
Declawing your cat is an extreme procedure. If you want to save your furniture then you need to provide a scratching pole. It is also possible to train your cat not to harm your belongings by keeping a spray bottle of water handy.