Is There An Alternative to Declawing My Cat?

Q: My furniture is being destroyed, but I really don't want to declaw my cat. Is there a good alternative to declawing?Q: My furniture is being destroyed, but I really don't want to declaw my cat. Is there a good alternative to declawing?

A: To protect your furniture without declawing your cat there are a few things you can do. First it is important to keep your cats nails as short as possible. This will certainly minimize any damage to your home. There is a product on the market called Soft Claws that will virtually eliminate the damage caused by scratching. These are small plastic nail covers that are glued onto your cats' nails and provide a covering. Another option is something called a Scat Mat. These are small mats that you can place on your furniture, countertops, or tables. When the mat detects the motion from your cat it sends out a small shock. Many cats learn quickly from this and you wont even need to use the mat anymore. Finally, there is a surgery other than declawing that will prevent your cat from scratching. This surgery entails cutting the tendons to the nails so that your cat cannot use its claws. This is very different from the declaw procedure which requires the removal of bone.