Ask the Vet - Declawing Cats

I really don’t want to have my cat declawed, but she’s ruining our furniture. Are there any alternatives to declawing?

Many of my clients don’t want to declaw their cats, but they also do not want their furniture (or their children) scratched up. You can try to trim your cat’s toenails (be very careful or ask your veterinarian to help) or try to persuade her to use a scratching post. Plastic nail covers are available that you put on your cat’s claws so she does not do any damage when she scratches. We have used them a lot in our clinic. If you are diligent about changing them every few months, they work well. Ask your veterinarian about them.