To declaw or not to declaw?

Do you declaw your cats? Could you imagine getting your nails ripped off about an inch deep then having to have full functioning paws afterward? Cats have this done when the owners don't have control over where the cats scratch and what they are scratching. Personally, I couldn't do it. None of my cats are declawed and I have beautiful furniture, walls, and anything a cat would scratch on. I trained my cats to scratch on scratching posts, and their cat trees. I have to replace the hemp rope a few times a year, but my furniture looks great! My mom has her cats front declawed which I do not personally like, but her cats had scratching issues that simply could not be fixed.

When you declaw a cat, only do the front paws. If your cat were to get loose outside, it would have no way to defend itself against other animals that could be potentially dangerous. So if you do decide to declaw your cat, only do the front. If you decide not to, great! Practice with your kitty, hold on to their paw and rub against the scratching post. A lot of cats like vertical posts to scratch on. You could also put catnip on the post to help get your cat into scratching on it. It may seem like a lost cause, but continue to work with your cat, and it can pan out in your favor. If you say you do not have time, that is not the case. It only takes a little bit of time, a few minutes a day. 

Some people also like to try putting caps on top of their cats nails. I have heard good things, and bad things. I have heard that they help a lot. Also have heard a lot of bad reviews that removing them is almost impossible. Also that they can break and the cat's nail can break as well. Whether trying some of them is an option or not, ensure to check reviews and see if that is really a good option for your kitty. 

Whether you decide to declaw, put caps on, or none of those options, it is something you need to think about when you get a kitty. If you decide to not declaw, try to clip your kittys nails at least a few times, so if you do get scratched, it will not be so bad.