Care for a Newly Declawed Cat

The declaw procedure, called an onychectomy, involves the surgical removal of all or part of the bone that attaches to the nail, along with a portion of a tendon and ligament. Now that your cat is declawed, she will not be able to scratch your furniture (or you!), which is a good thing. However, getting declawed can be very painful for your cat. After the procedure, you will need to take good care of her so she can recover and get back to her normal activities.

Keeping Your Declawed Cat Comfortable

 * 1) Give your cat pain medication. Your cat likely received pain medication before and after surgery. However, she will still probably be in some pain when it is time for you to pick her up. To keep her comfortable at home, your veterinarian will prescribe at least several days’ worth of pain medication for your cat. These medications will either be a skin patch or in an oral formulation (pill or liquid). [[Image:Care for a Newly Declawed Cat Step 1 Version 2.jpg|center]]
 * 2) * Cats can be very good at hiding pain, so you may not know if your cat is actually in pain or not. Continue to give her the pain medication as directed by your veterinarian.
 * 3) * You will likely need to restrain your cat to give her the medication. Wrapping her up in a towel like a burrito will restrain her and lessen the chances of her biting you.
 * 4) * Giving your cat a pill may be challenging. Using a pill popper, which is available at your local pet store, may be safer than trying to stick your fingers in her mouth to give the pill.
 * 5) * You might also try putting the pill in a pill pocket, which is a tasty treat with a hole in the middle where the pill would go.
 * 6) * To give your cat liquid medication, restrain her as you would to give her a pill. Position the tip of the syringe just past her front teeth and aim the syringe towards the back of her mouth. Slowly dispense the medication in small increments, close her mouth, and blow on her nose to encourage her to swallow.
 * 7) * Talk to your veterinarian if you are uncomfortable with administering the medication, or are unable to do so. He or she may suggest using a pain patch instead.
 * 8) Confine your cat to a small space for 7 to 10 days. If you have other pets, keeping your cat in a small confined space, such as a bathroom, will prevent your other pets from licking or grooming her painful paws. Make this small space comfortable by placing her normal ‘creature comforts’ in it: food and water bowls, litter box, comfortable bedding, toys.[[Image:Care for a Newly Declawed Cat Step 2 Version 2.jpg|center]]
 * 9) * If putting her in a confined room is not possible, consider putting her in a crate. However, the crate may be too unfamiliar to her and she may not want to enter it.
 * 10) * Wherever you put your cat after the surgery, put her food and water bowls, as well as litter box, close by.
 * 11) Keep your cat indoors. If you have an outdoor or indoor/outdoor cat, you should keep her inside from now on. Without her claws, your cat would not be able to easily defend herself. Although it may take time for her to adjust to being inside all of the time, it will keep her safe.[[Image:Care for a Newly Declawed Cat Step 3 Version 2.jpg|center]]
 * 12) Prevent your cat from jumping. The declaw procedure is painful, so you may not think your cat would want to jump and cause herself even more pain. However, she may try. Keep a close eye on her when she is laying on her perch or on other furniture so you can stop her before she tries to jump. [[Image:Care for a Newly Declawed Cat Step 4 Version 2.jpg|center]]
 * 13) * If you are keeping her confined to a small room, check on her regularly and keep her as low to the ground as you can.
 * 14) * In addition to causing pain, jumping may cause the wounds to start bleeding. If you see bleeding, apply gentle pressure to the bleeding wound with some paper towels or facial tissues for about 10 to 15 minutes.
 * 15) Keep your cat’s paws clean. Taking care of your cat’s paws after surgery will keep them clean and prevent them from getting infected. Infection can occur if foreign objects, like small pieces of litter, get in to the wound. Newly declawed cats are especially susceptible to paw infections. [[Image:Care for a Newly Declawed Cat Step 5 Version 2.jpg|center]]
 * 16) * Unless your veterinarian sent your cat home with an antibiotic ointment, there should not be anything that you will need to apply to the wounds.
 * 17) * Gently wiping them with a warm, soft cloth should be sufficient to keep them clean.

Changing Your Cat’s Litterbox

 * 1) Select a comfortable litter. After being declawed, it may be very painful and uncomfortable for your cat to step in her normal litter. In fact, urinating and defecating outside the litter box is a common problem for newly declawed cats, since they do not want to step in litter that is now uncomfortable to them. Consider using clumping litter—its softness and fine texture would feel good on your cat’s feet. [[Image:Care for a Newly Declawed Cat Step 6 Version 2.jpg|center]]
 * 2) * The litter should be dust free. The dust could enter the wound, causing irritation and potential infection.
 * 3) * Using a different litter does not have to be permanent. Use it for as long as it takes your cat to recover from surgery, which is usually around 10 to 14 days.
 * 4) * Changing to a new litter abruptly, even if it will be more comfortable for your cat, could cause your cat to develop an aversion to her litter box. You may want to start getting your cat used to the new litter before the surgery.
 * 5) Purchase an additional litter box. Place this additional litter box closer to your cat’s resting area. If walking is painful or awkward for her, she would appreciate not having to walk far to relieve herself. Select a box that is larger than her current one.[[Image:Care for a Newly Declawed Cat Step 7 Version 2.jpg|center]]
 * 6) * Since newly declawed cats tend to be a little unbalanced when they begin walking again, a larger litterbox would give your cat more space to get her balance.
 * 7) Clean the litterbox frequently. Before the surgery, scooping out the litter box once a day was probably sufficient. However, for newly declawed cats, it is recommended to scoop out the soiled litter a few times a day. Your cat be more sensitive to feeling damp spots on her paws.[[Image:Care for a Newly Declawed Cat Step 8 Version 2.jpg|center]]
 * 8) * After scooping out the litter, rearrange the litter in the box so one-third to one-half of the box is exposed. Not having to step on the litter directly may be more comfortable for your cat after the surgery.

Monitoring Your Cat for Complications

 * 1) Check your cat’s paws regularly. Get into the habit of looking at your cat’s paws several times a day. Examine her paws for bleeding and swelling. A little bleeding is normal after surgery. However, if the bleeding is excessive and does not stop (e.g., the wound opened and applying pressure hasn’t stopped the bleeding), call your veterinarian. [[Image:Care for a Newly Declawed Cat Step 9.jpg|center]]
 * 2) * Discharge from the wound likely indicates infection. It may be yellowish in color. If you see any discharge, take your cat to the veterinarian for treatment.
 * 3) * If an infection has formed in the wound, you may see an abscess, which is essentially a pocket of infection. If you see an abscess, do  not  try to open it—this would likely be extremely painful for your cat and could make the infection worse. Take your cat to your veterinarian to get the abscess treated.
 * 4) * Sometimes, a cat’s claws can actually start growing back if the declaw surgery was not performed properly. Contact your veterinarian if it looks like your cat’s claws are growing back.
 * 5) * When your cat starts walking again, she may develop calluses behind her toe pads, since the bone that attaches to the nail is now gone. The ‘pressure point’ (the point that receives the most pressure when your cat walks) has now shifted back to behind her toe pads, causing painful calluses to develop in that location.
 * 6) Observe your cat’s behavior. It is not uncommon for a cat’s behavior to change after declaw surgery. For example, you may notice your cat becoming more withdrawn or aggressive. She may also try to bite you more, since she can no longer use her claws for protection. [[Image:Care for a Newly Declawed Cat Step 10.jpg|center]]
 * 7) * Your cat may not want to play as much anymore, since she can no longer use her claws to grasp her toys.
 * 8) * You may notice your cat spraying more often to compensate for not being able to use her claws to mark her territory. Spraying is more common with unneutered male cats than female cats.
 * 9) * Although these behavioral changes are common, they may be unsettling to you and negatively affect your relationship with your cat. Consider speaking with your veterinarian if the changes become problematic for you.
 * 10) Encourage your cat to walk. If your cat is in a lot of pain, walking will probably be the last thing she wants to do. However, getting her to walk soon after surgery is important for her recovery and allows you to observe her gait. Your cat should be walking around a day or after surgery. If she is not, call your veterinarian. [[Image:Care for a Newly Declawed Cat Step 11.jpg|center]]
 * 11) * Check to see if she is walking with a limp. Residual bone chips are an indication of a poorly performed onychectomy and can lead to chronic limping.
 * 12) * Calluses behind your cat’s toe pads could also cause her to walk differently, since it will be painful for her to bear weight on her front feet.
 * 13) * If your cat’s pain was not well controlled at the veterinary hospital, she may have developed a nerve hypersensitivity that would make it extremely painful for her to bear weight on her paws. You may notice your cat lifting up her front paws every time she sits down. This hypersensitivity may not reversible.
 * 14) * Take your cat to your veterinarian if she is not walking at all, or is unable to walk normally, after surgery. Untreated walking problems could lead to more serious orthopedic problems, such as arthritis, later on.

Tips

 * Your cat may be uncomfortable and in a lot of pain after her claws are removed. Be diligent about keeping her as comfortable as possible.
 * Cats less than one year of age tend to tolerate onychectomy better than older cats.
 * Your veterinarian may advise you to put an e-collar on your cat to keep her from licking at her wounds.
 * Consider getting a scratching post for your cat. Although she cannot use her claws to scratch the post, she can still use her toes to grab the post and hold on, which can help her exercise and stretch. Select a post that is made of carpet rather than sisal.

Warnings

 * Your cat may decide to stop using a litterbox altogether after being declawed. Talk with your veterinarian or a veterinary behaviorist for ways to encourage your cat to use the litter box again.
 * Declawed cats have a tendency to bite.
 * Complications from poorly performed onychectomies can lead to chronic pain and reduced mobility for your cat.
 * Take your cat to your veterinarian as soon as you can if you suspect that your cat is not recovering well after surgery. Delayed treatment can lead to long-term health problems.

Related wikiHows

 * Retrain a Cat to Use the Litter Box
 * Make a Balcony Safe for Cats
 * Keep Cats from Chewing on Electric Cords and Chargers

Sources and Citations
__Parts__