Managing Cat-Scratching Behavior
Cats that live indoors scratch furniture, carpets, clothes and just about anythimg else they can get their paws on as a way of sharpening and maintaining their claws. This destructive behavior can be quite frustrating to pet owners whom often find themselves torn between their pet and their desire to have a presentable home.
Behavioral modification techniques are often the first line of defense in this battle against the nails. These include providing a scratching post and or squirting the cat with water as it is caught in the act of scratching. Unfortunately these techniques require a great deal of patience and a certain degree of luck: introducing a scratching post to a cat is no guarantee that she will use it and use of a spray bottle to discourage scratching is often unrewarding because it is difficult to squirt the cat without her associating the negative experience with her care-giver. This can result in a fearful pet.
Because of this lack of success, many cat-owners consider declawing their pet. The decision to do so is often a difficult one. There is no denying that the procedure causes a fair amount of temporary discomfort and many cat owners choose not to have it done as a result.
Fortunately a new surgical technique called a Deep Digital Flexor Tenotomy (DDFT) is available that prevents scratching behavior with much less discomfort for the cat.
With a declaw procedure, the entire third phalanx (finger bone) and associated claw is amputated from each digit. All the tendons, blood vessels and nerves between the second and third finger bones are severed resulting in a considerable amount of tissue trauma and discomfort. With the DDFT, only the main flexor tendon of each digit is exposed and severed. When this tendon is cut, a cat can no longer use the claw for scratching. Because there is less tissue trauma with the DDFT it is less painful and the recovery time shorter. Two potential drawbacks to the DDFT are:
- The claw is still present and needs to be trimmed periodically (usually every 3-4 months) to prevent it from becoming ingrown and;
- Some scratching behavior may remain. Usually this consists primarily of the nails getting caught in very loose cloth such as curtains and certain clothing. Most owners find this a small price to pay compared to the discomfort of declawing.
| Issue | DeClaw | DDFT |
|---|---|---|
| Hospitaliztion | 3-4 Days | 1-2 days |
| Tissue Trauma | More | Less |
| Advantages | No Nail Trimming | Less Painful, Quicker Recovery |
| Disadvantages | More painful, longer recovery | Nails Require Trimming |
Remember...with both of these procedures a cat can no longer defend itself and should be kept indoors.