What Does a Cat-declaw Cost?

You can get soft paws claw caps. They are awesome... no declawing and no scratching furniture :) If that declawing isn't done just right it could cause painful walking and I had a cat die when I was growing up because of anesthesia complications (allergy). Plus it knocks em off balance. I'm not trying to be all lecturey, but giving an awesome alternative that will save your furniture and let the kitty keep her pawnails, Happy median :D

http://www.softpaws.com/soft_paws_kit.html

Each Soft Paws® kit contains 40 nail caps, 2 tubes of adhesive, applicator tips and easy-to-follow instructions.

1 kit = 4 front paw applications. Each application lasts approximately 4-6 weeks therefore each kit lasts
approximately 4-6 months...

...for only $18.95

8 moms found this helpful

I'm not for declawing, I'd rather do the soft paws or file nails down and provide lots of scathing posts.

But if you do declaw, be sure to spend the extra money and get the pain meds. It's an extremely intense and painful procedure. Really, most people only do the front paws as well. Especially on older cats who bear more weight. I worked for a vet clinic and have seen many people not spend the extra money on this and those poor animals suffer for weeks. It's basically like having your fingers removed at your joint bone and not having any pain meds for it.

As for cost, every vet is different. Older cats like yours usually require a more sensitive anesthesia, which usually costs more, and some vets will require bloodwork on senior animals to even see if they are okay to anesthetize. Also, the cat will need to be current on all shots since it will be in the hospital for at least day, but most often two days. A less painful and invasive declawing can be done with lazers, but it again is more expensive.

So, really, calling around in your area on what all is required is the best option.

4 moms found this helpful

I have 6 out of 13 cats declawed... only reason the others are not declawed is because those 7 cats are related and one had previously died from a simple neuter - so anesthesia is a no no for their family gene pool.

Call around, see who offers laser, pain meds, 24 hour observation and glue versus stitches. It will be at LEAST $200... but probably more.

I do think 10 years old may be a bit old to have it done, but if he's been a scratcher his whole life, he won't change now. Have a CMP and CBC run on him to ensure his body is functioning properly and he's not anemic.

For my cats I cannot de-claw - I bought something called "Soft Paws" which seems to be a great alternative. http://www.softpaws.com - you may want to consider trying this first, it's MUCH cheaper.

3 moms found this helpful

Don't do it - Your poor cat will be in agony - just because you have new furniture?
Most vets will not even do declawing any more, why not think about having each of your fingers chopped off just below your fingernail, then you will know how your cat will feel - how barbaric.

3 moms found this helpful

your cat is 10 years old, and now you want to remove his toes? I think it's cruel, and it's possible he will never be the same after the surgery. Not only the trauma of surgery, but the trauma of having to learn how to rewalk, etc.

I'm sorry if that seemed mean, I read some other comments and the soft paws sound like a great solution.

3 moms found this helpful

Hi there. Let me preface this by saying I am NOT JUDGING you or trying to make you feel bad, just trying to be sure you have all the facts and have thought this through.

Have you researched the de-clawing procedure to understand what it really means? Many people believe it to be analogous to removing a fingernail on a human when in fact it's like amputating the first joint of the finger. Not to be too graphic but i'd hate to think you'd subject your feline companion to this without having an accurate understanding of the procedure and what it entails. Yes of course we all know lots of cats have had this procedure and are "fine" but I think it's important to really understand what you are planning to do.

Some of the alternatives below sound quite humane and inexpensive - perhaps worth a shot before you pursue the proposed course of action.

3 moms found this helpful

A declaw on a kitten should be around 200.00

An older cat should definitely have fluids, extra pain medication, and will be more expensive because of the greater difficulty and time it will take. It would be around 450.00-500.00.

I would also consider the expense that it would take to provide long term analgesia as it may take a long time to heal. Anti-inflammatories (which are not highly used in cats due to potential kidney failure) are about 30-40 per month. Other pain medication that is safer can be 100-150.00 per month.

3 moms found this helpful

I can totally understand. We had to de-claw our two cats. We tried EVERYTHING the books said and what other people had tried and had heard that other people tried. Nothing worked, so we finally had to have it done.

Ours costed about $150, if I remember correctly. It's been several years, so that may have gone up. Also, since your cat is 10 years old, there may some extra considerations. He would be considered a senior citizen, I believe, so make sure to ask your vet about it. =)

Good luck, and don't let anybody make you feel bad about it. Your cat will be fine, and he'll be happier (and so will you) not being yelled at for scratching the furniture.

2 moms found this helpful

If they do it at the same time as the spading it is cheaper, if done on its own it will be around $400-500 at most places, although many will not do older cats. The sedation can be very hard on an older cat and also he is used to having claws so it will be very traumatic for him. Have you thought about trying the sprays you can put on the furniture or the little was claw covers you can get at the pet stores?

2 moms found this helpful

I depends on where you go and what procedure the clinic does for the declaw. Traditional declaws vs. laser declaws. Preanesthestic bloodwork; IV fluids or not. Get several options and ask for a veterinarian consultation prior to the scheduling the surgery.

The clinic I go to requires a complimentary exam be done prior to scheduling the surgery so the vet can go over the surgery in depth, assess the health of the patient and answer any questions you may have about recovery, etc. If you feel declawing is not something you feel you can do after you speak with the vet they can also give you other suggestions to keep your furniture looking new.

Declawing in general is not an easy surgery to recover from especially an older cat, overweight cat, or active cat.

I have seen some clinics as low as $150.00 (traditional, no bloodwork, no fluids, no hospitalizaiton, no pain control) to as high as $600 (laser, bloodwork, fluids, 2 nights hospitalization, extremely good pain control) but every place is different and it really depends on what you would like in the procedure.

2 moms found this helpful

Make sure you have all the facts. Also a 10 yr old cat might not do well with anesthesia and surgery.

Still.... I have dogs because I'm not a cat person but it seems very cruel and inhumane to me. $2000 new furniture=torture the cat

The cat can't go outside.... we are in Allen/Plano and I have bobcats and coyotes in my backyard a LOT.

Think about it.

1 mom found this helpful

Here's my opinion - do it.
My cat was a few years old when we did it. I researched it. I saw all the negative things everyone said about it. BUT, in the end, I like my cat so much better now. I couldn't even have him sit on my lap before without him digging his claws into me. It was horrible. I bought the soft paws and they were a nightmare. The cat didn't want them on and wouldn't sit still to get them on. I also did not do laser. It was way more expensive and I couldn't afford it. My cat did so well for the surgery. I had him locked away in my bedroom for about a week. He had to be so he could relax and not jump around. He did very well. After that, he was completely normal. He never changed. He is the sweetest cat ever.
And it only cost around $200 I think.

1 mom found this helpful