A really awesome veterinarian sent me this valuable information about declawing and the humane alternatives.
First, readers should know there is pain involved in declawing. Dr Christianne Schelling put together this article on declawing.com that walks the reader through a declaw surgery from a kitten’s point of view: http://www.declawing.com/great-articles/walk-through-a-declaw-surgery-with-a-kitten
Next, it is important readers should also be educated about cat scratching so they can choose the best alternative to declawing that fits best in their home in the long run. Soft Paws are wonderful, and they work for most homes, but they do not work for every single home.
Declawing should not be the next option for the homes Soft Paws are not a fit for. The well-rounded, educated cat owner should know why a cat scratches to get to the bottom of their behavior to stop it.
PurrfectPost.com has a bunch of educational articles readers may want to check out for specific situations a cat may be scratching: https://www.purrfectpost.com/great-articles/ This veterinarian should of listed educational links like ours for a cat’s well-being before pointing them to declawing if Soft Paws did not work.
CatHealth.com also has an informative article: How to STOMP Out Problem Cat Scratching: http://www.cathealth.com/scratching-alternatives/stomp-out-problem-cat-scratching
Plus, there’s also a great slideshow/interactive quiz to learn why a cat might not be using their scratching post that Dr Schelling put together on CatHealth.com: http://www.cathealth.com/scratching-alternatives/do-you-know-how-to-choose-a-cat-scratching-post-an-interactive-quiz
The importance of sturdy scratching posts and playing around the post/ using catnip on the post to get them interested in it are EASY tips most people could do to help train their cat. Just like dogs need to be trained to behave, cats need some training, too. This article has been very popular for Purrfect Post. It explains why cats scratch, what to look for in a scratching post, and how to train a cat in 7 days or less to use a scratching post: https://www.purrfectpost.com/train-your-cat-to-stop-scratching-your-couch-in-7-days-or-less/
For Soft Paws, people should know that Soft Paws is a quick and cheap declawing alternative: https://www.softpaws.com/soft-paws-the-quick-and-cheap-declawing-alternative/
If someone is worried about their cat might get an infection or an ingrown claw while wearing Soft Paws, there’s nothing to worry about: https://www.softpaws.com/facts-about-cat-claws-that-relate-to-the-use-of-soft-paws/
Soft Paws are great while training a cat to use a scratching post or for people too lazy to train a cat to use a scratching post. It will always work if they apply them correctly. Here’s an article we put together for tips on keeping them on: https://www.softpaws.com/how-can-i-keep-soft-paws-on-my-pet/
Soft Paws also are a great alternative to declawing not only to protect furniture, but they work great to protect a pet from medical problems, too: https://www.softpaws.com/using-soft-paws-for-your-pets-medical-problems/
If traveling is an issue that would make one consider declawing a pet, Soft Paws can help much more cheaply than declawing: https://www.softpaws.com/using-soft-paws-on-the-go/
Anyone who might consider declawing in order to meet management requirement of a rental should also consider using Soft Paws: https://www.softpaws.com/cat-scratching-declawing-and-rentals-how-to-talk-with-your-landlord-about-declawing
Soft Paws are also great for life transitions. As new pets get used to each other, Soft Paws can protect them from each other if they do not always get along: https://www.softpaws.com/use-soft-paws-for-life-transitions/