If you make the choice to declaw your cat, you may feel guilty about the pain or discomfort they may experience after the procedure. Declawing is the act of removing the last knuckle of your cat's feet to permanently keep them from scratching. Modern veterinary medicine allows you to choose a laser removal, which makes the incision site smaller and prevents the need for stitches. You can further make your cat's recovery from claw removal surgery much easier by following these simple tips for aftercare.
Purchase vet-approved pain medication
Your veterinarian may suggest pain medication for your cat that can be given to them in an injection at the clinic following surgery that will wear off after a few days to offer your cat relief. They may also suggest oral pain medication to be given at home that you can administer as directed. Do not use pain medication on your cat that is meant for people or go over the recommended dose for your cat.
Prepare a comfortable recovery room
When your cat comes home from surgery they will be groggy and want to rest, but before long their pain medication will wear off and they may become agitated or even frightened. To keep them comfortable and limit movement, provide a 'recovery room' for your cat in the form of a large kennel that they can turn around in and sprawl out in without being able to run.
Keep this kennel in a warm, dark, and quiet room. Line the kennel with soft blankets or rugs and allow your cat to have room to use the restroom on a piece of newspaper when they need to. It is not uncommon for your cat to be unable to use the restroom for several hours following surgery due to the anesthesia used.
Remove jumping temptations
Your cat will want to climb up on their favorite sunning spot on the back of your couch or will want to jump on the furniture following surgery. You can expect them to return to a lot of their active behavior within a few days of their surgery.
Their feet are still tender and swollen, however, so you want to remove all furniture from the rooms they are in to prevent as much activity as possible. Your cat may hurt themselves trying to jump up and use their claws to climb, which can put them in danger of tearing their incision site, losing stitches, and putting them in undue pain.
Share28 February 2017
Hello, my name is Katrina, and I love my dog. We live out in the country, so he is able to run a lot. He even has neighboring dogs who come to see him and play. However, fresh air and exercise are not the only things he needs. He also needs a healthy diet, the right shots, and care for his mental health. If you are a pet owner, you will love the tips that I plan to include in this blog. I'm going to focus these posts on everything you need to know to keep your dog happy and healthy. I hope these ideas help you, and I wish you and your pet many years of happiness and good health together.