Deungulation, also called onychectomy or declawing, is a practice that consists in the surgical removal of all or part of the bones connected to the nails, as well as a portion of the tendon and ligament. In Italy it is a prohibited procedure, unless it is justified by medical-veterinary pathologies, while in other countries, such as the United States, it is unfortunately used to prevent the animal from damaging the furniture. If your cat has recently undergone this surgery, it is likely that he is in a lot of pain, as it is very painful; after the operation, you must take care of it so that it can heal and return to its normal activities.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Keeping the kitty comfortable
Step 1. Give him medication
He is likely to be given painkillers before and after surgery; however, he still needs medicine when you take him home. To make him feel better after discharge, the vet prescribes a course of at least a few weeks of painkillers; These can be medications to be applied to the skin, such as patches, or taken by mouth (tablets or liquids).
- Cats are very good at hiding pain, so you may not know if they are in pain or not; continue to administer the drugs according to the instructions of the veterinarian.
- While administering the medicine you may need to hold it still by wrapping it in a towel like a burrito to prevent it from moving and minimize the risk of bites.
- It may be difficult to give him a pill. A specific device, available at pet stores, may be a safer solution than putting your fingers in their mouth to get them to swallow the medicine.
- You can also try to put the drug in an "easy pill", a delicious morsel in which to insert the pill.
- To give him a medicine in liquid form, hold the animal still and place the tip of a syringe right in front of his teeth to try and insert it into the back of his mouth. pour the medicine slowly, a little at a time, close his mouth and blow on his nose to encourage him to swallow.
- If you have difficulty giving him the medicine or are unable to proceed, contact your veterinarian; they may advise you to use pain relief patches as a simpler alternative.
Step 2. Keep the cat in a confined space for 7-10 days
If you have other pets in the house, you should keep your cat confined to a room, such as the bathroom, to prevent other four-legged friends from licking or grooming his sore paws. Make this new temporary home pleasant for him by putting the usual elements of comfort: food and water in the bowls, litter box, toys and a comfortable bed.
- If it is not possible to keep it in a confined area, consider using the carrier; however, the cage may not be too cozy for him and he may not want to go inside.
- Regardless of where you decide to keep it after surgery, make sure the food, water and litter bowls are close together.
Step 3. Keep it indoors
If your cat is used to living outdoors or going out occasionally, you need to keep him indoors from now on; without its claws it is no longer able to defend itself. While it will take some time for him to get used to spending all the time indoors, he will still be safer.
Step 4. Stop him from jumping
Declawing is a painful procedure, so do not think that the cat wants to jump and cause more pain, but it could still try; be careful and observe him when he is lying on his favorite shelf or other furniture, to stop him if he tries to jump.
- If you've locked him up in a small room, check him regularly and try to keep him on the floor if possible.
- In addition to causing pain, jumping can trigger bleeding from his wounds; if you see a paw bleeding, apply gentle pressure using paper towels or other tissues for about 10 to 15 minutes.
Step 5. Clean his paws
Take care of your cat's "feet" after the surgical procedure, keeping them clean and avoiding the risk of infection that can be triggered by a foreign body, such as a speck of litter stuck in the wound. This surgery greatly exposes animals to leg infections.
- Unless your vet recommends an antibiotic ointment to apply once you get home, there's not much else you can do.
- To keep the paws clean, it should be sufficient to scrub them carefully using a warm, soft cloth.
Part 2 of 3: Change the Litter Box
Step 1. Choose a comfortable substrate
After being subjected to deungulation, it is very painful and uncomfortable for the cat to walk on the usual sand. In fact, a rather common characteristic of cats that have undergone declawing is precisely that of urinating and defecating outside the litter box, since they do not want to step on the substrate that now creates them discomfort. Consider using clumping litter, which is softer and has a texture suitable for your cat's injured paws.
- Also check that the sand does not create dust, which could otherwise get into the wounds causing irritation and even possible infections.
- Substrate change does not have to be definitive; use a new one for as long as it takes for the cat to recover from the procedure, usually in about 10-14 days.
- Suddenly switching to a new litter box in an abrupt way, even if done to ensure greater comfort for the cat, can actually trigger an aversion to the new substrate; you should therefore begin the adaptation process well before surgery.
Step 2. Purchase another cassette
Place it near the area where the cat rests. If he is in a lot of pain or is awkward walking, he will appreciate not having to go too far to satisfy his physical needs; choose a larger model than the one you currently use.
When cats that have had their nails removed start walking again, they tend to be uncertain and somewhat unstable; therefore, a larger litter box gives them more space to move around more easily
Step 3. Clean the litter box often
Before surgery, it was probably sufficient to collect dirt once a day, but after surgery you should remove debris more frequently; in fact, the cat becomes more sensitive to humidity under the paws.
After removing the dirt, rearrange the substrate so that a third or half of the bottom of the container is exposed; the cat may like the fact that it does not have to step directly on the substrate now that it is clawless
Part 3 of 3: Monitoring Possible Complications
Step 1. Check their paws regularly
Get in the habit of looking at them several times a day; be careful if they bleed or swell. It is normal for there to be some blood after surgery, but if the bleeding is excessive and does not stop (for example, the wounds are open and do not stop bleeding even when pressure is applied), you should call your vet.
- If you notice secretions leaking from the surgical incisions, an infection has probably developed; it could be a yellowish liquid. In any case, the presence of any exudate should prompt you to take your cat to the vet for treatment.
- If an infection has developed, you should notice an abscess, which basically consists of an infected pocket. In this case, don't try to open it - the cat is probably in a lot of pain and the infection could get worse. The wisest thing to do is to take the animal to the vet's office for treatment.
- If the declawing was not done correctly, the nails can sometimes grow back; if they seem to be coming back, contact your vet.
- Once the cat walks normally again, it can develop calluses on the pads, as the bone that was connected to the claws is now gone. The "pressure point" (the area on which the cat places most of its weight while walking) is now located further back than the pads and can induce the development of painful calluses.
Step 2. Observe the behavior of your feline friend
It is not uncommon for it to change after this type of procedure; for example, you may notice that they begin to isolate themselves more or become more aggressive. He may also try to bite you more often, as he is no longer able to use his fingernails to defend himself.
- He may no longer want to play like he used to, as he can't use his claws to grab toys.
- You may also notice that he pee marks the territory more often to compensate for the inability to do so using his fingernails. This attitude is more common among non-castrated males than females.
- Although these behavioral changes are quite common, they could nevertheless be worrying and negatively affect the relationship that has developed between you; if his new temper starts to become a problem, talk to your vet.
Step 3. Encourage the cat to walk
If you are in a lot of pain, this is likely to be the last thing you want; however, it is important that he resume doing this immediately after the operation so that he heals and allows you to observe his pace. You should start walking again the day after the procedure; if she refuses, contact your vet.
- Check if his gait is limping. The residual bone fragments indicate that the onychectomy was performed poorly and could lead to a chronic limp.
- The presence of calluses under the pads of the fingers may cause him to walk differently, as it is now more painful for the cat to bear the weight of the body on the front of the "feet".
- If the pain is not managed properly in the veterinary hospital, the cat may develop nervous hypersensitivity that causes extreme pain when supporting its weight on its paws. You may also notice that he raises his front legs each time he sits down; know that this hypersensitivity could be irreversible.
- Take him to the vet if you notice that he does not start walking again or is unable to walk normally. if you develop gait problems that are not treated, you may later suffer from more serious orthopedic disorders, such as arthritis.
Advice
- The cat may be uncomfortable and in a lot of pain after declawing; be very careful in offering him maximum comfort.
- Cats that are less than a year old tend to tolerate claw removal better than adult cats.
- Your vet may advise you to use an Elizabethan collar to prevent him from licking his wounds.
- Consider setting up a scratching post. Although he can no longer use his fingernails to scratch surfaces, he can still use his fingers to grasp objects and hold on; in this way he can do physical activity and stretching. Choose a model covered with carpet instead of hemp.
Warnings
- Take him to the vet immediately if you are concerned that he will not be able to fully recover from the procedure; a delay in treatment can trigger health problems in the long run.
- The cat may decide to stop using the litter box after undergoing deungulation; in this case, contact your vet or a behaviorist to find a way to persuade him to use it again.
- Cats that have undergone declawing have a tendency to bite.
- When the procedure is not done correctly, complications can arise that cause chronic pain and reduce the cat's mobility.
