Maine Coon Cat Declawing

To Declaw Or Not To Declaw A Cat?

by Carrie Profenno: Author, lifelong Mainer & veteran Maine Coon owner

Are you wondering about Maine Coon cat declawing? What is involved in declawing cats or kittens, and why do it?

Whether your cat is a Maine Coon or not, it's important to be informed.

In the past this has seemed to be a very common procedure. When I was a child, I would often run into families with a declawed cat who actually went outdoors!

I wondered, even as a child, how that cat could climb a tree, scratch and itch, or defend itself. What made so many cats so 'bad' that they couldn't have their claws, I wondered?

The owners would sometimes explain that the cat was already declawed when it came to them. It was done so commonly, even automatically back then.

When we got our kittens, one of the very first things our breeder informed me of was that we would have to agree never to declaw the cats.

That was no problem, I wasn't considering it anyway. But I found his strong feelings interesting.

The practice of Maine Coon cat declawing is addressed upfront by your Maine Coon cat breeder before you take your kitten home. 

Virtually all breeders will make sure you commit to never declaw your cat. It is a very important part of your agreement. Why is that?

Maine Coon Cat Declawing Defeats Their Natural Heritage

Maine Coon cat breeders strive to produce kittens that reflect their natural heritage.

All the traits and characteristics we admire when looking upon a Maine Coon cat came about naturally.

They are preserved in each litter. To declaw a cat or kitten takes away from those natural characteristics.

In fact, our Leo has all his claws. They are not even clipped. He would never dream of using them! Maine Coon cats are docile, gentle, and smart.

They learn quickly where not to sharpen their claws. Plus it's easy to trim them.

The Gentle Personality of Maine Coons Renders it Unnecessary

Some people choose Maine Coon cat declawing for safety reasons. Maybe they fear the cat will scratch someone.

Or maybe there is a new baby, and they fear the cat may hurt it. Little ones do pull tails, after all.

In actuality, the wild or rough appearance of a Maine Coon cat is the total opposite of their true nature. Maine Coons are the Golden Retrievers of the feline world. They don't have a mean bone in their body.

That said, they are cats. Children need to know how to handle them gently and properly.

As long as they do, there should be no safety worries. The Maine Coon temperament is patient, docile and forgiving.

Maine Coon Cat Declawing Carries No Positive Benefit

Actually, there are good reasons to avoid it. Cats are digitigrade, which means they walk on their toes.

To remove their toes can result in later joint problems, as cats aren't meant to be missing them.

This means, even if a young cat seems fine, happy, and well adjusted after being declawed, he or she is prone to developing very uncomfortable joint problems later on.

So don't use this happy cat as an example that declawing a cat had no consequences.

Did we just say "remove their toes?" Yes! Declawing cats is not just a removal of a nail, as many people assume. It is not a simple, painless procedure.

The fact is, Maine Coon Cat declawing is major surgery. It involves the surgical amputation of the last bone of the cats toe, right up to the joint!

The bones, nerves, tendons and ligaments must all be amputated at this point!

Declawing cats is a painful event. There is no doubt about it. Pain meds may be given initially, but cats are instinctively good at hiding their pain.

So even if they don't seem to be pained, it can manifest in other ways. This leads into our next section.

Maine Coon Cat Declawing Affects a Cats Behavior

As the cat is healing, hiding his pain, he still has to use the litter box.

Walking in the litter can really irritate the wounds. In response to that painful act, a cat might turn to using a soft carpet instead. Who could blame him?

When a cat needs to defend himself, he'll use what he has. How will he convey himself when he's had enough playtime, or too much attention?

When the claws are gone, an owner may just find they have a biter on their hands.

This story is about a Maine Coon kitten with a biting problem.

It's a perfect example of how the docile Maine Coon personality can be changed by Maine Coon Cat Declawing.

For their health and well being, a Maine Coon cat, or any cat for that matter, is better off with his toes intact. They are a necessary and integral part of his body.

Maine Coon Cat Declawing is Simply Not Necessary

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