The question ‘how much does it cost to declaw a cat can raise many further questions depending on who you ask. Declawing a cat should be a last resort. However, regardless of how much unnecessary it may seem to you, there are times when declawing your cat becomes very necessary. Before that time comes, you may not understand the necessity of it.
Even though there are times when as a pet owner, you need to explore this option, you should carefully consider a lot of things, including other options, risks, the pet’s safety, temperament, and comfort.
Through a surgical procedure, the sharp nails and the bones that hold them are removed. But the question is, how much is cat declawing cost? The answer to that question in detail is what you are about to find out as you read along.
Average Cost Of Declawing A Cat
Many pet owners declaw their cats for different reasons like to prevent unwanted scratching, although you can buy a cat scratching post. Cat owners should think about the merits and demerits of declawing their cats because this can make it hard for cats to scratch the litter box.
It is an activity that continues to be emotionally debated, making it a very controversial topic in veterinary medicine, especially since it involves removing its first line of defense. Although variations is depending on certain factors, the declawing cost can range from about 600 to 1800 dollars.
Depending on your cat’s unique situation or the particular clinic, the price can fall anywhere within that range. The overall cost considers all the individual costs that go along with the surgery involved in declawing the cat.
With properly conducted research, you will understand more about the cost and the procedures, which will subsequently help you make the right decisions. Also, you will be able to understand more about how every cost is reached or how different veterinary clinics charge for the process.
Visiting the clinics to make inquiries is necessary, too, asking them to break down the cost for you in ways that you can understand better.
Finding The Right Vet To Declaw Your Cat
Finding the right veterinarians can be a challenging task too. You need veterinarians who are experienced at declawing cats safely and who will charge you reasonably for the entire declaw procedure.
Check different reviews and cat declawing alternatives to find the right vet and better declawing costs. Additionally, ensure you choose a vet approved by the American veterinary medical association.
Since some vets do not agree to perform an onychectomy because it is considered inhuman to cats, you may find yourself spending more energy to find the right specialist than you thought.
When you finally find a clinic with the right veterinarians, equipment, resources, and offer the best possible procedure at a reasonable cost, feel free to give it a try.
Factors That Determine The Declawing Cost
The overall cost of declawing your cat will depend on several factors. When you speak directly with your veterinary officer, your chances of getting a more reliable estimate increase. The cat has to receive a full physical examination first to determine what needs to be done.
You might be required to pay an examination fee. The veterinarian must also analyze the cat’s medical history, which will also determine the cumulative cost to a certain capacity. Older cats cost more to declaw compared to young, healthy counterparts.
1. Cost of physical examination
Before the cat is declawed, it is great to perform a physical examination. The veterinarian will examine him to understand in detail his overall health. That is when the professional can determine the right procedure to use to remove the claws.
Some hospitals charge more for the examination part. Some will charge 50 dollars; others may ask for 65 dollars. Blood work can cost around 65 dollars for a pre-surgical panel and around 185 dollars for a full blood panel together with a urinalysis.
Before surgery to declaw your kitty conducted, such tests are highly recommended because they will help uncover conditions that may affect the cat’s recovery. Older cats are given an extensive chemistry panel, urinalysis, a CBC, and other physical examinations, which may cost up to 250 dollars.
2. Anesthesia
To declaw the kitty, injectable anesthesia or pain medications will be required. It is cheaper than gas or intubation anesthesia. Typically, injectable anesthesia costs up to 100 dollars. You can get it at a cost much lower than that, depending on the veterinarian clinic you go to.
The longer the procedure that needs to be done, the more anesthesia needed to keep the cat completely asleep. Also, the bigger or heavier the cat, the more anesthesia will be needed.
3. Declawing procedure and cost
There are various surgical methods to declaw a cat, with each procedure presenting a unique cost. Three of the most common procedures are the Rescoe Clipper method, the disarticulation procedure, and the laser procedure.
The Recoe clipper method is the easiest and cheapest among the three. It costs about 100 dollars but is associated with certain risks such as infections. Also, the claws may regrow.
The disarticulation method is typically very complicated to effect, involving the surgical removal of the bones that host the claws, such that they will never grow again. As a result, it costs more than the first procedure, costing about 250 dollars. The last procedure, the laser method, involves employing a laser beam.
It is a procedure that is less painful and comes with less bleeding. And for that, it can cost up to 500 dollars. It also involves removing the bones from which the claws grow through a surgical procedure.
Final Verdict
Declawing your kitty can become the beginning of the happiest times ahead.
At first, it can be a very difficult decision to make if you want to declaw a cat, especially if you consider that claws are his first line of defense. Just makes sure that the environment in which your kitty lives is conducive for it to survive and does not put it at risk of injury or infections.
Just like we have also mentioned earlier, declawing your cat should be the last resort. Make sure you conduct thorough research to determine the safest declawing procedure.
Therefore, before you even ask yourself cat declawing cost, make sure that it is the only option left? Also, choose only the best professionals to do it. Also, find out if it is legal in your state.