Post Declaw instructions for cats

Your cat has undergone surgery and is now being discharged for continued care at your home. Your job during the recovery period at home is just as important as the surgical procedure that was performed. As part of your cat's post-operative care, Sylvan Veterinary Hospital recommends you closely adhere  to the following instructions:

• Activity Restriction: Your cat needs to have activity restricted for the following 10-14 days.  Activity restriction includes no running, playing, or jumping.   If your cat has a scratching post you will need to put this away for the next 2 weeks.  You may want to consider confining him to one room if you are having trouble keeping him restricted. 

• Litter: Please refrain from using normal cat litter for the next 10-14 days. You will be provided with one bag of Yesterday's News that you will use in place of the normal litter.   This will reduce the chance of infection occurring in your cat's paws. Also, please keep the paws dry for the next 10-14 days to ensure no infection occurs.

• Daily Incision Monitoring: Monitor surgical sites on each toe for excessive swelling or discharge.  There are no sutures to remove from your cat's paws. The surgical sites were closed with a surgical adhesive.  Expect that it will take approximately 2-6 weeks before your cat walks completely normal. The younger the cat, the quicker the recovery will be. Please call Sylvan Veterinary Hospital if you notice any swelling, discharge, lethargy or if your cat refuses to bear weight on his front paws. 

• Feeding: Whenever you get home your cat can eat and drink as normal.

• Pain Control:  Your cat received three injections of pain medication during their stay.  You will be provided with additional pain medication to go home that will be given orally to help with pain and inflammation post-op. They will likely start the day following the procedure, but refer to your pets pill vials for more detailed medication instructions.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if any questions or concerns arise. Thank you for entrusting Sylvan Veterinary Hospital with your pet's care.