I took the girls to another adoption event on Sunday, and ended up in the same scenario I seem to always end up in... no one paid any attention to Ari (which she was fine with, she just fell asleep) and someone was interested in Lemur but didn't pass the application part of the adoption. The interested woman was actually really nice, and had about 75% of everything I wanted in a home for Lemur (I would have preferred someone a little younger... maybe a family, but she was otherwise great and had a 7 month old kitten already). I was all ready to hand her over until the completed application was handed back to me, and she told me that she did in fact plan on declawing Lemur. That's when I had to say no. The sad part is that I completely understand her reasons for doing so (she is older, and has a skin condition that makes it imperative that she isn't scratched), but I still couldn't do it. Lemur is too sweet and I love her too much to subject her to that kind of amputation, no matter the reason. But it did get me thinking about how little people actually know about declawing, so I figured I should look up some info and post it here. I tried to find the most neutral source of information (Web MD), although I will say for the record that I vehemently oppose declawing cats (unless the cat's life depends on it).
So here is the low down on declawing cats... hopefully everyone out there will realize how unnatural it is, and that 99.999% of the time it just should not be done.
Declawing Cats Q&A: Positives, Negatives, and Alternatives
WebMD veterinary experts answer common questions about declawing cats.
By Sandy Eckstein
WebMD Pet Health Feature
Declawing cats is a very emotionally charged and controversial topic in the cat world. So WebMD asked Atlanta veterinarian Drew Weigner, an American Board of Veterinary Practitioners certified specialist in feline medicine and a past president of the Academy of Feline Medicine, for more information on the topic.
Q: What is the actual procedure involved in declawing a cat?
A: There are several different techniques, but they all involve one thing. You have to remove the claw, and you have to remove the little piece of bone that the claw grows from. If you don’t, the claw will try to grow back.
The less you remove, the better, and that’s where the differences in techniques come in. The way cats are normally declawed, there’s an instrument with a sliding blade, almost like a guillotine, and it cuts a straight line through the joint between that little piece of bone and the next piece of bone, which is much bigger.
When you do that, right underneath that is the pad, and you actually cut that right in half, too. So it’s like cutting the tip of your finger off.
With cosmetic declawing, you use a tiny curved blade to go in and dissect out the claw and the tiny piece of bone. The pad is intact; all the soft tissue is there. So the cat is walking comfortably very quickly because its pads are fine. When the pads are cut in half, the cat can’t walk on them without discomfort. That’s what cats put their weight on. And they can’t walk on them comfortably for weeks. Most of the pain comes from the trauma to the soft tissue.
But cosmetic declawing is not an easy procedure to do: It’s time consuming, so not many veterinarians do it.
Q: Many people are opposed to declawing. Why?
A: Some people feel it’s unnatural to remove a cat’s claws, and it’s done for the owner’s benefit and not for the cat’s benefit. There are many other arguments you can make for this - the pain they go through, the complications after declawing. But I think it really boils down to, cats are born with claws and they should keep them.
Q: Are there good reasons to declaw a cat?
A: There are a couple of good reasons. Medically, sometimes you have to remove a claw if the claw is damaged beyond repair or if it has a tumor.
Sometimes it’s also trauma to the owners. There are people whose immune systems are suppressed or the elderly on blood thinners who can’t be exposed to the bacteria on a cat’s claws.
But the majority of declawings are due to social issues, where cats are being destructive and tearing up furniture.
Q: What are the positions of the American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Association of Feline Practitioners on declawing?
A: They both say about the same thing, which is while it’s not considered medically necessary for the cat, it can be considered appropriate for cats that otherwise would be given up or for whose owners are immunocompromised.
There are alternatives to declawing, and I think everybody, including veterinarians, look at declawing as a last resort. But if it keeps the owners from giving up their cats, euthanizing them, or making them outside cats, I think it’s a realistic option.
Q: Does declawing hurt the cat? How long does it take a cat to recover?
A: It depends on the procedure. Any surgery involves some degree of pain or discomfort. Pain management is an important part of any procedure.
That being the case, the recovery time is much faster for some techniques than others. Cosmetic declawings heal much faster, usually within a week. The guillotine method of declawing a cat, you’re talking two or three weeks or longer.
Q: Can declawing lead to any medical complications or problems?
A: Like any surgery, infection is a possibility, especially because this is not a sterile surgery. You can’t sterilize this area. And if it’s not performed properly, the claw can grow back, but it won’t grow back properly and that can cause abscesses.
Q: Will declawing change my cat’s personality?
A: They truly have looked at these issues and found nothing. You’ll hear stories that cats start biting more or develop litter box problems, but there’s no evidence of it even after numerous studies.
Q: Do declawed cats sometimes develop litter box problems?
A: I hear the stories just like everyone else. But every study they’ve done has shown there is no evidence of this, that there aren’t any changes in litter box habits after declawing.
Q: Can I allow a declawed cat to go outside?
A: No, it’s not appropriate for obvious reasons. Letting your cats outside after they’ve been declawed would be cruel because they can’t defend themselves properly. Therefore, owners have to be committed to keep the cat indoors for the rest of its life or to find a family that can do so.
Q: Isn’t it better to declaw a cat rather than get rid of it?
A: If that’s the only option, absolutely. If the cat is going to be given up, the lesser of two evils is declawing the cat. There’s no two ways about it. And, if you’re going to start letting your cat outside because it’s a destructive cat, you’re probably better off declawing it and keeping it inside because it will live considerably longer being an inside declawed cat than an outside, undeclawed cat.
But the majority of declawings are due to social issues, where cats are being destructive and tearing up furniture.
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And just because I'm so opposed to declawing, here is an article that's more in line with my thinking from the Humane Society:
Declawing Cats: Far Worse Than a Manicure
The Humane Society of the United States
Declawing is a topic that arouses strong feelings. Some people believe it's cruel and unnecessary, while others think it has its place.
Why people declaw cats
People often mistakenly believe that declawing their cats is a harmless "quick fix" for unwanted scratching. They don't realize that declawing can make a cat less likely to use the litter box or more likely to bite.
People who are worried about being scratched, especially those with immunodeficiencies or bleeding disorders, may be told incorrectly that their health will be protected by declawing their cats. However, declawing is not recommended by infectious disease specialists. The risk from scratches for these people is less than those from bites, cat litter, or fleas carried by their cats.
Cats are usually about 8 weeks old when they begin scratching. It's the ideal time to train kittens to use a scratching post and allow nail trims. Pet caregivers should not consider declawing a routine prevention for unwanted scratching. Declawing can actually lead to an entirely different set of behavior problems that may be worse than shredding the couch.
What is declawing?
Too often, people think that declawing is a simple surgery that removes a cat's nails—the equivalent of having your fingernails trimmed. Sadly, this is far from the truth.
Declawing traditionally involves the amputation of the last bone of each toe. If performed on a human being, it would be like cutting off each finger at the last knuckle.
How is a cat declawed?
The standard method of declawing is amputating with a scalpel or guillotine clipper. The wounds are closed with stitches or surgical glue, and the feet are bandaged.
Another method is laser surgery, in which a small, intense beam of light cuts through tissue by heating and vaporizing it. However, it's still the amputation of the last toe bone of the cat and carries with it the same long-term risks of lameness and behavioral problems as does declawing with scalpels or clippers.
A third procedure is the tendonectomy, in which the tendon that controls the claw in each toe is severed. The cat keeps his claws, but can't control them or extend them to scratch. This procedure is associated with a high incidence of abnormally thick claw growth. Therefore, more frequent and challenging nail trims are required to prevent the cat's claws from snagging on people, carpet, furniture, and drapes, or growing into the pads.
Because of its complications, tendonectomy may lead to declawing anyway. Although tendonectomy is not actually amputation, a 1998 study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association found the incidence of bleeding, lameness, and infection was similar for tendonectomy and declawing.
After effects
Medical drawbacks to declawing include pain, infection and tissue necrosis (tissue death), lameness, and back pain. Removing claws changes the way a cat's foot meets the ground and can cause pain similar to wearing an uncomfortable pair of shoes. There can also be a regrowth of improperly removed claws, nerve damage, and bone spurs.
For several days after surgery, shredded newspaper is typically used in the litter box to prevent litter from irritating declawed feet. This unfamiliar litter substitute, accompanied by pain when scratching in the box, may lead cats to stop using the litter box. Some cats may become biters because they no longer have their claws for defense.
What you can do
Scratching is normal cat behavior. It isn't done to destroy a favorite chair or to get even. Cats scratch to remove the dead husks from their claws, mark territory and stretch their muscles. The Humane Society of the United States opposes declawing except for the rare cases when it is necessary for medical purposes, such as the removal of cancerous nail bed tumors.
Many countries feel so strongly about the issue that they have banned the procedure. But you don't have to let your cat destroy your house. Here's what you can do:
- Keep his claws trimmed to minimize damage to household items.
- Provide several stable scratching posts and boards around your home. Offer different materials like carpet, sisal, wood, and cardboard, as well as different styles (vertical and horizontal). Use toys and catnip to entice your cat to use the posts and boards.
- Ask your veterinarian about soft plastic caps (such as Soft Paws) that are glued to the cat's nails. They need to be replaced about every six weeks.
- Use a special tape (such as Sticky Paws) on furniture to deter your cat from unwanted scratching.
Unnecessary procedures
Declawing and tendonectomies should be reserved only for those rare cases in which a cat has a medical problem that would warrant such surgery, such as the need to remove cancerous nail bed tumors. Declawing does not guarantee that a cat will not be taken to a shelter if other problem behaviors occur, such as biting or not using the litter box.
Declawing is an unnecessary surgery which provides no medical benefit to the cat. Educated pet parents can easily train their cats to use their claws in a manner that allows everyone in the household to live together happily.
