Do NOT Feclaw Cats
Pros and Cons
Before being a Certified Professional Groomer, I was working as an Assistant to a Veterinarian assisting with surgeries and the after care of all the animals after the surgeries. The smell of bleach was strong in those days. I assisted with a few cats with declawing and during the procedure I would hand him the tools that he needed, one of those tools were the guillotine clippers that are commonly used for cutting dogs nails. I was amazed at the amount of the pads that were cut off, so the claws wouldn’t regrow, and I had a difficult time watching something being done that I thought was inhumane, but I was needed at the time.
I prefer not using those types of clippers when cutting dog’s nails because as you cut on the nail, the guillotine blade is flimsy and lands wherever it chooses, it’s unpredictable. so looking back today, I have no idea why that was chosen for a surgical tool.
When finished with the surgery, the paws surgical site was treated with iodine to prevent infection, glue to close the site then vet wrapped to get it to stop bleeding.
When kittens come out of surgery, they have no idea what is going on, and chew up and rip off the vet wrap, and flick their paws because they are in pain. There is blood all over each side of the kennel, this is what is considered hemorrhaging.
There are two main reasons why a human may choose to declaw their cat, one is people are not surrendering them to their local humane society or they're not having them euthanized for clawing up their homes. The other is there atr humans with compromised immune systems, diabetic or going through chemotherapy where a cat scratch could be lethal for them.
Declawing is a procedure called an onychectomy. It is a surgical procedure, an amputation of some or all of the feline’s third phalanges ( toe bones) and the attached claws. Some humans choose to do only the front, however some persist in having all four feet done, even if persuaded by the vet to rethink it. (My own thoughts-we wonder why cats don’t like car rides?)
Deep Digital Flexor Tenectomy (DDFT) is a surgical procedure where 5–10 mm is removed from each toe section resulting in the cat not being able to extend it’s claws. Claws MUST be cut weekly if not monthly or these nails will grow in to the cat’s paw pads. Pain from this procedure is identical as the onychectomy.
Concerns of pain- observed symptoms of pain include guarding position, unwillingness to bear weight, refusing to move. Morphine has absolutely NO effect on pain.
Other physical pains resulting from the declawing procedure include Back pain, neuropathic pain, and complications of remaining bone fragments.
Hemorrhaging is a concern and can happen at any time up to 13 weeks after the surgery. ( my own thoughts- I myself saw it frequently, but what we are blind to we don’t care about, we’re humans and we have nice furniture.)
Claws regrow about 3 % of the time. Reopening of the surgical sites happen 17% of the time.
Paralysis settles down usually in about two months…usually.
Diseases do occur postoperatively because stress ignites the immune system. There are more, but include skin diseases, asthma, and cystitis.
Behavioral problems do arise because scratching is a way for cats to relieve stress so it has to be expressed in a different way. These include household soiling,aggression and biting, and others.
Because of being declawed of course they can’t defend themselves against outside predators , and even though humans being warned against doing so by their vet, they continue to let them outside, even when obviously it gives them a shorter life span.
There are a few alternatives to declawing- scratching boards and post planted around the house, ( my own input- I have jute scatter matts, my cats love them and are drawn to them and they don’t clutter up the house, they look nice.) Weekly to monthly nail trims and nail caps or soft paws- which need to be changed monthly, and they are adorable.
Progress on declawing
- The Cat Fancier Association and the Canadian Cat Association forbid cats with onychectomy or tenotomies to be shown in the ring.
- 4/2003 West Hollywood, California- banned both procedures.
- 2019- 7 states have banned both types procedures.
- American Veterinary Medical Association- declaws can only be done after seeking other alternatives and only if a human’s life is at risk.
- American Association of Feline Practitioners, Canadian Veterinary Medical Association and American Veterinary Hospital Association oppose declawing as an elective procedure.
- Declawing is NOT tolerated in the U.K. unless there is a humans life at risk.
- Article 10 of European Convention of Pet Cruelty to Animals prohibit declawing except for necessary veterinary medical purposes
I started writing this article trying to be neutral, but I know too much about it to be that way. I know everyone has a point of view, but I hope people take what I have learned about it all just to consider it, there are other ways, you just need to get out of that I want what I want when I want it state of mind. Comments, however you feel are appreciated.
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