Declawing is a surgical procedure for cats that involves the amputation of the last bone of each toe on their paws. To put it in human terms, this would be akin to having each of your fingers amputated at the last knuckle. The conventional declawing method uses a scalpel or guillotine clipper to perform these amputations. Following the procedure, the wounds are typically closed with stitches or surgical glue, and the paws are bandaged for recovery. Another technique, laser surgery, employs a concentrated beam of light to cut through tissue by heating and vaporizing it. Regardless of the method, declawing can lead to significant and long-lasting physical and behavioral problems for cats. Research has shown a strong correlation between declawing and an increased risk of back pain, avoidance of the litter box, and biting behaviors in cats.
The practice of declawing is widely condemned globally, with numerous countries banning or deeming it unethical. Within the United States, several states, along with the District of Columbia, and over a dozen cities have enacted bans on declawing. Prominent animal welfare organizations such as Humane World for Animals, formerly known as the Humane Society of the United States, and HumaneVMA, are vocal opponents of declawing and tendonectomies, advocating against these procedures except in rare medical situations, such as the necessity to remove cancerous nail bed tumors.
Tendonectomy: A Problematic Alternative to Declawing
A tendonectomy is presented as an alternative to declawing, but it is also a concerning procedure. In a tendonectomy, the tendon responsible for controlling the claw in each toe is severed. While the cat retains its claws, it loses the ability to control and extend them for scratching. This procedure often leads to an abnormally rapid and thick claw growth. Consequently, cats who undergo tendonectomy require more frequent and intensive nail trimming to prevent their claws from becoming overgrown and snagging on carpets, furniture, and potentially growing into their paw pads, causing pain and infection.
Due to these complications, a cat that has undergone a tendonectomy may still require declawing later in life to manage the issues stemming from the initial procedure. Despite not being an amputation, a study published in 1998 in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association revealed that the rates of bleeding, lameness, and infection were comparable between tendonectomy and declawing surgeries, highlighting that tendonectomy is not necessarily a safer or more humane alternative.
The Negative Impacts of Declawing on Cats
Declawing is detrimental to cats’ well-being and can result in a range of painful and debilitating conditions. Potential physical complications include chronic paw pain, back pain due to altered gait, infection at the surgical site, tissue necrosis (death of tissue), and lameness. Removing a cat’s claws fundamentally changes how their paws interact with the ground, leading to discomfort and pain, much like wearing ill-fitting shoes constantly. In cases where the claws are not removed correctly, they can regrow abnormally, causing nerve damage and the formation of painful bone spurs.
Post-operative care for declawed cats typically involves using shredded newspaper in the litter box temporarily to prevent regular litter from irritating the sensitive paws. However, this unfamiliar litter substrate, combined with the pain experienced when attempting to scratch in the litter box, can cause cats to develop a permanent aversion to using the litter box altogether, leading to urination and defecation outside of designated areas. Furthermore, some declawed cats may develop biting habits as a defense mechanism, having lost their natural claws for protection and feeling vulnerable and in pain.
Dr. Christine Schelling, a veterinarian, recounts a formative experience during her veterinary student days where she witnessed a cat in extreme distress, repeatedly throwing himself against the sides of his cage due to the excruciating pain following declawing surgery. This experience profoundly impacted Dr. Schelling, leading her to vow, “I swore I would never do a declaw surgery.” Years later, she established declawing.com, a website dedicated to educating cat owners about the often misunderstood realities and ethical implications of this surgical procedure, aiming to promote better understanding and more humane alternatives for managing cat scratching behaviors.
