Declawing cats – can it be done humanely?

The short answer is no. I believe most people who choose this procedure for their cats don’t fully understand what it means.

Simply put, removing a cat’s claws requires amputating the toe at the first joint. Another procedure, known as partial declawing, is a different process involving cutting the tendon under each toe so that the claws can’t be extended. Both cause a painful recovery for the cat and long-term side effects.

I was surprised to learn that once declawed, a cat can never again enjoy a full body stretch!

Dr. Jean Hofve, DVM, has written an excellent article on declawing at www.LittleBigCat.com.  Here is an excerpt:
“Many people report that they are happier with their cats after declawing, because it makes the cats “better pets.” Unfortunately, just as many people have discovered–too late–that declawing frequently leads to far worse problems than it solves. There is no way to know ahead of time into which category your cat might fall! There are other, better ways to solve behavior problems than radical and irreversible surgery.

Declawing, which is rightly described as “de-toeing” when the same procedure is done to  chickens, is the amputation of each front toe at the first joint….This is necessary because, unlike a fingernail, the claw actually grows from the first toe bone. The procedure is so excruciatingly painful that it was once used as a technique of torture, and even today it remains the primary test of the effectiveness of pain medications.”

For a discussion of the complications as well as suggestions for non-surgical alternatives, read the full article at http://tinyurl.com/kn6gam.

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Tagged as: declawing cats; partial declawing; inhumane procedure for cats