If you're thinking about declawing, please read the following article. It discusses the many risks to your cat’s health and your financial future.

Onychectomy: Onychectomy is the act of surgically removing the nails, or claws, most often of a cat. This process involves amputating the ends of the digits. This is often called declawing.

There are several things you should know about a cat’s anatomy: Their claws, while they may just look like nails, are deeply embedded in their toes and adhere to the bones of their feet. In order to remove the claw, the veterinarian must actually amputate the first joint of the toe. Cats actually walk on their claws. They use them to stretch. They also use them to defend themselves from predators. Yes, scratching helps to shed old claw sheaths. But the biggest thing your cat gets out of scratching is a wonderful, full body stretch!

Not being able to stretch has a long term effect most vets don’t discuss: upper body weakness, and back and shoulder problems. Declawing fundamentally changes the shape of a cat's paw. Much like bad shoes or foot injuries can effect a person’s back, so it does for a cat’s back, hips, and shoulders. According to Anitra Frazer "The physical effect of declawing is gradual weakining of the muscles of the legs, shoulders, and back. Balance is impaired... A declawed cat is, in reality, a clubfooted animal."

Declawing alters your cat's physiology and personality: She must re-learn how to walk, jump, and use the litter box. The pain affects when and how she uses the litter box. Shelter employees report a high number of declawed cats dropped off for "litter box issues." It also leaves her defenseless should she escape. Long term pain can cause aggressive behavior and, since you removed her first defense, she may resort to biting to let her feelings be known.

It’s not just declawing, it’s amputation.

Declawing is a serious medical procedure; it is very painful for your cat and very expensive for you. Even under anaesthesia, they experience the pain of amputation. According to Dr. Nicholas Dodman at Tufts University Veterinary School “[u]nlike routine recoveries, including recovery from neutering surgeries, which are fairly peaceful, declawing surgery results in cats bouncing off the walls of the recovery cage because of excruciating pain.” The long-term recovery is also painful and requires strong pain relief drugs, care and cleaning of the wounds, shredded paper for litter, and keeping your cat from walking.

Complications, when they happen, can be devastating: excruciating pain, hemorrhaging, slow or incomplete healing, damage to the radial nerve, and painful regrowth of poorly amputated claws. They can even result in second and third surgeries, requiring anaesthesia and an additional financial outlay by you.

Tendonectomy, a similar procedure where a tendon in the side of the paw is severed, prevents the claws from extending. While is may seem less drastic, it is no less traumatic for your cat. It also has its own inherent danger: the claws continue to grow but, because your cat can't scratch, she can't file them down. The claws must be trimmed constantly or they grow into the paw pad.

So, now you know a lot more about declawing and the damage it can do. Here's the good news:

It’s remarkably easy to protect the things you cherish!

Offer her something else. Most importantly, you have to give her an alternative to scratch. A scratching post, something taller than she is, is an excellent choice. The cardboard kind work very well, too. Or that easy chair that Uncle Frank gave you and you hate anyway. The point is that it must be taller and heavier than she is so she can get that delicious, full-body stretch. Get a couple and put them in your cat’s favorite hang outs. Rub some dried catnip or use catnip or honeysuckle spray to make them more enticing.

Trim your cat's claws. Most of the cats we place are used to having their nails trimmed. You’ll need a pair of animal nail clippers (human nail clippers tend to split the nail). Put your cat in your lap, pet her, say all kinds of soothing things. Take her paw and place your thumb on the large pad in the center. Gently press, causing the claws to extend. Trim the first 2mm of the claw. You’ll see a pink center to the claw, that’s the “quick.” Avoid cutting into that: it hurts and will bleed. We’ll be happy to demonstrate the procedure.

Use SoftPaws or a similar product. These are like press-on nails for cats. They even come in fashion colors! They last about 6 weeks, then will fall off and need to be replaced.

Show her what she can’t scratch. If you catch her digging in to your sofa, give her a loud NO! Then make sure you bring her to the scratching post so she can scratch. A few strips of double sided tape will also discourage her. Cats can’t stand having sticky paws. After a week or so, she’ll avoid that corner and you can remove the tape. While it’s there, it’s invisible. Slip covers also work very well. The New Natural Cat has great advice on behavior modification, along with a ton of great cat health information.

Above all else, be patient. Talk to an AdvoCATs volunteer. We’ve all come up with creative ways to modify the behavior of our charges. Please, educate yourself, educate your family, become “Pro Claw.”

The good folks at Petfinder have a great article on Claws which you may find helpful.

Here are additional resources:

www.declawing.com - A site developed by Christanne Schelling, DVM.
www.maxshouse.com - A NJ rescue group with great information for all.
www.declaw.com - For a list of docs in your area who refuse to declaw.
www.stop-declaw.com - Contains graphic images of the actual procedure.
www.pawproject.com - Advocats anti-declaw legislation.