Before you make the decision to declaw your cat, please take into consideration the following. Declawing is not like a manicure. It is serious surgery. The cat’s claw is not a nail as is a human fingernail. It is actually closely adhered to the bone – so closely adhered, that to remove the claw, the last bone of the cat’s claw has to be removed.
Contrary to most people’s understanding, declawing consists of amputating not just the claws, but the whole phalanx (up to the joint), including bones, ligaments, and tendons. To remove the claw, the bone, nerve, joint capsule, collateral ligaments, and the extensor and flexor tendons must all be amputated. Thus declawing is not a simple, single surgery but 10 separate, painful amputations of the third phalanx up to the last joint of each toe. It is a painful surgery, with a painful recovery period. And remember that during the time of recuperation from the surgery, your cat would still have to use its feet to walk, jump, and scratch in its litter box regardless of the pain it is experiencing. Wheelchairs and bedpans are not an option for a cat.
No cat lover would doubt that cats – whose senses are much keener than ours – suffer pain. They may, however, hide it better. Not only are they proud, they instinctively know that they are at risk when in a weakened position, and by nature will attempt to hide it. Make no mistake; this is not a surgery to be taken lightly. We strongly discourage cat owners from having their cats declawed. Scratching is a natural behavior for cats and can be directed to appropriate items. If you feel you need additional information or consultation about your cat and declawing, we recommend you speak with your veterinarian or with shelter staff, or read our article about scratching.
If, in the future, it becomes a decision to either declaw or give up your cat, you need to have all of the facts. It is important you understand the severity of the surgery, that you only declaw the front paws, and that, following the surgery, you MUST ALWAYS keep your cat indoors. If the cat you have adopted from our shelter has already been declawed by its previous owners, you MUST ALWAYS keep your cat indoors. The declawed cat is deprived of its primary means of defense, leaving it prey to predators if it ever escapes to the outdoors.
