6 May 2018

The California Veterinary Medical Association is in favor of declawing cats per the CVMA Policy on Declawing of Domestic Cats their website, July 2010. Click here to read their policy.

The article does not cover the complete facts about declawing, only that veterinarians are trained professionals who will only prescribe the declawing procedure as a last resort to prevent abandonment or euthanasia.  They also suggest that declawing is a safe alternative to unwanted scratching, especially for those who are unable to properly train their cats.  The CVMA also states that "current surgical techniques and modern anesthetic and pain medications have greatly reduced the pain and discomfort associated with cat declawing." What they decline to say is the rest of the facts about declawing:

Facts (and analyses):

  • CVMA:  Veterinarians are trained to distinguish medical and behavioral problems and need to be able to continue to educate and counsel clients.
    (That is true, but too many veterinarians are more interested in making money to take into consideration the welfare of their patients: the animals.)

  • CVMA:  Veterinarians do not take the issue of declawing lightly and strive to educate pet owners about available alternatives.
    (This is not completely true. If a veterinarian is opposed to declawing, they would not perform the surgery merely at the request of the owner. )

  • CVMA:  Claw removal is sometimes medically necessary for conditions such as tumors or chronic infections.
    (That should be the ONLY time a claw is removed, and ONLY on the affected toe, not all of them for the convenience of the owner’s furniture.)

  • CVMA:  Studies have proven that behavioral problems are the leading cause of unnecessary relinquishment of animals.
    (Veterinarians promote declawing cats with “uncontrollable” scratching problems claiming that a declawed cat will keep his home.
    That is not true. Too many declawed cats develop worse behavioral issues and are relinquished to shelters.)

  • CVMA:  Not all pet owners are able to successfully train a cat to refrain from using its claws in a destructive manner.
    (    Many cat owners don’t even own scratching posts for their cats. These cat owners prefer the idea of instant scratching deterrence rather than having to teach the cat to use a scratching post.)

    • CVMA:  Owners who are elderly or disabled may lack the ability or means to provide the needed training
      (Not always true!  If the person is incapable of training a cat or kitten, they should consider another type of animal that doesn’t use its claws/nails to scratch.)

    • CVMA:  Owners, or those living on or otherwise coming on to the premises, may be immunocompromised and thus more susceptible to diseases transmitted through feline clawing.
      (Again, either teach the cat not to scratch people or have a pet that doesn’t scratch.)

    • CVMA:  Still others may be faced with pets that are particularly resistant to training.
      (No animal is untrainable! All animals can learn and therefore be trained. If training a cat is too difficult, get a different type of pet.)

  • CVMA:  Euthanasia, abandonment, or other forms of relinquishment should not be the last resort for the cat owning public.
    (To this I agree!!! BUT declawing should never be an option. Surgeons are not allowed to operate on anyone without the patient’s permission. This should apply to declawing also. The only exception is for the health of the cat’s toe due to accidental injury or illness, such as cancer.)

  • CVMA:  Current surgical techniques and modern anesthetic and pain medications have greatly reduced the pain and discomfort associated with cat declawing.
    (NOT TRUE!!!  To explain why declawing should never be an option, below is a list of facts about declawing:

    • Declawing is the amputation of the last knuckle of each toe.
      For front declawing, that is a total of 10 separate amputations.
      If the cat is both front and rear declawed, that is 18 separate amputations.

    • Amputations are extremely painful, regardless of which method is used. (Just ask a human amputee.) 
      Remember stubbing your toe? Think how badly it would hurt if it had been cut off!

    • Pain medication used is not always sufficient during the procedure. 
      Many cats have cried out as their bones are cut.

    • Rarely is pain medication prescribed after the surgery. 
      Some vets don't believe animals feel pain.
      Imagine having major surgery without any pain medication to take after you wake up!

    • After the surgery, the cat is not given time to heal like a human amputee. 
      They don’t get bed rest while the stumps heal. They don’t get wheelchairs during recovery.
      They must put weight on the severed toe bones, without any cushioning, to walk to their food and water, and their litterbox. Then these feline amputees have to use these same amputated toe nubs to scrape litter over their waste.

    • The pain associated with using newly amputated toe bones causes behavioral problems in the long run.
      The cats associate the pain with the litterbox because it hurts to scrape the litter, even if it is only paper. 

Many kitten owners claim that the surgery does not affect their kittens because within a day or two, the kitten continues playing just like before. That is because the kitten is full of youthful energy and has to expend it just like children do. They know that something is wrong with their paws, but the need to play is strong. Plus, the kittens understand that nothing is going to reverse the removal of their claws. So, they continue on with their lives.