The standard method of declawing is amputating with a scalpel or guillotine clipper. The wounds are closed with stitches or surgical glue, and the feet are bandaged.Īnother method is laser surgery, in which a small, intense beam of light cuts through tissue by heating and vaporizing it. However, it's still the amputation of the last toe bone of the cat and carries with it the same long-term risks of lameness and behavioral problems as does declawing with scalpels or clippers. Educated pet parents can easily train their cats to use their claws in a manner that allows everyone in the household to live together happily. It is an unnecessary surgery that provides no medical benefit to the cat. If performed on a human being, it would be like cutting off each finger at the last knuckle. Sadly, this is far from the truth.ĭeclawing traditionally involves the amputation of the last bone of each toe. Too often, people think that declawing is a simple surgery that removes a cat's nails-the equivalent of having your fingernails trimmed. Declawing can actually lead to an entirely different set of behavior problems that may be worse than shredding the couch. Pet caregivers should not consider declawing a routine prevention for unwanted scratching. That's the ideal time to train kittens to use a scratching post and allow nail trims. Cats scratch to remove the dead husks from their claws, mark territory, and stretch their muscles.Ĭats are usually about 8 weeks old when they begin scratching. It isn't done to destroy a favorite chair or to get even. The risk from scratches for these people is less than those from bites, cat litter, or fleas carried by their cats. However, infectious disease specialists don't recommend declawing. People who are worried about being scratched, especially those with immunodeficiencies or bleeding disorders, may be told incorrectly that their health will be protected by declawing their cats. The Humane Society of the United States opposes declawing except for the rare cases when it is necessary for medical purposes, such as the removal of cancerous nail bed tumors. Declawing also can cause lasting physical problems for your cat.

They don't realize that declawing can make a cat less likely to use the litter box or more likely to bite. People often mistakenly believe that declawing their cats is a harmless 'quick fix' for unwanted scratching.

Danger cut fingers off sign