In many countries, declawing cats is illegal, but in the U.S., it is still legal. Many people debate whether this process is humane or inhumane.
Choosing to declaw a cat is a big decision. Many people don’t understand just how big that decision really is. Declawing cats is removing a bone from the paw. Cats have three bones in each finger just like a human and the claw is the third one on the end. By declawing a cat, that third bone is removed.
“I don’t think that declaws should be taken as lightly as some people take them,” said Melissa Kuhrt, a doctor of veterinary medicine. “People don’t know that we are amputating a toe.”
Another process that some people choose to do instead of declawing the cat is called a tenectomy. This is a process in which the tendon which allows the cat to extrude their claws is cut. This way, the cat can keep their claws but they can’t use them to damage anything.
On the subject of inhumane versus humane, a tenectomy is more inhumane than actually declawing the cat, said Vera Milosh from Pets Are People Too. Because the cat still has its claws, it want to claw at things but it can’t. At least when the cats are declawed, they can still do the clawing motion but cause no damage. They just seem to get frustrated with the tenectomy.
Many people choose to declaw their cats for their own benefit. Whether it is for behavioral modification or just to protect their furniture, people want it done. There is no health advantage for the cat to be declawed, which is why many people argue that it is inhumane. If the cat was born with deformed paws, then it is a medical procedure that has to be done for the cat to be more comfortable by a doctor’s suggestion.
Ultimately it is the doctor’s decision to perform the procedure. Some will refuse to do the procedure no matter what the argument is, but at the Moscow Animal Clinic, Kuhrt will do it.
“We usually recommend doing them before 6 months of age because we still have cartilage in there and there is less bone being damaged when we are doing the actual procedure,” Kuhrt said. “In the younger kitties they usually respond quickly and they rarely act like there has been a big procedure done.”
Other disadvantages to declawing cats include taking away their main way of self-defense, so it is important to keep them inside, Kuhrt said. Older cats may not be able to walk the same after the procedure and seem to never really be the same. It is also important to keep an eye on the paws after the procedure to make sure the paws are healing correctly because it is possible for abnormal nail growth, she said.
Most times, Kuhrt recommends not declawing the older cats, but when it is the only saving factor from going to the shelter, she would rather declaw the cat for the owner than see the cat be put in the shelter.
Milosh said it is a natural thing for cats to claw at things. That is how they shed their nails.
There are many alternatives to declawing cats or having a tenectomy done. Scratching posts are most common, but there are a lot of different options. Cats like different things and it constantly changes so it is up to the owner to keep up with cats’ needs. Another option is Soft Paws. Soft Paws are a cover for the claws that are super glued onto the claw. They have to be reapplied every four to six weeks but can be great alternative for owners who are willing to keep up with them. Some cats won’t stay still long enough for the application of the soft paws, but the Moscow Animal Clinic will apply them on request.
Declawing a cat is a big decision that will affect the cat for the rest of its life. A consultation with the doctor is done before the procedure so that the owner knows exactly what is being done and what it will do to the cat. The debate whether it is inhumane or humane will go on and is really up to each individual person.
Kaitlyn Martin can be reached at [email protected]